TERI And Chintan Research Foundation Hold High-Level Post-COP30 Dialogue In New Delhi To Chart Next Phase Of Global Climate Action

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) jointly organized a high-level Post-COP Dialogue titled “Beyond Belém: Charting the Next Phase of Global Climate Action” at the India Habitat Centre today. The dialogue brought together senior policymakers, climate negotiators, researchers, and experts to assess the implications of COP30 outcomes and explore strategies for advancing climate action, particularly for developing countries.

The discussions offered an in-depth analysis of the decisions adopted at COP30, focusing on mitigation ambition, adaptation indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap on climate finance, and the creation of a Global Mechanism on Just Transition. The event also saw the launch of a COP30 debriefing paper, “The Belém Package: Recasting Ambition, Equity, and Finance in the Next Phase of Climate Action,” which provides a structured assessment of the negotiations and their significance for developing nations.

Dr Debajit Palit, Centre Head of the Centre for Climate Change and Energy Transition at CRF, set the stage for the dialogue, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based discussions to bridge the ambition–implementation gap. He noted that for developing countries, the coming years would be critical in translating COP outcomes into strategies that strengthen resilience, support inclusive development, and accelerate technological transformation.

In her opening remarks, Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General of TERI, highlighted the significance of COP30, noting that Brazil had brought the process back to the Amazon and emphasized the need to move from commitment to implementation. She stressed that pathways for finance, adaptation, and mitigation must be fair, just, and equitable, and cautioned against unilateral trade measures that could shift burdens unfairly onto those who have contributed least but face the greatest risks.

Mr Shishir Priyadarshi, President of CRF, expanded the discussion to economic cooperation and trade, underlining the importance of India being central to the evolving trade–climate interface. He stressed that climate action in the Global South should not be seen as a trade-off between growth and sustainability, but rather as an issue of fairness and equity.

The first session, moderated by Mr RR Rashmi, Distinguished Fellow at TERI and India’s former principal negotiator under the UNFCCC, focused on interpreting COP30 outcomes and their implications for global mitigation and adaptation targets. Ms Pooja Sehwag, Research Associate at CRF, set the context with an overview of COP30 decisions. Former Secretary of MoEFCC, Ms Leena Nandan, welcomed the inclusion of both nature-based and technology-driven CO₂ removal initiatives and highlighted India’s community-centered climate efforts such as Mission LiFE and grassroots projects like Ek Pedh, Maa Ke Naam. She emphasized that climate justice remains central to equitable action and that trade should not be used to impose climate pressures.

Prof Ajay Mathur from the School of Public Policy at IIT Delhi noted that COP30 marked a shift from expectations to delivery, with 59 new adaptation indicators now in place. He highlighted the need for strong national systems, bottom-up approaches, and public awareness to make these indicators effective. Mr Kirtiman Awasthi of GIZ-India emphasized that escalating climate extremes make bottom-up adaptation, knowledge systems, technology, and robust governance critical, while Ms Suruchi Bhadwal of TERI stressed the need for global-scale adaptation indicators addressing food security, social protection, and health.

Ms Ruchika Drall of MoEFCC noted the importance of flexible application of GGA indicators and highlighted the risks of unilateral trade measures disguised as climate action. Mr RR Rashmi concluded the session by underlining the importance of trust, consensus, and a development-plus approach to climate action and finance. The second session examined COP30 outcomes on climate finance, focusing on access, equity, and the needs of developing countries. Dr Manish Kumar Shrivastava of TERI outlined the scale of global financial requirements, estimated at USD 6.3 trillion per year by 2030, and stressed the importance of replenishing, rebalancing, rechannelling, revamping, and reshaping finance under the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap.

Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri highlighted the geopolitical realities of climate finance, noting that India must attract foreign funding while historical emitters assume responsibility. Dr Ashish Chaturvedi of UNDP India emphasized the need for clarity and complementarity in funding streams, prioritizing loss and damage and the mitigation–adaptation nexus. Ms Neha Kumar of the Climate Bonds Initiative pointed to the strategic role of climate finance in economic development, citing Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever Facility as an innovative model for conservation and indigenous community support.

Mr Saliem Fakir of the Africa Climate Foundation stressed that meaningful climate action increasingly occurs outside formal COP processes and must be integrated with broader economic development. The dialogue concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration, strengthen multilateralism, and translate COP30 outcomes into concrete pathways for a just, resilient, and equitable climate future.