India's Perspectives at COP29: Charting a path to fair climate action

Concerns of the Global South

The Global South, encompassing a diverse group of nations primarily located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, faces many interconnected challenges that impede their development and well-being. These concerns are deeply rooted in historical, economic, and geopolitical factors. One of the most pressing issues is climate change. Many countries in the Global South are disproportionately vulnerable to its effects, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and droughts. These impacts exacerbate poverty, food insecurity, and displacement, hindering sustainable development efforts.

Economic inequality remains a persistent problem. The Global South often finds itself at the bottom of the global economic hierarchy, with limited access to resources, technology, and fair-trade opportunities. This inequality perpetuates poverty and underdevelopment, limiting the potential for economic growth and social progress.  Debt burdens are another significant challenge, particularly for many African nations. These debts, often incurred through unsustainable borrowing practices, constrain fiscal space and divert resources from essential public services like education and healthcare. This debt trap hinders economic recovery and limits a country's ability to invest in its future.   

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Geopolitical tensions and conflicts continue to plague several regions in the Global South. These conflicts often result in displacement, loss of life, and destruction of infrastructure, further exacerbating poverty and instability. Moreover, the involvement of external powers can exacerbate tensions and prolong conflicts. Governance and corruption are also major concerns. Weak governance, corruption, and lack of transparency undermine trust in institutions and hinder development efforts. These issues can lead to misallocation of resources, inequality, and social unrest.   

Access to essential services like healthcare, education, and clean water remains a significant challenge for many people in the Global South. Inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, and inequitable distribution often result in disparities in access to these services, particularly for marginalised communities.  Migration is another complex issue. Climate change, economic hardship, and conflict can force people to migrate, often seeking better opportunities elsewhere. This can lead to displacement, human trafficking, and social tensions.   

Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires a comprehensive approach involving domestic and international efforts. Strengthening governance, promoting sustainable development, investing in education and healthcare, and addressing climate change are crucial. International cooperation, including fair trade practices, debt relief, and technology transfer, is essential to support the Global South's development aspirations.   

It is imperative to recognise the interconnectedness of these issues and adopt a holistic approach to address them. By working together, the international community can help the Global South overcome these challenges and build a more equitable and sustainable future.  

India's Advocacy for Justice, Finance, and Integrity

India's active engagement and advocacy at COP29 reflect its commitment to ensuring that international climate agreements are equitable, ambitious, and inclusive. By highlighting these concerns, India aims to contribute to a global climate framework, recognising nations' diverse starting points and capacities worldwide. These discussions also remind us that for global climate initiatives to succeed, they must be rooted in fairness, transparency, and mutual responsibility. Below, I write about India's key concerns at COP29 that call for equitable climate action. 

Demand for Predictable Climate Finance

A primary focus for India at COP29 was the necessity for substantial and predictable financial support from developed countries to assist developing nations in mitigating and adapting to climate change. India called for a definitive roadmap to enhance climate finance, emphasising the importance of grants and concessional loans. This insistence on predictable finance ensures that developing countries can plan and implement long-term strategies for sustainable development without financial uncertainty.

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Advocacy for Equity in Climate Responsibility

India consistently highlighted the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). By underscoring the historical contributions of developed nations to climate change, India advocated for a more equitable approach to distributing climate burdens and responsibilities. This principle serves as a reminder of the negotiated balance between acknowledging historical emissions and supporting equitable progress for all nations.

Enhancing the Loss and Damage Fund

Although India welcomed the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP29, it expressed concerns regarding the sufficiency of the resources allocated to this fund and the transparency involved in accessing it. By advocating for a robust and equitable funding mechanism, India seeks to ensure that the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts receive the necessary support to recover and build resilience.

Emphasising Technology Transfer and Capacity Building

India also underscored the critical importance of technology transfer and capacity building, which are pivotal for developing countries to integrate clean technologies and implement sustainable practices. Facilitating access to advanced climate technologies is essential in bridging the gap between developed and developing nations, allowing the latter to leapfrog to sustainable development pathways without repeating the unsustainable practices of the past.

Concerns Over Carbon Market Integrity

Finally, India voiced apprehensions about the integrity of carbon markets, particularly the potential risks of undermining overall climate ambition and causing carbon leakage. India called for stringent rules and safeguards to ensure the environmental credibility of carbon markets. Such measures are vital to prevent market systems from being exploited in a manner that detracts from genuine emission reduction efforts.

In sum, India has indeed traded last-person strategy for influencing the idea of climate equity and responding to the demands of the Global South at COP29. According to India, balanced international mechanisms, consistent climate finance, honouring past actions, and ensuring carbon markets are not abused—are the prerequisites for nationwide collaborative action. The future perspective requires a revision of these interests at the global level of climate change governance, which will permit the cooperation of all nations in the fight against climate change to construct an eco-friendly world.

Anjal Prakash is a Clinical Associate Professor (Research) and Research Director at Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business (ISB). He teaches sustainability at ISB and contributes to IPCC reports.