CHENNAI: India reaffirmed its commitment to climate justice and equitable global action at the COP30 Leaders' Summit in the Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil. The formal negotiations are set to commence from Monday, marking the 10th anniversary of the historic Paris Agreement.
In a plenary statement, India’s Ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia, urged developed countries to accelerate emission reductions, reach net-zero targets ahead of schedule, and deliver predictable, concessional finance to developing nations.
“Given the rapid depletion of the remaining carbon budget, developed countries must reach net zero much sooner than they have declared and invest substantially in reaching net-negative emissions,” Bhatia said, stressing that the next decade of climate action must be “defined by implementation, resilience, and shared responsibility based on mutual trust and fairness.”
The call comes at a crucial moment for the global climate process. COP30, hosted by Brazil in the Amazonian city of Belém, coincides with the Paris Agreement’s 10-year milestone. Negotiators and leaders are expected to use this session to strengthen global ambition and finalise a roadmap for the post-2030 climate regime. The conference also revisits the legacy of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, which gave rise to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its guiding principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR-RC) — values India continues to champion.
Detailing India’s domestic progress, Bhatia said the country had reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020, surpassing its targets well ahead of schedule. More than half of India’s installed power capacity now comes from non-fossil sources, while its renewable energy portfolio has reached about 200 gigawatts, making it the world’s third-largest producer of renewables.
However, according to the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025, a couple of days back, India is among the six largest greenhouse gas emitters globally — along with China, the United States, the European Union, Russia and Indonesia — accounting for a significant share of the global total of 57.7 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2024, a 2.3% increase from the previous year. Among these top emitters, the highest absolute growth in emissions between 2023 and 2024 occurred in India, followed by China and Indonesia. While India’s per capita emissions remain well below the global average, its rapid economic growth and energy demand have driven increases in total emissions. The report noted that G20 countries collectively accounted for 77% of global emissions in 2024.
In the same vein, India has also expanded its forest and tree cover to 25.17% of its geographical area, creating an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between 2005 and 2021, according to the FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025. The Ambassador further highlighted flagship initiatives, such as the International Solar Alliance, launched with France in 2015 and now uniting over 120 countries, which promote affordable solar energy and South-South cooperation.
Reiterating India’s belief in climate multilateralism, Bhatia said equitable access to finance, technology, and capacity building remained vital for developing nations to implement ambitious climate action. “Equitable, predictable, and concessional climate finance remains the cornerstone for achieving global climate goals,” he noted.
India also welcomed Brazil’s new “Tropical Forests Forever Facility” (TFFF) and joined it as an Observer, calling it a significant step toward the preservation of tropical forests.