Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav outlined India’s priorities for COP31 of the UNFCCC, to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9-20, and highlighted key outcomes of India’s participation in CBD COP17 and UNCCD COP17.
Yadav said India will approach COP31 with a solution-oriented vision, bringing practical solutions for the Global South, with capacity building, knowledge sharing and geography-specific solutions at the core. India will work closely with G-77 and China, LMDC and BASIC, he informed.
The minister reaffirmed that India stands committed to making positive contributions to global efforts to achieve the objectives of the climate convention and the goals of the Paris Agreement. He said climate finance will be a key priority, with India seeking a COP31 decision to commence the Climate Finance Work Programme.
Yadav emphasised that finance is an obligation of developed countries under Article 9.1 and must be predictable, largely public and concessional, and should not add to the debt burden. India will also press for mitigation and the Global Stocktake to remain Party-driven, facilitative and non-punitive, respecting the nationally determined nature of NDCs and ruling out new top-down targets.
Further, the minister informed that adaptation will remain a priority for India, with global Goal on Adaptation indicators being voluntary and not conditioning access to finance, alongside scaled-up adaptation finance. India will support continuation of the Just Transition Work Programme through a Party-driven mechanism, viewing just transition through the lens of climate justice, the right to development and affordable energy access.
On technology, India will emphasise that technology transfer is an obligation of developed countries and that barriers related to cost, IPR and trade must be addressed. Participation in carbon markets should remain voluntary. India will also underline that voluntary initiatives under the Presidency Action Agenda should remain separate from negotiations and that uniform global targets must respect national circumstances.
India will also highlight the linkage between the need for adaptation in agriculture, food security and the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers. Its engagements at COP31 will include LeadIT 3.0 with Sweden, in addition to high-level side events on coastal resilience, panels on IBCA and forests. Shri Yadav said India will play a constructive, bridge-building role in Antalya, seeking an outcome that moves from commitments to implementation and support.
