Developed nations have not only failed to meet the USD 100 billion goal per year of support to developing nations since 2009 but also continue to present it as the ceiling of their ambition all the way to 2025, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at the international climate conference COP26.
Yadav, who is representing India at the UN Climate Change Conference, made the statement on behalf of the BASIC group of countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – at the opening plenary session of the Conference of Parties (COP26), which began on Sunday.
"Delivered the BASIC statement at opening plenary of COP26 underlining that developed nations have not only failed to meet the USD 100 billion goal per year of support to developing nations since 2009 but also continue to present it as ceiling of their ambition all the way to 2025,” Yadav tweeted.
"In a context where developing countries, including BASIC countries, have massively stepped up their climate actions since 2009, it is unacceptable that there is still no matching ambition from developed countries on the enabling means of implementation on climate finance support,” he said.
The minister reached Glasgow on October 29 to attend the COP26 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is being presided over by the UK and will end on November 12.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also attending the crucial conference, will be addressing leaders from nearly 200 countries on November 1 and 2.
At the plenary on Sunday, the environment minister also highlighted that even though COP26 has been delayed by a year, parties have already commenced implementation of their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and therefore, it is crucial that the Paris Agreement Rulebook is concluded at COP26.
"In doing so, full effect must be given to implementation of the principles of equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) and, recognition of the very different national circumstances of parties,” he said in a statement.
Yadav underlined that developing countries must be accorded time, policy space and support to transition towards a low emissions future.
The minister mentioned that COP26 must aim for higher global ambition on climate finance and adaptation as well, along with recognition of parties’ differing historical responsibilities and the developmental challenges faced by developing countries, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the statement, Yadav recalled the bottom-up nature of the Paris Agreement and the freedom of parties to determine their NDCs and progressively update them based on the outcomes of the global stocktake cycle and call of science.
With regard to the long-term temperature goal, he affirmed that the latest available science makes it clear that all parties need to immediately contribute their fair share, and achieving this would require developed countries to rapidly reduce their emissions and dramatically scale-up their financial support to developing countries.
He added that COP26 needs to be remembered as the COP where a step-change in financial support for developing countries from developed countries was initiated.
Yadav said that finance, technology development and transfer and capacity-building are critical enablers of climate actions in developing countries.
"Decisions particularly on climate finance and Article 6 can significantly help enhance climate ambition. A market mechanism that facilitates private sector engagement in carbon markets could help further raise climate ambition, in addition to what is being achieved under the NDCs,” he said in the statement.
Yadav also highlighted that the success of multilateralism lies in transparent, inclusive, party-driven and consensus-based nature of the UNFCCC process and the group expects that all agenda items shall proceed in an inclusive and balanced manner, and the outcome should reflect the views of all parties.
On behalf of the BASIC group, he reaffirmed full commitment to fighting climate change and work constructively and progressively with the presidency and all other parties in ensuring that a successful outcome is reached at COP26.
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