The crux of India's stance at climate negotiations, explained
As a developing nation that’s also the world’s third largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter, India’s position always sparks curiosity at the annual climate change summits. For starters, pitching itself as a voice for the “global south" is sometimes at odds with its current contributions to global warming. Vulnerable island states find this fact hard to ignore; so do developed nations that dislike being made global punching bags over the crisis.
How is it to be in the middle? During the 28 United Nations climate change summits (COPs), the most recent of which ended in Dubai last week, India’s approach has largely been pragmatic, meant to ensure that the burden of action doesn’t fall unfairly on developing countries. Right at the first summit in 1995, it advocated for allowing developing nations leeway on emissions to support growth, while making industrialized ones cut theirs. In 1997, New Delhi supported the Kyoto protocol that asked advanced nations to cut emissions.
India consistently shows intent to engage in global efforts to protect climate from further decay, but also stresses the need to not blink on economic growth and poverty reduction, which it says will need high energy use. While this global positioning is important to safeguard its interests, India is quietly getting ready to deflect blows as the next-generation punching bag. It aims to achieve 500 GW renewable energy capacity, and also has pledged to reach 50% of its cumulative electric power capacity to come from non-fossil fuel sources, both by 2030.
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