Dr. Arvind Kumar*
IPCC has warned that India—home to 20 percent of the world’s population—could face multiple climate change-induced disasters in the next two decades. In the African continent, meanwhile, eight countries are among the ten most vulnerable in the world. Yet, climate is a global common, and therefore the mitigation of climate change is a global public good. This shared responsibility to combat global warming continues to shape international climate change diplomacy, paving the way for agreements that seek mitigation and adaptation measures, and the appropriate financing. Indeed, the evolution of climate diplomacy has been a logical consequence of long-lasting concerns about nature and human survival that have preceded the construction of the current climate action regime. For many developing countries, who have contributed little to climate change, the severe impacts of climate change are looming large over their existence in particular the island nations, are only bearing the brunt. Urgent global climate action is, indeed, the need of the hour and it must be guided by the principles of climate justice including equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). The developed world has already consumed its share of the climate resources and it is time they take responsibility of their past actions.
Beyond the immediate impact of extreme weather patterns, like floods and wildfires, climate change can be considered a threat multiplier or an event that can exacerbate and expose already existing weaknesses and limitations. As a result, countries—many of which in the Global South—with limited state capacity, weak institutional structures, undiversified economies, outdated infrastructure, and that are conflict-prone are more likely to experience aggravated climate impact than countries with better resources. While richer countries have long evaded the consequences of their economic and political policies, they cannot continue to escape the effects of the conditions they have created. It is also no longer possible for the West to marginalize the Global South decision-making processes of climate response or evade its responsibility toward the poorest and most vulnerable of these countries. Certainly, the wealthiest nations have been lagging behind on these fronts.
Co-Benefits focused climate action
India’s push for cooperation on climate change has expanded beyond simply seeking a multilateral solution to organising the emerging powers, or newly industrialised countries of the developing world into a coalition. India has been a part of three significant groupings—the Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) countries, the Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa (BRICS), and the Group of 77 (G-77) countries of the Global South. BASIC was a key player at both the Copenhagen and Paris Conferences of the Parties (COPs) where India was recognised as a drafting author of the agreements. A last-minute agreement negotiated between leaders from BASIC and the United States led to the adoption of the Copenhagen Accord. For Africa’s part, all countries of the continent are part of the G77. The group provides the means for countries of the Global South to articulate their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on crucial international economic issues within the UN system, and promote South-South cooperation for development. Under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the G77 + China coalition has historically argued for financial support from the wealthy nations to enable developing countries to mitigate the impacts of climate change and adapt to the already changing climate, based on the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’.
The good news is that public and private institutions are recognising the potential of technology to combat climate change, and climate and green investment discourse is increasingly featured on global forums. At the G20, India has made the transition to clean energy a priority. This agenda involves unraveling the potential of climate tech and generating an enabling ecosystem. To make this happen it is important to understand the landscape of technologies and the challenges that present scale. The amount of funding currently being dedicated to climate tech is insufficient to effectively tackle the impacts of climate change. According to a report by the UNFCCC Race to Zero campaign, the world requires $125 trillion of climate investment to meet net zero by 2050. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that annual investment in renewable energy alone must increase from USD$300 billion to USD$1 trillion in this time period. Investments in climate tech in India are growing at a fast face, amounting to ~USD 800 million in the first half of 2022 alone, against a mere USD 1.2 billion raised over 4 years from 2016 to 2020.
Way Forward
An opportunity exists to leverage the G20 and its mechanisms to increase climate finance, especially fusing both public and private capital to drive climate action. Green transitions must be a global, not a Global North endeavour. Discussing multilateral development banks reforms at the G20 could highlight their importance to advance the climate cause. India’s ability to serve as a bridge between the developed and developing world can also be further explored through triangular climate partnerships in the Global South. India has an opportunity to bring climate technology to the forefront of policy making. The Working Groups on Agriculture, Environment and Climate Sustainability, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Energy Transitions will be instrumental in driving discussions on sustainable food production, biodiversity conservation, climate change resilience and technological innovation respectively. India can also encourage businesses to embrace climate tech through engagement groups like the Startup G20.The potential for climate technology to mitigate and adapt to climate change is immense, but we need more investments and action to achieve this. With India taking on a larger role in global forums, it has an opportunity to steer the conversation in this direction, channel funding to the right places, and to make the potential of climate technology count.
Take for instance the Mission LiFE announced by PM Modiji at UNFCCC COP 26 to bring individual behaviours at the forefront of the global climate action narrative. LiFE envisions replacing the prevalent ‘use-and-dispose’ economy—governed by mindless and destructive consumption—with a circular economy, which would be defined by mindful and deliberate utilization. The Mission intends to nudge individuals to undertake simple acts in their daily lives that can contribute significantly to climate change when embraced across the world. LiFE plans to leverage the strength of social networks to influence social norms surrounding climate. The Mission plans to create and nurture a global network of individuals, namely ‘Pro-Planet People’ (P3), who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles. Through the P3 community, the Mission seeks to create an ecosystem that will reinforce and enable environmentally friendly behaviours to be self-sustainable.
Considering PM’s recent visit to Papua New Guinea, if India does seek to work more closely with its Quad and other partners in the Pacific, it will need to reconcile this with its perceived role as a leader of the global south. Papua New Guinea is not only significant strategically for India, but it has both a strong trade relationship with New Delhi and is home to a significant Indian population. India has maintained close contact with Papua New Guinea and many of the other PICs, signing an agreement this week on cooperation in small-to-medium sized enterprises and in the past working on areas of technical cooperation on clean energy, solar power, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
All these frameworks – bilateral, minilateral and multilateral – are crucial to drive India’s climate transition. Climate and energy issues for both mitigation and adaptation will become a core foreign policy interest as countries realise the importance of domestic climate action to minimise and redress the pernicious effects of climate change. That international policy climate is also changing, and India is changing with it. The new decade will be key in determining the world’s fight against climate change. Policy decisions taken today will determine whether the world moves towards a sustainable future “leaving no one behind”.
*President, India Water Foundation
