India’s Climate Diplomacy Takes Center Stage at COP28

India’s Climate Diplomacy Faces Crucial Test at COP28 in Dubai

In a surprising turn of events in 2016, India played a constructive role at the Paris meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP), contributing to the historic agreement on climate change. This marked a significant shift in India’s approach to global climate negotiations, from being seen as a naysayer to actively participating in finding solutions.

Following the Paris agreement, India joined forces with France to establish the International Solar Alliance (ISA), further demonstrating its commitment to combatting climate change. This move solidified India’s position as a key player in climate diplomacy and acknowledged the growing importance of climate issues in foreign policy.

However, the global political landscape has since deteriorated, with increasing tensions between major powers such as the United States, China, Russia, and regional conflicts in the Middle East. These geopolitical challenges have led to a fragmentation of climate governance, making climate diplomacy even more critical.

Moreover, the world economy is still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding to the urgency of addressing climate change. This backdrop highlights the importance of climate diplomacy, especially for countries like India, which are part of the global South and have a greater stake in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the body under which COP operates, is in need of reforms to keep up with the rapidly changing global landscape. India’s pivotal moment at the Paris summit signaled its recognition of the deficiencies in existing multilateral institutions and its commitment to retooling its climate diplomacy.

India’s evolving stance in UNFCCC negotiations, including accepting voluntary emission reduction targets at the 2009 Copenhagen summit, demonstrates its growing understanding that climate action should be a global effort, not solely the responsibility of developed countries. The shift in India’s approach at the Paris summit was a response to the changing dynamics of climate politics.

To address the bottleneck in climate governance, India has pursued diverse agreements and arrangements beyond the UNFCCC, such as the International Solar Alliance. This approach has provided India and other countries in the Global South with access to climate finance and technology for decarbonization efforts. It has also positioned India as a bridge between the Global South and the Global North, as exemplified in the recent G20 summit in New Delhi.

However, India’s climate diplomacy faces its toughest test yet at COP28 in Dubai. The outcome of this conference will determine whether India can rise to the occasion and continue its leadership role in addressing climate change.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.