At COP29, India takes aim at rich countries' stance

India delivered its strongest intervention yet at the COP29 climate talks on Monday, demanding discussion on "carbon debt" owed by developed nations and calling out trade measures that disadvantage developing countries, while arguing that just transition must begin with wealthy nations, not developing economies.

- Jayashree Nandi

Speaking at the high-level ministerial round table on 'just transition', India's deputy delegation lead Leena Nandan challenged the narrow framing of climate justice, emphasising that developing countries like India consume just one-third of the global average per capita energy. This stark inequality in energy access, she argued, must be central to any discussion of climate transitions.

"Global climate justice is at the core of our work here under the Convention and its Paris Agreement," Nandan said, stressing that development remains "the over-riding priority for countries of the global South." She emphasised that the principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) are foundational to climate action, not optional considerations.

India called for monetisation of "carbon debt" owed by developed nations for their historical emissions and overuse of the global carbon budget. "Monetisation of this carbon debt would be in trillions," Nandan stated.