India must lead its own climate summit for the Global South

We need a climate summit where the voices of vulnerable nations are heard, and tangible solutions replace empty rhetoric

- SRINATH SRIDHARAN

The annual COP summits on climate change, once hailed as landmark of global cooperation, have become predictable spectacles of high drama and low delivery. Leaders announce ambitious targets, delegates craft carefully worded declarations, and the Global North dominates the narrative. Yet, year after year, the outcomes fall short of the promises, leaving the most vulnerable nations to bear the brunt of climate crises they did not create.

India, a leading voice of the Global South and one of the most climate-vulnerable nations, must now ask itself: Are these summits still worth attending? The COP29 in Baku has again exposed the structural inequities of these forums. While the Global South demands urgent action and fair financing, the Global North offers only incremental pledges often wrapped in the guise of loans that further burden struggling economies.

India has a choice. It can continue to participate in a broken process that perpetuates inequity or lead a transformative initiative by hosting a Global South Climate Summit. Such a platform would refocus the climate debate on justice, equity, and actionable solutions—principles that are crucial for the survival of billions.

The statistics paint a grim picture. Climate disasters kill hundreds of thousands annually and cause over $300 billion in economic losses, disproportionately impacting the Global South. According to the World Bank, by 2030, climate change could push 132 million people into poverty, with South Asia bearing a significant share of this burden. India, with its 1.4 billion people, is already facing the consequences: unprecedented heatwaves, erratic monsoons, and catastrophic floods are wreaking havoc on lives and livelihoods.