India, Nov 17 : A day before the crucial COP30 climate negotiations begin, India has sharply criticised developed nations for failing to uphold their Paris Agreement commitments, particularly regarding predictable and accountable climate finance for mitigation and adaptation.
At a UN climate finance meeting held late Saturday, India speaking on behalf of like-minded developing countries reiterated that funding from developed nations must be reliable, additional, and free from greenwashing. The discussions centred on Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which mandates that developed countries provide financial resources to help developing nations tackle climate change. Article 9.3 further requires them to take the lead in mobilising climate finance.
India flags concerns over NCQG framework
India raised strong objections to the emerging New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), which seeks to scale up annual climate finance for developing countries to USD 300 billion by 2035 and mobilise USD 1.3 trillion per year from multiple sources.
New Delhi called the proposed goal “suboptimal,” arguing that it lacks concrete commitments from developed nations and fails to operationalise the financial obligations listed under Article 9.1. India warned that the current structure shifts responsibility away from richer nations and offers no clear roadmap for balancing financing between mitigation and adaptation.
The NCQG was a major sticking point at COP29 in Baku, where negotiations stretched beyond schedule due to disagreements over accountability and burden sharing.
UN urges clarity as ministers arrive for talks
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell urged negotiators to streamline technical discussions before ministers step in, stressing that clarity is essential for a balanced COP30 outcome.
“It’s vital to advance the technical work and make progress in every session,” Stiell said, urging all parties to “seek alignment and connect with each other” to secure a credible agreement.
As delegations prepare for high-level talks in Belém, India’s strong push for dependable climate finance is expected to remain a central theme of COP30.