TheLittleTwentieth – Renowned Papers Edition, AI Infused

Local sources from India: BBC, The Hindu.
UK coverage: Financial Times.

As the COP28 climate summit approaches, countries are staking out their positions on key issues. Scheduled for November 2023 in Egypt, the conference will focus on implementing the Paris Agreement and accelerating global efforts to combat climate change. Developing countries are pushing for increased financial support from wealthier nations to help them transition to cleaner energy sources and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, developed countries are emphasizing the need for greater ambition in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and holding major polluters accountable.

The negotiations are expected to be challenging, with differing perspectives and interests at play. The US, a developed country and the second largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, and other developed nations say China and India should join them in not only making significant cuts in emissions for meaningful global climate action, but also contribute to the fund.

In a related development, 118 countries have signed on to a pledge to triple installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 during the ongoing COP28 climate summit in Dubai. India, however, is not among them, with the other conspicuous absence being China, the country that has the world’s largest installed renewable energy capacity. Though the plan to substantially increase renewable energy capacity and energy efficiency was first floated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this April, it was first mentioned as a concrete proposal in the New Delhi G20 declaration in September.

The Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge, as of now, has committed to tripling worldwide installed renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11,000 gigawatts (GW) and to double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements to more than 4 percent by 2030. India, as part of its nationally determined contributions (NDCs), has already committed to installing 500 GW of electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. As of March 2023, Power Minister R.K. Singh stated that India already has close to 170 GW of installed capacity.

Though the pledge that countries have committed to has little legal sanctity and is yet to be included in the main negotiating texts that are being worked upon before a final COP-28 agreement is ironed out by December 12, experts have expressed disappointment that India had not signed on despite being visibly associated with the commitment. Madhura Joshi, Senior Associate, India Energy Transition Lead, E3G, said, “It’s disheartening that India has not signed onto the global pledge to triple renewable and double energy efficiency by 2030. These were landmark decisions that were championed by the Indian G20 presidency and agreed to by G20 leaders in September 2023. Reaching net-zero commitments made by countries means that fossil fuels, including coal, need to be phased down and out.”

The COP28 climate summit is a crucial opportunity for countries to come together and take meaningful action on climate change. While the negotiations are expected to be challenging, with differing perspectives and interests at play, it is hoped that countries will come to an agreement that will help accelerate global efforts to combat climate change and ensure a sustainable future for all.