Page 16 - Climate Change

Developing nations demand upto $900 bn in public climate finance at COP29

Developing countries are asking for up to USD 900 billion in public funding from a total of USD 1.3 trillion they seek from developed nations in the new climate finance package for reducing emissions and adapting to the growing impacts of climate change. Negotiators told PTI that the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) group has called for USD 600 billion in public funding, supplemented by private finance at concessional rates to meet the USD 1.3 trillion goal. Meanwhile, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is pushing for USD 900 billion in government funding, while the Arab Group has proposed USD 440 billion. Although developed countries have yet to officially propose a figure, their negotiators indicated that European Union nations are discussing a global climate finance target of USD 200 billion to USD 300 billion per year. EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told reporters that developed countries want to ascertain the package's components before committing to a

India drops 2 places but remains among top 10 climate performers: Report

India remained in the top 10 on a list of 63 countries assessed for efforts to combat climate change, despite dropping two spots compared to an year ago, thanks to its low per-capita emissions and rapid deployment of renewables, a report said on Wednesday. The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI 2025) -- published by think tanks Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International -- tracks the progress of the world's largest emitters in terms of emissions, renewables, and climate policy. The 63 countries, along with the European Union, assessed in the CCPI are responsible for 90 per cent of global emissions. India ranks 10th in this year's CCPI, remaining among the highest performers. The CCPI report, however, noted that significant changes in India's climate policy are unlikely. The growth-oriented approach to climate action is expected to continue or intensify, driven by rising energy demand from industry and the growing population, it said. The repor

Time runs down for negotiators at COP29 to find deal to curb global warming

With time running down, negotiators at the United Nations annual climate talks on Wednesday returned to the puzzle of finding an agreement to bring far more money for vulnerable nations to adapt than wealthier countries have shown they're willing to pay. Pressure was building to drive a deal by the time COP29, as this year's summit is known, concludes this week. COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev asked negotiators to clear away the technical part of talks by Wednesday afternoon so they can focus on substance. That substance is daunting. Vulnerable nations are seeking USD 1.3 trillion to deal with damage from climate change and to adapt to that change, including building out their own clean-energy systems. Experts agree that at least USD 1 trillion is called for, but both figures are far more than the developed world has so far offered. Half the world away in Rio, Brazil, where the Group of 20 summit was wrapping up on Tuesday, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told

COP29: India asks rich nations to keep climate adaptation commitments

India has called on developed countries to step up their support for climate adaptation in developing countries, saying the growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is putting the survival of people, especially in poor nations, at risk. Speaking at a high-level ministerial dialogue on adaptation on Tuesday, India highlighted that the developing world is disproportionately suffering from the impacts of climate change, which are largely the result of historical emissions by developed countries. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are adversely affecting the lives and livelihood of those in the developing world, putting their very survival at risk, Indian negotiator Rajasree Ray said. India recalled that the UAE framework for global climate resilience adopted at COP28 last year emphasises the urgent need for enhanced support from developed countries. This mobilisation should go beyond the previous efforts, supporting the country driven ...

COP29: Climate talks in Baku enter final stretch; what happens next

The talks, which began on Nov. 11, are due to end on Friday at 1400 GMT, but COP summits have a history of running long

COP29: Farmers argue for share of money dedicated to fight climate change

Extreme heat ruined the pineapples on Esther Penunia's small farm in the Philippines this year, more disappointment than catastrophe since Penunia doesn't depend on the farm for a living. But Penunia worries about the millions of small farmers in her part of the world who do depend on rice paddies, coconut groves and vegetable patches that are all threatened by climate change. That's why she's hoping that countries at this year's United Nations climate summit will dedicate some of the money for fighting climate change to agriculture and the family farmers who feed most of the people in many parts of the world. You don't help small farmers, where will you get your food from?" wondered Penunia, secretary general of the Asian Farmers Association. "Who will farm for you? Who will catch the fish, who will get the honey, who will plant your vegetables? Many countries, especially in the Global South, need money to help pay for the months of recovery when typhoons wreck fields, to insure .

COP29: UN climate chief calls for focus on climate action through politics

As the COP29 summit entered the second week, the UN climate chief called on Monday for swift resolution of less contentious issues and an urgent focus on major political decisions to advance global climate action. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell urged delegates to shed "bluffing and brinkmanship" and focus on pragmatic solutions to overcome the critical challenges ahead. During the plenary session here, Stiell stressed the need for collaborative progress. "We can't lose sight of the forest because we're tussling over individual trees," he remarked, warning against the stalling tactics of you-first-ism, where parties refuse to act until others take the lead. He emphasised that such approaches risk halting progress entirely. This is a recipe for going literally nowhere, Stiell said, adding that only parallel efforts from all parties could ensure a robust outcome. Azerbaijan, The Presidency of COP29 was praised for its ...

COP29: Young activists push for hope amid frustration at UN climate talks

Young people who attend the United Nations climate talks have a lot to be angry about. They've lost loved ones and months of school. They've lost homes and family farms and connections to their families' native lands. They haven't lost hope, though. Not yet. It has become so tiring for me to be just a poster child, said Marinel Ubaldo, who by age 16 had watched two back-to-back supersized typhoons destroy entire communities in her native Philippines. Missing a chunk of high school in the aftermath, because there was no school to go back to, was a wake-up call. Now 27, COP29 will be her sixth time attending the summit where leaders negotiate the future she will inherit. I guess I'm very pessimistic, but I'm going to be positive that this COP could actually bring more clarity, she said. Her pessimism isn't unwarranted. Fewer leaders were in attendance this year, with a backdrop of uncertainty as political will on climate unravels in major countries like the US and Germany. While many

'India's annual temp to rise 1.5°C by 2057, if emissions stay moderate'

The study highlights that these changes could exacerbate extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, and intense rainfall, with wide-ranging effects on communities, agriculture, and natural

No progress at COP29 in matters critical to developing countries: India

At COP29 in Baku, India has expressed frustration with developed countries for not seriously discussing how to support climate action in developing nations, saying it is impossible to tackle climate change without financial and technological help. Delivering a statement in the closing plenary of the subsidiary bodies' meeting on the Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) on Saturday, India said that developed countries, which have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions and have more resources and the ability to act on climate change, have repeatedly delayed climate action and continuously shifted goalposts. "We have seen no progress in matters that are critical for developing countries (during the last week). Our part of the world is facing some of the worst impacts of climate change, with far lower capacity to recover from those impacts or to adapt to the changes to the climatic system for which we are not responsible, India's deputy lead negotiator, Neelesh Sah, ...

Protesters gather outside UN climate summit hall as progress on deal slows

Hundreds of activists formed a human chain outside one of the main plenary halls at the United Nations climate summit on what is traditionally their biggest protest day during the two-week talks. The demonstration in Baku, Azerbaijan will be echoed at sites around the world in a global day of action for climate justice that's become an annual event. Activists waved flags, snapped their fingers, and hummed and mumbled chants in a silent protest, with many covering their mouths with the word Silenced. Demonstrators held up signs calling for more money to be pledged for climate finance, which involves cash for transitioning to clean energy and adapting to climate change. It comes as negotiators at the venue try to hammer out a deal for exactly that but progress has been slow and observers say the direction of any agreement is still unclear. Tired but inspired, activists vow to keep fighting' Lidy Nacpil said protestors like her are not surprised about how negotiations are going. Bu

UN climate chief urges G20 leaders to carry out rapid cuts in emissions

Terming bolder climate action as self-preservation for every G20 economy, UN climate chief Simon Stiell on Saturday urged the grouping's leaders headed to Rio de Janeiro to carry out rapid cuts in emissions to prevent climate-driven economic carnage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden will be among the leaders attending the G20 Summit on November 18 and 19. In an address at the COP29 here in Azerbaijan's capital, Stiell, the Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said that G20 was created to tackle problems that no one country, or group of countries, can tackle alone. On that basis, the global climate crisis should be the priority in Rio next week, he added. Climate impacts are already ripping shreds out of every G20 economy, wrecking lives, pummelling supply chains and food prices, and fanning inflation, Stiell said. Bolder climate action is basic self-preservation for every G20 econo

COP climate talks need reform, no longer fit for purpose: Climate leaders

Delegates struggled for hours on the opening day to agree an agenda and the mood has been soured by doubts about the United States' future role under a Donald Trump presidency, diplomatic spats

Unilateral trade measures in name of climate action 'discriminatory': India

India on Friday said unilateral trade measures in the name of climate action are "discriminatory, harm multilateral cooperation" and go against the principles of the UN climate change convention. Making an intervention in the presidential consultations on 'unilateral measures' at COP29 in Baku, India said this is a matter of global concern that needs urgent consideration to ensure the development pathways of developing countries are not constricted. Other groups of developing countries, including the G77, the largest bloc representing over 130 nations at the UN climate talks, and Like-Minded Developing Countries also registered their strong opposition on the issue. However, developed countries, particularly the European Union, argued that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is not the right platform to discuss this issue, as it is already being addressed by the World Trade Organization. India said restrictive unilateral measures force developing and .

Challenge to climate change need concerted efforts: Dr Swaminathan at COP29

Almost everyone in India is now vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, former chief scientist of the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said, underscoring the urgent need for cross-ministerial and international collaboration to address its effects on health, gender and economic stability in the country. Swaminathan pointed to women and children as especially vulnerable to these climate-driven health risks. In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of global climate talks COP29 here in Azerbaijan's capital, Swaminathan called for a concerted approach, saying, practically everyone in India is now vulnerable to climate change impacts, from extreme heat to vector-borne diseases. Addressing this requires close cooperation. We know that climate change has disproportionate impacts on women and children, she explained, noting how women, particularly in rural areas, face increased health risks due to continued reliance on solid fuels for cooking. She emphasised that .

Some rich nations say trillions of dollars needed to fight climate change

Some developed countries on Wednesday acknowledged that trillions of dollars were urgently needed to address climate change and wealthy nations should continue to lead in providing climate finance. These countries -- including Germany, Canada, France, and the Netherlands -- are part of an alliance known as the High Ambition Coalition, which advocates for bold climate actions. "As we negotiate this new goal for climate finance, we must again overcome our differences, strengthen our commitment to global solidarity, and find the money to meet the planet's growing needs," the coalition said stressing that trillions of dollars were urgently needed. The statement comes as countries spar over a draft for a new finance package to help developing countries cope with climate change -- or New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) -- that is expected to be finalised at the ongoing UN climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan. Harjeet Singh, a climate activist and global engagement director for the Fossil

Green Frontier Capital launches Sebi-approved fund worth Rs 1,500 crore

The fund will focus on accelerating India's low-carbon transition through investments in transformative climate technologies

COP29: Indian youths call to prioritise children's needs in climate policy

Fighting rising temperatures, Indian youths representing the communities vulnerable to the disastrous changing climate have demanded urgent action at the COP29, urging world leaders to prioritise the unique needs of children and youth in policy. Rising temperatures and unchecked development have led to landslides and impacted our way of life, said 23-year-old Manisha Arya, a youth delegate from India's Himalayan region, as she voiced the concerns of millions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29). Manisha is one of 20 young South Asian leaders representing the urgent demands of youth in the fight against climate change. Alongside her is Kartik Verma, a 19-year-old environmental advocate from a farming community in rural India. Through his Knowledge for Nature initiative, Kartik said he has reached over 5,000 children and youth to raise awareness about the environmental challenges faced by their communities. I was lucky to be heard, but I am here at COP29 for those

COP29: India, other developing nations demand fair climate finance pledges

India, as part of the Like-Minded Developing Countries bloc, stood firm in calling for equitable financial support from developed nations at the ongoing COP29 climate negotiations, multiple sources from the grouping said here. Concerns were also raised that nearly 69 per cent of reported finance came in the form of loans adding burdens on the already vulnerable countries. At the annual climate talks, India negotiates in key groupings such as the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs), G77 and China, and BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China), where it aligns with other developing nations to advocate for climate finance, equity, and technology transfer. On Tuesday, G77 and China -- the largest bloc representing around 130 countries at the UN climate talks -- rejected the draft text of a framework for negotiating a new climate finance goal. The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is the central issue at this year's climate summit, the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to

UN climate talks give all nations a platform to address climate change

When more than two dozen world leaders deliver remarks at the United Nations' annual climate conference on Wednesday, many are likely to detail their nations' firsthand experience with the catastrophic weather that has come with climate change. That could include Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose nation has seen deadly flooding this year from monsoon rains that scientists say have become heavier with climate change. Just two years ago, more than 1,700 people died in widespread flooding. Pakistan has also suffered from dangerous heat, with thousands of people hospitalised with heatstroke this spring as temperatures soared to 47 degrees Celsius. Also on the list of speakers Wednesday is Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis. Like many other countries in the Global South, the Bahamas has piled up debt from warming-connected weather disasters it did little to cause, including Hurricanes Dorian in 2019 and Matthew in 2016. Leaders have been seeking help and money from the