'Developing countries must be supported to enhance climate ambition'

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New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) Reminding the rich countries to loosen their purse strings for climate mitigation in developing nations, the 'Like Minded Developing Countries' (LMDC) on Monday also warned them against coercive unilateral measures in the name of climate change response.

Participating virtually in the LMDC Ministerial meeting titled 'Preparations for COP 26 on Climate Change - Expectations and Challenges' on Monday, India's Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister, Bhupender Yadav called for rapid reduction of emissions by developed countries in this decade.

Demanding the developed countries to present, at COP26, a clear roadmap with a significant public funded component on their continued existing obligations to mobilise at least $100 billion per year from 2021 to 2025, the LMDCs also exhorted the rich countries that they "must increase the ambition of this collective goal and urgently initiate the process within the UNFCCC on setting the new collective quantified goal on finance support to be provided by developed countries to developing countries as soon as possible, including a detailed roadmap outlining milestones for setting a goal prior to 2025".

LMDC comprises around 25 developing countries from Asia and other regions. UNFCCC is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that hosts the annual climate change summit. The climate change conference (COP26) this year will be held at the UK's Glasgow from October 31 to November 12 with an ambitious target of negotiating emission cuts in a manner to restrict the global temperature rise.

"For developing countries to enhance their ambition, developed countries must provide enhanced support," said a statement endorsed by the LMDC Ministers at a ministerial level LMDCs meeting hosted by Bolivia with less than two weeks to go for the crucial COP26.

Expressing their full support to COP26 Presidency and willingness to work closely and constructively with all other parties and stakeholders towards a successful COP26 through "multilateral process that is conducted in an open and transparent, inclusive, party-driven and consensus-based manner", the LMDCs warned that "unilateral coercive measures against developing countries and proposals by developed countries to introduce unilateral carbon border adjustment measures in the name of climate change responses" are discriminatory towards developing countries and violate international trade rules, as well as the principles of equity and the UNFCCC provisions.

Such measures must be strongly opposed, as they are detrimental to multilateral cooperation, the statement added.

The LMDCs also reiterated how their successes thus far have only been possible with a strong team of negotiators and said: "We must continue to provide strong support to our negotiating team."

Yadav, in his address, noted that the commitments of carbon neutrality and to raise ambitions in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to be in line with climate justice and principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC).

He highlighted the ambitious climate actions taken up by India in areas of renewable energy, energy access, and efficiency, sustainable transport including e-mobility, sustainable agriculture, enhancing green cover, etc. He noted that India has achieved a reduction of 24 per cent in emission intensity of its GDP between 2005 and 2016, thereby achieving its pre-2020 voluntary target.

The Minister highlighted the importance of global partnerships and cooperation and requested the LMDC countries to join the initiatives of the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure launched by India.

--IANS

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