CHENNAI: India reaffirmed its commitment to climate justice and equitable global action at the COP30 Leaders' Summit in the Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil. The formal negotiations are set to commence from Monday, marking the 10th anniversary of the historic Paris Agreement.

In a plenary statement, India’s Ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia, urged developed countries to accelerate emission reductions, reach net-zero targets ahead of schedule, and deliver predictable, concessional finance to developing nations.

“Given the rapid depletion of the remaining carbon budget, developed countries must reach net zero much sooner than they have declared and invest substantially in reaching net-negative emissions,” Bhatia said, stressing that the next decade of climate action must be “defined by implementation, resilience, and shared responsibility based on mutual trust and fairness.”

The call comes at a crucial moment for the global climate process. COP30, hosted by Brazil in the Amazonian city of Belém, coincides with the Paris Agreement’s 10-year milestone. Negotiators and leaders are expected to use this session to strengthen global ambition and finalise a roadmap for the post-2030 climate regime. The conference also revisits the legacy of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, which gave rise to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its guiding principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR-RC) — values India continues to champion.

Detailing India’s domestic progress, Bhatia said the country had reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020, surpassing its targets well ahead of schedule. More than half of India’s installed power capacity now comes from non-fossil sources, while its renewable energy portfolio has reached about 200 gigawatts, making it the world’s third-largest producer of renewables.