Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely be present at the 28th edition of the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) to begin end of the November in Dubai, sources confirmed to The Hindu. The annual climate conference is the most high profile summit to discuss the challenges from climate change and the roles and responsibilities of the world’s governments in addressing it.
During his visit to the United Arab Emirates in July this year, PM Modi had signed agreements and committed to future engagement. One of the things that was committed to was a joint resolution to “...make COP-28 a joint success for all.” Officials indicated that the PM will go, despite the busy election season for state elections in India.
PM Modi is likely to be present on December 1, sources said, when heads of State from several countries are expected to make statements. COP-28 begins on November 30, and will go on till December 12.
PM Modi is also hosting the Voice of Global Summit and the G-20 summits virtually, and climate change commitments as well as the need for concrete moves on climate finance from the developed world are likely to be highlighted.
The last time PM Modi visited a COP summit was the 26th edition held in Glasgow, Scotland where he committed to India achieving net zero – or no net emissions of carbon dioxide - by 2070. Most years. the Union environment minister leads the government delegation to the COP summit, which negotiates on clauses that culminate in a final agreement. India’s presidency of the G-20 and the resulting New Delhi agreement in September placed climate change, the adoption of renewable energy and the responsibility of richer, developed countries to shoulder greater responsibility for the climate crisis as central issues.
Among the commitments that G-20 leaders made was to triple the use of renewable sources of energy by 2030 and reform multilateral banks for global finance. The major themes expected to resonate at COP-28 are the Global Stocktake, where countries are expected to present the steps they have undertaken to meet commitments towards achieving goals of the Paris Agreement and the enhanced measures they must take.
Countries are also expected to deliberate on the Loss and Damages Fund, to compensate countries already bearing the brunt of climate change, and agreed upon in the 27th COP in Sharm-el Shaikh, Egypt, last year.
