New Delhi: India has reaffirmed its commitment to climate multilateralism, calling for a fair, equitable, and ambitious outcome at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), being held in Antalya, Türkiye.
Delivering India's opening statement, Narendra Bhooshan, Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, expressed gratitude to Türkiye and Australia for their leadership of COP31. He acknowledged the efforts of Parties and negotiating groups to strengthen climate multilateralism and said India aligned itself with the statements made by G77 and China, the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) and BASIC.
India Reaffirms Equity and Climate Multilateralism
India underlined that the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement remain the most inclusive platforms for international climate negotiations, where every country has a voice. It reiterated its faith in a process founded on equity and the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).
India also welcomed the Presidency's vision of a 'COP of Implementation', guided by Dialogue, Consensus and Action. It noted that dialogue builds trust, consensus ensures collective ownership of outcomes, and action translates commitments into progress on the ground.
Equity Central to Addressing Climate Challenges
Highlighting the growing challenges associated with the prospect of global warming exceeding 1.5°C, India stressed that equity is essential to ensure no country or community is left behind in climate action.
India reiterated its commitment to contributing its fair share to global climate efforts while pursuing the development and well-being of its people. It also pointed to the challenges of ensuring a just transition and meeting adaptation needs, particularly in the Global South, where climate action is closely linked to broader development priorities.
India Calls for Greater Climate Finance
On climate finance, India emphasised that public finance from developed countries remains central to enabling climate action in developing nations and strengthening support for adaptation.
It highlighted the importance of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which establishes the obligation of developed countries to provide financial resources to developing countries.
Reaffirming its constructive engagement at COP31, India said it would work with all Parties towards a fair, equitable and ambitious outcome.
