Stating that India is always committed to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Bhupender Yadav extended full support to the UK for COP26 to be held in Glasgow in November this year.
During a detailed meeting with COP26 President-designate Alok Sharma from the UK here, Yadav discussed issues relating to climate change, COP26, India-UK 2030 Roadmap, and other related matters and said India will work constructively for successful and balanced outcome at COP26, a release from the MoEF&CC said.
"India believes that climate actions must be nationally determined and strongly advocates that the differentiation and operationalization of flexibility provided in the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement for developing countries should be at the core of decision-making," Yadav emphasized as he reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on "climate justice while fighting climate change."
The Environment Minister also mentioned about the global initiatives spearheaded by India under Modi's leadership for tackling climate change viz. Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), Coalition on Coalition Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and International Solar Alliance (ISA).
COP26 President-Designate, UK, Alok Sharma sought India's support on the COP26 Initiatives launched by the UK and for a successful COP at Glasgow and acknowledged India's leadership role. Both the leaders also exchanged views on important climate negotiation agenda items to be deliberated in the upcoming COP26 at Glasgow, the release added.
On Tuesday, Sharma had met Union Minister for Power & New and Renewable Energy R.K. Singh, Commerce, and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P.K. Mishra and discussed a range of issues including UK-India collaborations on renewables, global energy transition and NDCs, the Nationally Determined Contributions that each nation has promised as part of the Paris Agreement to restrict temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-Industrial era.
With fewer than 100 days to go until the landmark UN climate change summit in Glasgow, UK, Sharma's in-person visit "represents the UK's commitment to raise global ambition on climate action for a balanced and inclusive outcome at COP26," a statement from the British High Commission had said ahead of his visit.