Hello,
It is that time of the year again. Heatwave has taken over large parts of the country, with multiple cities clocking above 40 degrees. It is also the time when international climate negotiations are starting to heat up.
Just before the mid-year United Nations climate negotiations at Bonn, Germany, were to kick off today, the Indian government decided to pull the plug on its climate delegation. It is now working from home and will attend these crucial technical talks virtually.
These mid-year climate negotiations are critical to the success of the high-octane Conference of Parties (COP), which takes place at the end of the calendar year, and is attended by ministers and heads of state along with an entourage of diplomats.
While COP is the highest decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Subsidiary Body (SB) Sessions, such as the one in Bonn, are the technical sessions where deals are carefully drafted with attention to every line and clause.
Absence from these SB sessions, where discreet negotiations will take place and details will be ironed out, would definitely diminish India’s chances of a better climate deal.
This decision to pull out comes within two months of India cancelling its plan to host the COP33 in 2028. In December 2023, during the Dubai climate summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s intention to host the 2028 COP.
Read the latest investigation here: India gives Climate talks a miss, dials in from home
The Reporters’ Collective is a small team, and we owe it to our friends and supporters like you. Your consistent and generous support makes our work possible. Please continue to read our work and support us.
Thank you.
Warm regards,
Mayank Aggarwal
Editor
The Reporters’ Collective