- India wants COP31 to focus on implementing the Paris Agreement, not new declarations
- Yadav said gaps between science, practice, ethics and resources must be closed
- He urged countries to share concrete success stories every year
- The Pre-COP meeting was held in Fiji, co-hosted by Australia, Fiji and Tuvalu
- COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November
India wants COP31 to judge success by faster climate action, not by new targets or declarations, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said.
Yadav made the case at the plenary discussion on COP31 priorities at the UNFCCC Pre-COP31 meeting in Fiji. He is leading the Indian delegation at the meeting, which Australia, Fiji and Tuvalu are co-hosting.
Praise for Tuvalu
Yadav began by praising the people of Tuvalu for bravely fighting the effects of climate change. He said their efforts showed a successful model and strengthened hope and resolve.
Closing gaps in understanding
Yadav said the long-term goals are already set under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. These include limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C.
He said reaching that goal needs matching means of implementation. The focus now, he said, should be on how the world can speed up its progress.
There is broad agreement on the long-term goals, he said. But COP31 must identify and build consensus on gaps. These include gaps between science and traditional knowledge, between practices and ethics, and between available resources and what communities need.
Decisions and implementation
Yadav said the key decision for countries is to meet their UNFCCC and Paris Agreement commitments. He wanted every party to be enabled to do so.
“in true letter and spirit”
He called for action where the need is greatest and the impact is felt by most people. He also stressed the need for greater capacity building.
He urged countries to bring concrete examples and success stories every year. These should show high-impact mitigation, large-scale adaptation and effective delivery of means of implementation.
What success looks like in Antalya
Yadav said that sharing and scaling such examples year after year would produce better results on the ground. He concluded that success in Antalya should not be measured only by new targets or declarations.
The real test, he said, is whether implementation speeds up, support reaches those who need it, and existing solutions are scaled up.
The Pre-COP is a preparatory meeting held a few weeks before the annual UN Climate Change Conference. This year, that conference will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November.
