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Solidarity for fantastic effort: India to Brazilian COP30 Presidency
India, LMDC (Like-Minded Developing Countries) and BASIC (Brazil, Africa (South Africa), India, and China) back COP30 Presidency, flag repeated procedural objections
Belem, Brazil: India expressed its support to the COP30 Presidency while pointing out that certain Parties have repeatedly been objecting and delaying the plenary, which disrupts the consensus-based nature of the process.
Colombia and other members of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean grouping objected to the decisions on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and the Mitigation Work Programme (MPW). As a result, the session had to be suspended and discussions on these documents reopened.
“Very concerned about procedural issues in this plenary. We raised point of order before MWP was gavelled and was ignored. Leaving us with no choice but to object MWP... COP of truth cannot ignore science. There can be no mitigation if we can’t discuss transition away from fossil fuels. The MWP needs this space to actually talk about it,” Colombia had said.
“The LMDC (Like-Minded Developing Countries) share the concern regarding the pattern we are witnessing — certain Parties repeatedly taking turns to object and delay the plenary in an effort to secure outcomes that reflect their individual preferences rather than respecting the party-driven, consensus-based nature of this process. This behaviour risks undermining the multilateral spirit that must guide our work,” members of the India delegation said on behalf of LMDC.
“We also underline that the issue being raised has already been gaveled. We cannot reopen a gaveled decision. Doing so would set a dangerous and damaging precedent for this process. In previous COPs, even when our own countries had concerns about gaveled items, they were not reopened. It would be fundamentally unfair and procedurally inconsistent to make an exception now,” India added.
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The LMDC expressed its sincere gratitude to the Presidency for its patience, balance, and leadership throughout this difficult and lengthy process. “We recognise the immense work required to bring all Parties together toward a shared landing zone, and we thank you for your steady guidance,” they said.
Further, on behalf of the BASIC (Brazil, Africa (South Africa), India, and China) group of countries, India expressed solidarity with the COP Presidency “for the fantastic effort they have made in organising this COP.
“In the last two weeks, we have all been working tirelessly to ensure we have a consensus on important issues.
“It is in our interest to ensure that climate multilateralism succeeds and provides the right guidance to address this global challenge,” India said.
“We appreciate the COP Presidency for invoking the spirit of Mutirao, as demonstrated especially in the last few days, for ensuring that all Parties are consulted, and that a delicate balance is achieved on issues on which some Parties held extreme positions,” India added on behalf of BASIC.
“As a COP of truth, and a COP of implementation, we cannot leave this room without an outcome, and we fully support the Presidency and recognise the outstanding efforts of the Presidency team, including spending many sleepless nights working to ensure that we all have something meaningful to take away with us when we leave Belem,” a member of the India delegation said.
India’s closing statement
India expressed strong support for the inclusive leadership of the COP30 Presidency and welcomed several significant decisions adopted at the conference in its high-level statement at the closing plenary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP30 in Belém.
The statement conveyed India’s gratitude to the COP President for his leadership, which was rooted in inclusion, balance, and the Brazilian spirit of Mutirão, and which guided COP30 with integrity.
Welcoming progress under the GGA, India underscored the equity dimension of the decision, remarking that it reflects a recognition of the overwhelming need for adaptation in developing countries.
A key element of India’s address was the emphasis on the long-standing obligations of developed countries to provide climate finance. The statement expressed appreciation for the efforts the Presidency took in supporting India in beginning the journey towards a long-overdue focus on Article 9.1. It said that India sincerely hopes, in the spirit of international cooperation, that promises made 33 years ago in Rio will now be fulfilled due to the first steps Parties have taken in Belém.
India expressed satisfaction with major outcomes of COP30, foremost among them the establishment of the Just Transition Mechanism. The statement called it a significant milestone and expressed hope that it would help operationalize equity and climate justice at both global and national levels.
India thanked the Presidency for delivering the space to discuss unilateral trade-restrictive climate measures. These measures are increasingly affecting all developing countries and are violative of the principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), enshrined in the Convention and its Paris Agreement. The statement stressed that these issues cannot continue to be brushed under the carpet. The Parties have made a beginning here to reverse this trend, it added.
