Developed nations of the world have ‘profoundly neglected’ their commitments on providing climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building, thus intensifying the climate crisis for which they bear greater responsibility, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said Friday.
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav was speaking at the international Sagarmatha Sambaad climate conference hosted by the Nepal government in Kathmandu. The global summit’s inaugural session saw Nepal Prime Minister , COP 29 President Mukhtar Babayev of Azerbaijan, and Xiao Jie, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, China, in attendance.
Yadav said the science was clear on the threat of climate change to mountains, its impact on glacier retreat and water security in downstream areas. He said the environmental future of mountain states and their people was intrinsically linked and dependent on the collective action of cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.
However, he added, South Asia was responsible for only 4 per cent of global cumulative carbon dioxide emissions until 2020, whereas developed nations continued to “disproportionately grab” the remaining carbon . This refers to the amount of CO2 emissions the world can emit to limit warming.
“South Asia has been responsible for only 4 per cent of the global carbon dioxide emissions until 2020. Despite being home to almost 25 per cent of the global population, the global carbon budget is being rapidly exhausted, with the developed nations continuing to disproportionately grab the remaining carbon budget,” Yadav said.
“Their commitment to providing climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building has been profoundly neglected, intensifying the climate crisis for which they bear far greater responsibility,” he added.
Under the Paris climate agreement, developed nations have obligations to raise $100 billion in climate finance per year to assist developing nations in tackling climate change through mitigation and adaptation efforts. They are also to provide technology transfer for climate-friendly development, and scale up capabilities.
Yadav said the unique and fragile biodiversity of the high-altitude ecosystems was under severe stress, and the livelihoods and ancient culture of mountain communities were threatened. “Despite contributing the least to the climate crisis, the Himalayas bear a significant part of the burden of the environmental crisis. We, in India, with our significant Himalayan territory, witness this impact first-hand,” he said.
The Union environment minister highlighted India’s initiatives to tackle climate change in the Himalayas, and said that a dedicated national mission focused on the Himalayan ecosystems and other efforts were enhancing disaster preparedness. He added that with the International Big Cat Alliance launched by Prime Minister , Himalayan countries can collaborate for conserving snow leopards, tigers, and leopards, and share conservation expertise as well as fund it.
He lauded the Nepal government for hosting the dialogue on the critical issue and said the event was a call for collective, concrete action, and an opportunity to pool wisdom, scientific expertise and shared experiences to safeguard the mountain ecosystems.
