Developed countries should become net-zero earlier than planned, aim for net-negative emissions: India at COP30

“While developing countries continue to take decisive climate action, developed countries that have disproportionately appropriated the global carbon budget must accelerate emission reductions and deliver the promised, adequate, and predictable support,” said Bhatia, while making the country statement for India at the meeting.

“Given the rapid depletion of meagre remaining carbon budget, developed countries must reach net zero much sooner than they have declared and invest substantially in reaching net-negative emissions,” Bhatia added.

Net-zero emissions is a situation in which a country’s total greenhouse gas emissions being released in the atmosphere are balanced with absorption or capture of these gases either in natural sinks like forests or through technological interventions like carbon capture and sequestration. A net-negative situation will arise when the absorptions or capture exceed emissions.

The world as a whole has set 2050 as its target year to achieve net-zero status, while individual developed countries have set varying deadlines between 2040 and 2050. China, the world’s largest emitter, has announced that it aims to become net-zero by 2060, while India plans to achieve net-zero by 2070. No country has a declared plan to achieve a net-negative emission status as of now.

As of now, the world is nowhere near achieving the temperature targets outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, or in preventing further global warming. According to one assessment, global annual emissions needed to be reduced by at least 43 per cent below 2019 levels by the year 2030 to keep alive any hopes for achieving the 1.5 degree Celsius target. However, at the current pace of climate action, it is estimated that even a 2 per cent reduction by 2030 would be difficult to achieve.

Over the last couple of years, particularly in the wake of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement earlier this year, doubts have arisen about the UN-mandated climate negotiation process’s ability to deliver results that effectively tackle climate change. However, this has also led to many countries closing ranks and reaffirming their faith in this multilateral process, which remains the only global forum for making progress on climate action.

The Indian ambassador reiterated India’s support for the process.

“On the occasion of COP30, India reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism and towards preserving and safeguarding the architecture of the Paris Agreement, built on the foundations of the Convention (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change). As a firm believer in climate action, we stand ready to collaborate with all nations to implement solutions and transition to sustainability in ways that are ambitious, inclusive, fair and equitable, based on the principles of CBDR-RC (common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities) and national circumstances…” Bhatia said.

‘India has steadily met its climate targets ahead of schedule’

He also highlighted India’s contributions to the global fight against climate change.

“Over the past decade, India has consistently striven to drive its development along a low-carbon pathway. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has steadily met its climate targets ahead of schedule. Between 2005 and 2020, we reduced the emissions intensity of GDP by 36 per cent and this trend continues,” he said.

“Non-fossil power installed capacity now accounts for over 50 per cent of our total installed capacity, enabling us to reach our revised NDC target five years ahead of schedule,” he added.

“India has not only conserved but also expanded its forest and tree cover, which now stands at 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area, witnessing the third-highest annual net gain, as per the FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, creating an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 2005 to 2021.”

With around 200 GW of renewable energy, India is now the world’s third-largest producer of renewable energy, while ambitious programmes in solar, wind, green hydrogen, and biofuels are transforming its energy landscape,” Bhatia added.

Bhatia announced India’s support for Brazil’s new initiative in establishing a Tropical Forests Forever Facility, which, he said, represented a significant step towards collective and sustained global action for the preservation of tropical forests. India would join the facility as an Observer, he said.

The two-week COP30 climate meeting begins in Belem on Monday.