75^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Second Committee

India’s Explanation of Position after adoption of Resolution A/C.2/75/L.26/Rev.1

Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind

by Mr. Siddharth Malik, First Secretary

25 November, 2020

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

We would like to thank Ms. Sibella Stern of Australia for facilitating this important resolution.

I would like to make an explanation of position on the resolution L26/Rev1 on behalf of the Indian delegation.

At the outset, let me state that this resolution talks about achieving the 2030 targets we have set for ourselves under our respective Nationally Determined Contributions as per the Paris Agreement. 

Therefore, before we talk about setting ourselves new goals for 2050 or 2060, let us first ensure that we achieve the mitigation targets that we have pledged to be achieved under the Paris Agreement by 2030 in our respective NDCs.

We had earlier made commitments to achieve targets by 2020 on mitigation. However, before the developed countries could meet such commitments for 2020, they had already moved the goal post to 2030.

Therefore, we call on the developed countries, to not just keep revising their targets but actually show greater enthusiasm for implementing their commitments.

As far as India is concerned, according to Climate Action Tracker, India is among the top 5 countries whose actions are on track to keep global warming below 2 degree Celsius target. As our Environment Minister said, “We are walking the talk on our commitments related to climate change”.  

Our strategy includes reduction in emission intensity by percentage of GDP, increase of non-fossil fuel based power such as renewable energy and creation of additional carbon sink.

Further, Paris Agreement is a document where all aspects are balanced just as in UNFCCC. Disproportionate focus on mitigation while not focusing on adaptation and new and additional resources for climate finance will be a disservice to developing countries.

Especially on climate financing, we are nowhere near the commitments made under UNFCCC by developed countries of mobilizing USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries. 

We have no credible pathway to achieve this target and we are in a world where figures are being thrown around but not money.  

Ambition should not be just statements which are made in the stratosphere, but should be grounded with the realities of the problems being faced. 

We see this resolution as enhancing the ability of developing countries to achieve their NDCs. 

For countries like SIDS and LDCs, climate change is an existential threat and is not a matter of debate for this body. 

We, therefore, call on the developed countries to meet their commitments not just related to finance, but all the commitments made under Paris Agreement and UNFCCC.  

Unfortunately, today discussions on climate change are taking place in various UN organs, and some perhaps are not the right platforms for climate-related matters. Consequently, some of the basic principles and commitments under the Convention are getting ignored under the guise of addressing emergency issues due to COVID-19.  

We should eschew such salami tactics and make it coherent across the UN system so that we have a “Convention-Plus” strategy and not a “Convention-Minus” strategy.  A very good example is Prime Minister Modi’s initiative of the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Thus, while we adopt this resolution, what we require is implementation, particularly by developed countries, so that we can make this resolution into a reality and not let it languish as a piece of paper.   

I thank you.