Lopsided COP28 boon for India's growing coal and crude oil appetite

India supports changes in global stocktaking text, but weak stand by rich nations to help the fossil fuel economy in the country

Even as the majority of countries, ranging from rich to developing islands, strongly condemn the weak language around fossil fuel phase-out in the penultimate draft of the Global Stocktake at 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), India would stand to benefit from the fine print around brown and green fuels.

The draft text released on Monday has remained silent on the phase-out of fossil fuels, which had appeared as a legitimate goal, backed by many countries for the first time in climate negotiations.

India has been vociferously demanding that the