Page 3 - Climate Change

'India's annual temp to rise 1.5°C by 2057, if emissions stay moderate'

The study highlights that these changes could exacerbate extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, and intense rainfall, with wide-ranging effects on communities, agriculture, and natural

No progress at COP29 in matters critical to developing countries: India

At COP29 in Baku, India has expressed frustration with developed countries for not seriously discussing how to support climate action in developing nations, saying it is impossible to tackle climate change without financial and technological help. Delivering a statement in the closing plenary of the subsidiary bodies' meeting on the Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) on Saturday, India said that developed countries, which have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions and have more resources and the ability to act on climate change, have repeatedly delayed climate action and continuously shifted goalposts. "We have seen no progress in matters that are critical for developing countries (during the last week). Our part of the world is facing some of the worst impacts of climate change, with far lower capacity to recover from those impacts or to adapt to the changes to the climatic system for which we are not responsible, India's deputy lead negotiator, Neelesh Sah, ...

Protesters gather outside UN climate summit hall as progress on deal slows

Hundreds of activists formed a human chain outside one of the main plenary halls at the United Nations climate summit on what is traditionally their biggest protest day during the two-week talks. The demonstration in Baku, Azerbaijan will be echoed at sites around the world in a global day of action for climate justice that's become an annual event. Activists waved flags, snapped their fingers, and hummed and mumbled chants in a silent protest, with many covering their mouths with the word Silenced. Demonstrators held up signs calling for more money to be pledged for climate finance, which involves cash for transitioning to clean energy and adapting to climate change. It comes as negotiators at the venue try to hammer out a deal for exactly that but progress has been slow and observers say the direction of any agreement is still unclear. Tired but inspired, activists vow to keep fighting' Lidy Nacpil said protestors like her are not surprised about how negotiations are going. Bu

UN climate chief urges G20 leaders to carry out rapid cuts in emissions

Terming bolder climate action as self-preservation for every G20 economy, UN climate chief Simon Stiell on Saturday urged the grouping's leaders headed to Rio de Janeiro to carry out rapid cuts in emissions to prevent climate-driven economic carnage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden will be among the leaders attending the G20 Summit on November 18 and 19. In an address at the COP29 here in Azerbaijan's capital, Stiell, the Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said that G20 was created to tackle problems that no one country, or group of countries, can tackle alone. On that basis, the global climate crisis should be the priority in Rio next week, he added. Climate impacts are already ripping shreds out of every G20 economy, wrecking lives, pummelling supply chains and food prices, and fanning inflation, Stiell said. Bolder climate action is basic self-preservation for every G20 econo

COP climate talks need reform, no longer fit for purpose: Climate leaders

Delegates struggled for hours on the opening day to agree an agenda and the mood has been soured by doubts about the United States' future role under a Donald Trump presidency, diplomatic spats

Unilateral trade measures in name of climate action 'discriminatory': India

India on Friday said unilateral trade measures in the name of climate action are "discriminatory, harm multilateral cooperation" and go against the principles of the UN climate change convention. Making an intervention in the presidential consultations on 'unilateral measures' at COP29 in Baku, India said this is a matter of global concern that needs urgent consideration to ensure the development pathways of developing countries are not constricted. Other groups of developing countries, including the G77, the largest bloc representing over 130 nations at the UN climate talks, and Like-Minded Developing Countries also registered their strong opposition on the issue. However, developed countries, particularly the European Union, argued that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is not the right platform to discuss this issue, as it is already being addressed by the World Trade Organization. India said restrictive unilateral measures force developing and .

Challenge to climate change need concerted efforts: Dr Swaminathan at COP29

Almost everyone in India is now vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, former chief scientist of the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said, underscoring the urgent need for cross-ministerial and international collaboration to address its effects on health, gender and economic stability in the country. Swaminathan pointed to women and children as especially vulnerable to these climate-driven health risks. In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of global climate talks COP29 here in Azerbaijan's capital, Swaminathan called for a concerted approach, saying, practically everyone in India is now vulnerable to climate change impacts, from extreme heat to vector-borne diseases. Addressing this requires close cooperation. We know that climate change has disproportionate impacts on women and children, she explained, noting how women, particularly in rural areas, face increased health risks due to continued reliance on solid fuels for cooking. She emphasised that .

Some rich nations say trillions of dollars needed to fight climate change

Some developed countries on Wednesday acknowledged that trillions of dollars were urgently needed to address climate change and wealthy nations should continue to lead in providing climate finance. These countries -- including Germany, Canada, France, and the Netherlands -- are part of an alliance known as the High Ambition Coalition, which advocates for bold climate actions. "As we negotiate this new goal for climate finance, we must again overcome our differences, strengthen our commitment to global solidarity, and find the money to meet the planet's growing needs," the coalition said stressing that trillions of dollars were urgently needed. The statement comes as countries spar over a draft for a new finance package to help developing countries cope with climate change -- or New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) -- that is expected to be finalised at the ongoing UN climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan. Harjeet Singh, a climate activist and global engagement director for the Fossil

Green Frontier Capital launches Sebi-approved fund worth Rs 1,500 crore

The fund will focus on accelerating India's low-carbon transition through investments in transformative climate technologies

COP29: Indian youths call to prioritise children's needs in climate policy

Fighting rising temperatures, Indian youths representing the communities vulnerable to the disastrous changing climate have demanded urgent action at the COP29, urging world leaders to prioritise the unique needs of children and youth in policy. Rising temperatures and unchecked development have led to landslides and impacted our way of life, said 23-year-old Manisha Arya, a youth delegate from India's Himalayan region, as she voiced the concerns of millions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29). Manisha is one of 20 young South Asian leaders representing the urgent demands of youth in the fight against climate change. Alongside her is Kartik Verma, a 19-year-old environmental advocate from a farming community in rural India. Through his Knowledge for Nature initiative, Kartik said he has reached over 5,000 children and youth to raise awareness about the environmental challenges faced by their communities. I was lucky to be heard, but I am here at COP29 for those

COP29: India, other developing nations demand fair climate finance pledges

India, as part of the Like-Minded Developing Countries bloc, stood firm in calling for equitable financial support from developed nations at the ongoing COP29 climate negotiations, multiple sources from the grouping said here. Concerns were also raised that nearly 69 per cent of reported finance came in the form of loans adding burdens on the already vulnerable countries. At the annual climate talks, India negotiates in key groupings such as the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs), G77 and China, and BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China), where it aligns with other developing nations to advocate for climate finance, equity, and technology transfer. On Tuesday, G77 and China -- the largest bloc representing around 130 countries at the UN climate talks -- rejected the draft text of a framework for negotiating a new climate finance goal. The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is the central issue at this year's climate summit, the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to

UN climate talks give all nations a platform to address climate change

When more than two dozen world leaders deliver remarks at the United Nations' annual climate conference on Wednesday, many are likely to detail their nations' firsthand experience with the catastrophic weather that has come with climate change. That could include Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose nation has seen deadly flooding this year from monsoon rains that scientists say have become heavier with climate change. Just two years ago, more than 1,700 people died in widespread flooding. Pakistan has also suffered from dangerous heat, with thousands of people hospitalised with heatstroke this spring as temperatures soared to 47 degrees Celsius. Also on the list of speakers Wednesday is Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis. Like many other countries in the Global South, the Bahamas has piled up debt from warming-connected weather disasters it did little to cause, including Hurricanes Dorian in 2019 and Matthew in 2016. Leaders have been seeking help and money from the

COP2: Here's why a climate breakthrough has rarely looked bleaker

The wavering global commitment is particularly worrying because the coming 12 months will be vital for setting the next decade of climate policies

Pak PM calls for $6.8 trillion in climate funding for developing nations

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for USD 6.8 trillion in climate funding for developing countries by 2030. Sharif was speaking at a climate finance roundtable hosted by Pakistan during the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan's capital Baku. According to live coverage of his speech by Pakistani TV channels, the prime minister stressed that developing countries were facing huge climate challenges but were often left without adequate resources to meet them. We need urgent climate finance to tackle issues brought by environmental changes, Sharif said, as he asked the developed countries to fulfil promises that have remained largely unmet despite repeated commitments. Developing countries require USD 6.8 trillion in financing by 2030 to manage the impacts of climate change effectively, the premier said. He pointed out that while a climate finance goal of USD 100 billion annually was set in 2009, increasing this target is now crucial as the

COP29: Pay up or face climate-led disaster for humanity, warns UN chief

Nearly 200 nations have gathered at the annual UN climate summit in Baku, focused this year on raising hundreds of billions of dollars to fund a global transition to cleaner energy sources

COP29 climate agreement a boost for India's carbon market ambitions

This agreement enables climate action by increasing demand for carbon credits and ensures that the international carbon market operates with integrity under UN supervision

Dutch appeals court overturns landmark climate ruling against Shell

A Dutch appeals court on Tuesday overturned a landmark ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The decision was a defeat for the Dutch arm of environmental group Friends of the Earth, which hailed the original 2021 ruling as a victory for the climate. Tuesday's civil ruling can be appealed to the Dutch Supreme Court. The ruling upholding Shell's appeal came as a 12-day U.N. climate conference was entering its second day in Azerbaijan. Presiding Judge Carla Joustra said that Shell already has targets for climate-warming carbon emissions that are in line with demands of Friends of the Earth both for what it directly produces and for emissions produced by energy the company purchase from others. And she added that an order for Shell to cut emissions by people and businesses who buy its products would be unlikely to have an effect as the products could be sold by another company. The court's final judgment is tha

Need to mitigate risks linked with glacial lakes: Principal secy Mishra

P K Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday stressed the need for mitigating risks associated with glacial lakes to ensure a safer future for communities. Mishra asserted that through the tri-focal lens of assessment, monitoring and mitigation, India has made substantial progress in this area. He made the remarks at the 4th Workshop of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR) on Strategies for GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) Risk Reduction here. Complimenting the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Department of Water Resources for organising the workshop, he focused on international perspectives and experiences, pertinently India's experiences, gaps and challenges in mitigating the risks and related aspects. Mishra said the discussions on Sikkim glacial lake outburst flood disaster has brought to focus the enormity of the challenge. Indeed, the South Lhonak GLOF was a wake-up call for all of us, he said. Mishra undersc

COP29: UN climate chief calls for urgent action to counter economic fallout

Issuing a stark warning on the massive economic toll of climate change, UN Climate Change chief Simon Stiell on Tuesday said its worsening impacts will put inflation on steroids and urged nations to take more decisive action. Stiell, the executive secretary of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also criticised the tendency to sideline climate action in national policies, calling it a recipe for disaster. Addressing the World Leaders Climate Action Summit at the annual UN Climate Change conference -- COP29 here, he characterised the climate crisis as an economy-killer with impacts already draining up to 5 per cent of GDP in various countries. Highlighting the urgent need for bold policies, Stiell underscored how climate impacts have evolved from a distant concern to an immediate financial threat, and emphasised that worsening climate events are no longer just a future generations' issue. The climate crisis is a cost-of-living crisis, he said, pointing to how

Host nation Azerbaijan defends oil, gas sector at COP29 amid West criticism

Azerbaijan's oil and gas revenues accounted for 35 per cent of its economy in 2023, down from 50 per cent two years earlier. The government says these revenues will decline to 22 per cent by 2028