India Alone Among 51 Countries To Skip London Climate Meet: Here's Why They're Not Taking Part

India failed to attend a two-day meeting of 51 countries where key issues regarding the Paris climate deal were discussed over the weekend and through Monday, according to officials who cited technical difficulties.

India was the only one of 51 invited countries that didn¡¯t attend the ministerial meeting in the U.K. capital of London, hosted by the incoming president of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) talks, according to people present at the summit who asked not to be named.

Reuters

Aim of the meeting

The meeting was closed-door ministerial conference which was meant to take stock of global efforts to fight the climate crisis and the efforts to limit warming to 1.5¡ãC (as part of the Paris climate accord) ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow this November.

Getty

The meeting was called by COP26 president-designate, Alok Sharma and India was invited following the G20 joint ministerial on energy and climate last week.

¡°We attended the G20 ministerial and made our stand clear. The UK Climate ministerial was right after that. It was being held in the middle of the Parliament session so it was decided that this time we cannot be present. On an official level we wanted to participate virtually but we couldn¡¯t because of various technical issues¡± said Gaurav Khare, spokesperson, ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

"Keeping the 1.5C goal live"

On the outcome of the ministerial meeting, Sharma's office said, ¡°Climate ministers have taken a step forward towards a successful COP26, as a constructive meeting in London concluded with countries coming closer together on key issues such as actions to keep the 1.5C goal alive, adaptation finance and concluding the Paris rulebook.¡± The Paris rulebook is basically the implementation guidelines to execute the Paris Agreement.

Reuters

According to a note issued by the UK government on Monday, Sharma was quoted saying: ¡°We made progress over these two days. And there was a clear spirit of cooperation. However, the issues we have discussed are complex. There are still significant differences that persist. We have moved closer together. But still, on these vital issues we are not yet close enough.¡±

The statement also said that over the past two days, countries had reached a common understanding that COP26 needs to keep 1.5¡ãC within reach. Ministers participating at the meeting called for all countries to deliver long-term strategies towards net zero before COP26.

India's official statement at G20

India said in its official statement at the G20 energy and climate joint ministerial meeting on Saturday that the target of reducing emissions to net zero by mid-century, proposed by some countries, will not be adequate in view of the fast-depleting global carbon space.

AFP

It urged the G20 nations with per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions above the world average to reduce the levels by 2030. Union environment minister, Bhupender Yadav said on Friday at the G20 Climate ministerial that the world should not be shifting goalposts, possibly referring to diplomatic pressure on every country to raise ambition to meet a 1.5 degree C goal.