COP30: Climate truth moment
World leaders gathered in Belem, Brazil, for COP30 with three clear priorities: ending dependence on fossil fuels, increasing climate finance, and protecting forests. The leaders acknowledged that incremental progress is no longer enough. Successive COP (Conference of the Parties) meetings provide a platform for governments, NGOs, and the private sector to collaborate and determine strategies for global climate policy and action.
Calling COP30 the “COP of truth,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged countries to align their national targets with the 1.5°C goal and presented a roadmap to reduce fossil fuel dependence. His warning was stark: without urgent action, more than 250,000 people could die annually, and global GDP could shrink by up to 30 percent.
India took a principled stand at the meeting, reiterating that climate action must be based on equity and the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). Representing India, Ambassador Dinesh Bhatia rightly emphasised that developed nations, responsible for most historical emissions, must take the lead in reducing carbon output and delivering adequate financial support to developing countries.
India’s stand reflects a growing frustration across the Global South, which continues to face the brunt of climate impacts despite contributing least to the problem.The effects of climate change are already visible in regions like Kashmir, where glaciers are receding and weather patterns have become increasingly erratic. Unpredictable rainfall, rising temperatures, and sudden floods have begun to threaten livelihoods, agriculture, and water resources in the Himalayas.
However, the challenge for the world is to update the climate plan and commit the necessary resources to make it a reality. And this requires trillions of dollars. For a plan to make a real redeeming difference on the ground, the world needs to shift to clean energy systems, and move transportation systems away from fossil fuels. It also needs the countries to act in concert, with rich countries shelling out money to compensate for the poor countries. This is easier said than done. Climate finance is not easy to arrange and the rich countries who are responsible for much of the world’s climate crisis aren’t willing to put their money where their mouth is. But it is about time that they do, as the time is running out for the world to act and arrest the climate change, if not reverse it.
