India was a significant – and vociferous – presence at the United Nations (UN) in 2024 wherever climate-related discussions took place. At the Summit of the Futures and at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session in September, India voiced the need for a “human-centric approach” to address climate change. At the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the UN Security Council (UNSC), India expressed faith in the negotiating track under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), notwithstanding the “bad deal” at the Baku Conference of Parties (COP). This sentiment would have been better served if it were complemented with a greater ability to procure desired outcomes in the climate negotiations within the UNFCCC track. Developing a consolidated and coherent position across different UN bodies is needed to achieve overall effective outcomes relating to its climate diplomacy.
Climate Change at the UNFCCC COP29
India emphatically rejected the finance-related outcome of the 29th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP29), which took place in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. While the “too little, too late” criticism of the outcome was vocalized by India, it was driven not only by its own interests but also by its conviction that the agreed amount of $300 billion was wholly inadequate for meeting the needs of the developing countries, several of whom (Nigeria, Bolivia, Pakistan and others) also rejected the financial outcome.
