India rejects the NCQG decision at COP29, strongly opposing the Azerbaijan Presidency’s publication of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) draft, citing exclusion from key discussions. Despite the COP29 Presidency and UN officials’ favourable reaction to the deal, India voiced its support for the Global South. Intending to provide $300 billion a year for poor countries by 2035, this pact puts the burden of leadership on wealthier countries. The objective of the “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T” is to increase climate funding to $1.3 trillion.

India’s profound regret was expressed by Chandni Raina, a negotiator at COP29 and consultant to the country’s finance ministry, who emphasized the value of trust in climate action. She emphasized that this episode demonstrated a lack of cooperation and trust, particularly on a matter that impacts all countries, especially developing ones that are not at fault for the climate disaster. She said that the UNFCCC‘s mechanism was negatively impacted by the disdain for India’s involvement and protests against the agreement’s approval.

Unified Global South: India Rejects NCQG Decision

Other countries and civil society organizations from the Global South saw resonance in India’s criticisms. A delegate from Nigeria voiced displeasure with the $300 billion amount, describing it as insufficient and a betrayal of the UNFCCC’s values. India’s worries were mirrored by the Like-Minded Developing Countries coalition, which emphasized how inadequate the financial commitments were. Strong resistance was also expressed by civil society organizations; the agreement was criticized by Harjeet Singh of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. According to Singh, wealthy countries forced developing nations to accept a financial package that couldn’t adequately address the gravity of the global climate catastrophe. He emphasized that the agreement did not give developing countries the resources they needed to prepare for the devastating effects of climate change or to switch from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy.

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Divided Perspectives on NCQG Outcome

Many wealthier countries applauded the move, seeing it as a significant advancement in climate funding, while the Global South voiced displeasure. According to EU climate ambassador Wopke Hoekstra, COP29 marks the start of a new era for climate financing, and the EU is optimistic that the challenging target will be achieved. The Paris Agreement‘s $100 billion climate financing target is reiterated in the NCQG document, which also establishes a new target of $300 billion annually by 2035 for climate action in poor nations. Additionally, the document promotes South-South cooperation and voluntary contributions from poor countries.

Despite this, Harjeet Singh maintained that the fight for climate justice continues, insisting on greater commitments from industrialized nations. India rejects NCQG decision as a step backward, asserting the need for a fair and inclusive approach to address the global climate crisis effectively.

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