No ‘one size fits all’, says Environment Minister at Pre-COP31 climate summit meetings

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has called for equal attention to adaptation, mitigation, and means of implementation as the world heads towards the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP31 summit in Antalya in Türkiye in November.

The principles of equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) must be upheld “in letter and spirit”, Mr. Yadav said.

Addressing the Leaders’ Plenary in Fiji, where he is leading India’s delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Pre-COP31 meetings, Mr. Yadav said there could be no “one size fits all” pathway to climate action. Local studies and assessments, he said, were key to identifying emerging challenges, mitigation and adaptation measures, and the resources needed, a press statement from the Environment Ministry said.

The talks in Nadi, Fiji, and on the atoll nation of Tuvalu, co-hosted by Australia, Fiji and Tuvalu, are a precursor to the COP31 in Türkiye.

Referring to India’s long coastline and islands, Mr. Yadav said the country understood the challenges of Pacific Island countries. Institutions such as the Indian Space Research Organisation, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, and the National Centre for Coastal Research had built expertise in coastal vulnerability assessment, shoreline change mapping, marine spatial planning, and integrated coastal management. India also uses space-based Earth observation for shoreline monitoring, inundation assessment, cyclones, extreme weather early warning, and climate risk assessment, he said, and offered to share this knowledge with Pacific partner countries.

India was working with Pacific nations on health, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, early warning, information technology, agriculture and capacity building, he added. Referring to his visit to Tuvalu, he said the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project showed how international cooperation, particularly the provision of means of implementation, could translate into resilience on the ground.

The UNFCCC summit, to take place from November 9 to 20, is likely to centre on adaptation finance at scale, easier access to climate finance for vulnerable countries, and stronger national climate commitments and fossil fuel commitments.

Türkiye holds the summit presidency, while Australia presides over the negotiations.