NEW DELHI: India made a powerful case on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), on Thursday, highlighting the significance of equitable international motion on local weather change.
India argued that international locations with negligible historic emissions shouldn’t be anticipated to shoulder an equal burden in mitigating local weather change. “It is unjust to count on international locations with negligible historic emissions to bear equal burden in mitigating local weather change,” it acknowledged in its submission to the ICJ.
Luther M Rangreji, joint secretary within the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), introduced India’s place, stating, “Climate finance by developed nations is insufficient to satisfy growing international locations’ wants in adapting to, mitigating local weather change.”
India additional criticised developed international locations for his or her function within the local weather disaster. During a listening to on international locations’ authorized obligations concerning local weather change, India argued that developed nations bear higher accountability resulting from their historic exploitation of assets. “If the contribution to degradation is unequal, the accountability should even be unequal,” mentioned Rangreji.
India additionally highlighted the disproportionate influence of local weather change on growing nations, regardless of their decrease contribution to the issue. Rangreji identified that developed international locations possess the know-how and funds to handle the disaster. “Countries which have reaped growth advantages from exploiting fossil fuels demand growing international locations to not utilise the nationwide vitality assets out there to them,” additionally Rangreji mentioned
Further condemning the unfulfilled climate-finance pledges from developed international locations, India claimed that the $100 billion promised in 2009 and elevated adaptation funding haven’t materialised, deeming the brand new local weather finance bundle agreed upon at COP29 inadequate to satisfy the wants of growing international locations.
While reaffirming its dedication to the Paris Agreement, India emphasised the bounds of burdening its residents, significantly whereas pursuing sustainable growth targets for a big inhabitants.
The ICJ listening to, prompted by Pacific island nations and Vanuatu, entails over 98 international locations presenting their views. The court docket’s advisory opinion, although not legally binding, is predicted to carry vital weight within the international struggle in opposition to local weather change.