India strongly objects to coal and fossil fuel subsidies' phase-out references in Glasgow text as COP26 enters final hours

GLASGOW: As new draft text of the Glasgow (COP26) decision on phasing out coal and fossil fuel subsidies created deep anguish among countries where fossil fuel use continues to be the mainstay of their economy and welfare measures, India on Saturday strongly opposed to the reference in the text asking the conference Presidency how can anyone expect that the developing countries make promises about phasing out coal and fossil fuel subsidies when they have still to deal with development agenda and poverty eradication.
Highlighting gaps in issues of sections relating to finance and mitigation, the country said the Glasgow cover decision text lacks the balance and the consensus "remains elusive", saying those concerns must be addressed in the final decision -- hinting at a tough road ahead for compromise.
"Fossil fuels and their use have enabled the path for the world to attain a high level of wealth and well being. The UNFCCC refers to the mitigation of GHG emissions from all sources. It has not been directed to any particular source. When we have taken the economy-wise targets, targeting any particular sector is uncalled for," said India's environment minister Bhupender Yadav.
Yadav, while making an intervention during an informal stocktaking plenary by the UK COP26 president Alok Sharma, said, "Every country will arrive at 'net zero' as per their own national circumstances, strength and weaknesses. Developing countries have rights to their fair share of the global carbon budget and are entitled to the responsible use of fossil fuels within this scope".
Underlining that the developing countries have to deal with their national development agenda and poverty eradication, the minister said the fossil fuel subsidies "provides much needed social security and support towards this end" and he cited India's example where the government under 'Ujjwala' scheme provides subsidised gas cylinders to poor households.
He said, "We are giving subsidies to use LPG to low-income households. These subsidies have been a great help in almost eliminating biomass burning for cooking and improved health from the reduction in indoor air pollution."
The minister's remarks come in view of a full paragraph on coal and fossil fuels in the text which the European Union and many other countries have been pitching for being included in the final decision.
The text in the current form, released on Saturday morning after the Conference overstepped its schedule time of conclusion, calls upon countries "to accelerate the development, deployment and dissemination of technologies, and the adoption of policies, to transition towards low emission energy systems, including by rapidly scaling up the deployment of clean power generation and energy efficiency measures, including accelerating efforts towards the phase-out of unabated coal power and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, recognizing the need for support towards a just transition."
Though Yadav appreciated the COP26 presidency for making efforts to build consensus, he said, "I am afraid the consensus, however, remains elusive. India stands ready for constructive debate and equitable and just solution in this forum" and highlighted in his intervention the points on finance and the mitigation centric approach of the text.
Clearly calling out affluent nations on their resistance to any monitoring mechanism on finance where they are supposed to contribute $100 billion per year for supporting developing countries, Yadav said, "Mitigation (emission cut) sections include annual minister-level roundtables, annual NDC synthesis reports and new long-term synthesis reports. It also requests for revisiting NDCs in 2022.. and work programmes for enhanced mitigation ambition in 2030 and so on. None of the same urgency in convening high-level meetings or commissioning annual reports or progress in meeting the financial needs is mentioned in the finance part."
Referring to such references in the text, he said, "Covered decision should not overwrite or introduce extraneous elements in the Paris Agreement process that is already well established and agreed to. There is a well-defined cycle for the submission of NDCs. There is no need to deviate from it. We need to respect the (Paris) agreement and not overwrite it through the 'cover decisions' of the supreme bodies. These clear concerns in the cover decision must be addressed"
The minister also narrated how India has been consistently focussing on clean power generation and energy efficiency and been not only aligned with those suggestions and references but also has taken initiatives such as International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the 'One Sun One World One Grid' (OSOWOG) initiative.
"For the world, India proactively created ISA, CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) and OSOWOG initiatives as examples of international collaboration to combat climate change. We are walking the talk. We must see concrete action in this decisive decade and translation of commitment to action."
He also said climate-friendly lifestyles and climate justice are enshrined in the Paris Agreement and these are the key to solving the climate crisis.
Referring to the historical responsibility of affluent nations who emitted substantially in the past and indulged in overconsumption, Yadav said, "The (climate) crisis is caused by an unsustainable lifestyle and wasteful consumption pattern. The world needs to awaken to this reality."