India slammed developed countries for causing the climate crisis during a landmark hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying that if contribution to degradation is unequal among countries then responsibility must also be unequal. It said that the developed countries exploited the global carbon budget, failed to honour climate-finance promises and are now demanding that developing countries restrict their resource use. The court is examining what legal obligations countries have to address climate change and the consequences if they fail. Making submissions on behalf of India, Luther M Rangreji, joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said, “If contribution to degradation is unequal, responsibility must also be unequal.”
Key highlights of India’s pitch at the ICJ
- Unjust to expect countries with negligible historical emissions to bear equal burden in mitigating climate change
- Developed countries have disproportionately appropriated global carbon budget
- Developing countries’ obligations depend on fulfilment of two important aspects — climate finance and climate justice
- India home of about 17.8 pc of global population, its contribution to climate change less than 4 pc
- India home of about 17.8 pc of global population, its contribution to climate change less than 4 pc
- There is limit on how much we burden our citizens, even when we are pursuing Sustainable Development Goals for 1/6th of humanity
- Historical emissions of developed countries caused climate crisis and they must fulfil their obligations to address it
- We are committed to our NDCs under Paris Agreement, despite lack of promised financial, tech support from developed countries
- Climate finance by developed nations inadequate to meet developing countries’ needs in adapting to, mitigating climate change
- Global cooperation on climate change cannot succeed without addressing existing inequities in responsibility and capacity
- Developed nations must lead by example by achieving net zero well before 2050
- New climate finance package for Global South agreed at COP29 in Baku too little, too distant
