Modi calls for climate funding efforts ahead of G20 summit in India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the leaders of the G20 summit, which he will chair this weekend in New Delhi, will provide financial and technological assistance to address climate change.

Amid record temperatures worldwide, climate activists continue to issue warnings, especially concerning developing nations, in case the G20 fails to reach a consensus.

According to Modi, India has taken the lead in the "global South," with ambitions to bridge the gap between advanced and developing countries.

In an article published in various Indian media outlets and international daily newspapers, especially in Britain and Japan, Modi wrote that "many Southern countries are at different stages of development, and work for the climate must continue in an integrated manner."

On a global scale, wealthy nations have not yet fulfilled their promise to provide poor countries with $100 billion annually for climate financing by 2020, raising doubts about whether polluters will help weaker, less responsible countries combat global warming.

The G20 comprises 19 countries and the European Union, representing about 85% of global GDP and an equivalent share of carbon emissions.

Modi stated that "climate action ambitions must be accompanied by measures related to climate finance and technology transfer."

He added, "We believe there is a need to shift from a purely punitive stance on what should not be done to a constructive approach focusing on what can be done to combat climate change."

Energy ministers of the G20 failed to reach an agreement on a roadmap for gradually phasing out fossil fuels, or even mentioning coal, a dirty fuel that remains a primary energy source for economies like India and China, during their meeting in July.

These two Asian giants are among the world's largest polluters, but they argue that historical polluters in the West should bear much greater responsibility in the current global climate crisis.

Modi said, "Due to the impact of climate change, it will be necessary to ensure food and nutrition security," explaining that one of the solutions is "promoting climate-smart agriculture."

He added that "technology is a game-changer, but it must also be accessible to all."

The G20 summit scheduled for September 9th and 10th in New Delhi is the next major round of talks on the busy agenda of decisive actions on global warming, leading up to the United Nations Climate Conference set to begin in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates in November.



AFP