Bhupender Yadav Urges COP30 to Champion Adaptation and Reinforce Global Climate Unity

In a pivotal moment for international climate diplomacy, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, reaffirmed India’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism and climate justice at the Pre-COP30 Ministerial Roundtable held in Brasília, Brazil. Representing India at the high-level dialogue, the Minister called for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, to be remembered as the “COP of Adaptation,” underscoring the urgency of translating global climate commitments into locally actionable and people-centered solutions.

Reaffirming Multilateralism as the Cornerstone of Global Climate Action

As the world approaches the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, Shri Yadav emphasized that COP30 must deliver a “resolute political message” reaffirming multilateralism as the cornerstone of global climate cooperation.

“As we mark a decade since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, COP30 must send a resolute political message that multilateralism remains the cornerstone of global climate action,” said Shri Yadav.

He congratulated the COP30 Presidency for fostering an inclusive environment for transparent and forward-looking dialogue among all nations. The Conference of Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is scheduled to take place in Belém, Brazil, from November 10–21, 2025, bringing together world leaders to advance global efforts under the Paris Agreement framework.

The Minister noted that Belém, located at the gateway to the Amazon rainforest, symbolizes both the challenges and hopes of global climate action — representing biodiversity, indigenous resilience, and the urgency of ecological balance.

From Commitments to Action: Grounding Climate Solutions Locally

In his intervention, Shri Yadav underscored that transforming commitments into implementation is the need of the hour. While nations have made significant progress in setting targets, the focus must now shift toward achieving real-world outcomes that directly improve lives and protect vulnerable populations.

“The key to ensuring tangible outcomes in Belém lies in translating global policy commitments into practical, locally grounded solutions,” the Minister stated. “The focus must be on transforming climate commitments into real-world actions that accelerate implementation and directly improve people’s lives.”

He urged all countries to bridge the gap between policy ambition and on-the-ground delivery, calling for a renewed emphasis on resilience-building, capacity development, and community-led adaptation measures.

“COP30 Must Be the COP of Adaptation”

Making a strong case for prioritizing adaptation, Shri Yadav called on the global community to designate COP30 as the “COP of Adaptation”, signaling a shift toward protecting the world’s most climate-vulnerable populations.

“COP30 should be the COP of Adaptation,” Shri Yadav emphasized, urging nations to adopt a minimum package of indicators under the UAE–Belém Work Programme to advance global adaptation goals.

He suggested that the “Baku Adaptation Road Map”, to be finalized at COP30, should serve as an inspiring global framework demonstrating that the world is committed to safeguarding billions of people and ensuring that no one is left behind.

The Minister stressed that adaptation must receive equitable attention and financial support alongside mitigation, particularly for developing and climate-vulnerable nations that are already facing the brunt of climate change impacts.

Strengthening Climate Finance for Adaptation

Highlighting the need for enhanced public and private investment in adaptation, Shri Yadav called for a significant scaling up of climate finance flows from developed to developing countries.

“There is a need to strengthen and intensify the flow of public finance towards adaptation, which may, in turn, catalyze contributions from other financial sources as well,” he said.

He cautioned against creating new mechanisms that could dilute the framework of the Paris Agreement, urging countries to build on the lessons of the first Global Stocktake (GST) rather than reinventing the wheel.

“With the Paris Agreement mechanism now fully operational, this is not the time to undermine its architecture by proposing post-GST processes that prescribe new mechanisms,” the Minister added. “Let us be guided by the first GST and act according to our national circumstances.”

India’s Global Leadership: Action-Oriented Multilateralism

Reiterating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s principle that India seeks to be part of the solution, not the problem, Shri Yadav showcased India’s global climate leadership through several flagship international initiatives that embody cooperative and action-oriented multilateralism:

• International Solar Alliance (ISA): Promoting solar energy adoption across 100+ countries to ensure affordable and sustainable energy access.

• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): Strengthening disaster-resilient infrastructure and climate adaptation in vulnerable regions.

• International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA): Enhancing biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience through protection of key species.

• LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) Movement: Advocating sustainable consumption patterns at the individual and community levels to reduce environmental stress.

“India’s initiatives — from the International Solar Alliance and CDRI to the Big Cat Alliance — reflect our spirit of cooperative and action-oriented multilateralism,” the Minister said. “Let COP30 in Belém reaffirm faith in multilateralism, equity, and collective resolve to deliver real, measurable action for people and the planet.”

The Road to Belém: Towards COP30 and Beyond

As the global community prepares for COP30, expectations are rising for a new phase of implementation-focused climate diplomacy. The Brasília Pre-COP meeting has been instrumental in shaping the agenda for Belém 2025, with adaptation, finance, and technology transfer emerging as core priorities.

India’s position continues to reflect the voice of the Global South — emphasizing equity, common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR), and resilience-based development pathways.

The Pre-COP also discussed strengthening cooperation on nature-based solutions, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable urban development, and indigenous knowledge integration, all areas where India has been leading by example through domestic programs such as the National Adaptation Fund, Green Credit Initiative, and Mission LiFE.

“India’s climate action is guided by equity and the spirit of global cooperation,” Shri Yadav remarked. “Our policies and actions are aligned with national priorities and the needs of our people, but we remain firmly committed to contributing to global solutions.”

Global Response and Shared Commitment

The Pre-COP meeting in Brasília brought together environment ministers, negotiators, and representatives from international organizations, who collectively endorsed the need for enhanced adaptation frameworks, predictable finance, and knowledge-sharing among nations.

The discussions also set the stage for defining post-2025 climate finance targets, revising national adaptation plans, and assessing progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) — all of which will be central to deliberations in Belém.

India’s Call for Climate Justice and Equity

At the close of his address, Shri Yadav reiterated India’s call for climate justice — emphasizing that developing countries must not be left behind in the global transition. He reaffirmed that India’s development model seeks to balance growth with sustainability, ensuring that climate action does not come at the cost of poverty alleviation or social progress.

“India will continue to be a voice for fairness, ambition, and equity,” Shri Yadav stated. “We must work together to ensure that climate action uplifts communities, strengthens resilience, and restores harmony between people and the planet.”

Looking Ahead: A Decade of the Paris Agreement

As the world marks a decade since the adoption of the Paris Agreement (2015–2025), COP30 is expected to serve as both a reflection point and a renewal of global climate commitments. With the Global Stocktake outcomes from COP28 providing key insights, nations now have the opportunity to course-correct and accelerate implementation toward limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

For India, the pathway forward lies in collaborative innovation, green finance, and people-centric resilience building — ensuring that the fight against climate change remains inclusive, equitable, and future-ready.

“Let COP30 be a reaffirmation — of faith in multilateralism, of unity in purpose, and of commitment to real action,” Shri Yadav concluded. “Together, we can ensure that this decade becomes the turning point for climate justice and planetary well-being.