India asserted a resolute demand for climate justice at the COP30 Leaders' Summit in Belem, Brazil, emphasizing that global efforts must adhere strictly to the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). Ambassador Dinesh Bhatia articulated that developed nations, as primary historical emitters, bear the obligation to expedite emission reductions and honor commitments to provide substantial, predictable financial assistance to developing countries.

Highlighting non-negotiable prerequisites for meaningful progress, India underscored the indispensability of affordable finance, technology transfer, and capacity-building support. The delegation presented India's exemplary achievements, including surpassing revised climate targets five years ahead of schedule, achieving over 50% non-fossil fuel power capacity, reducing GDP emission intensity by 36%, and creating a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 through enhanced forest cover.

In a demonstration of global cooperation, India joined Brazil's Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) as an Observer, endorsing the initiative as a pivotal mechanism for sustained forest conservation. The facility, launched with over $5.5 billion in initial commitments from nations including Norway, France, Brazil, and Indonesia, aims to ensure forests remain economically valuable when preserved intact.

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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva established COP30's core focus on fossil fuel phase-out, climate finance mobilization, and forest protection, declaring it the "COP of truth." He warned of catastrophic consequences—up to 250,000 annual deaths and a 30% global GDP decline—unless science is heeded, while unveiling the Belem commitment to quadruple sustainable fuel usage by 2035 and the Baku to Belem Roadmap targeting $1.3 trillion in climate finance by the same year.

International perspectives reinforced urgency, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz advocating innovation-led solutions, Marshall Islands' Minister Kalani Kaneko demanding ambitious NDCs and funding from major emitters, and Lord Zac Goldsmith praising TFFF's innovative design despite the United Kingdom's withdrawal. The summit underscored a unified call for transitioning from aspirational targets to tangible implementation grounded in equitable responsibility.

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