Opposition Questions India’s Climate Ambitions After COP33 Withdrawal
Congress criticizes Modi govt after India withdraws COP33 hosting.
The Congress on Thursday criticised the Modi government for withdrawing India’s bid to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, calling the move a reflection of the administration’s “true commitment” to the 2015 Paris Agreement. The opposition party also questioned the government’s willingness to pursue ambitious carbon mitigation targets in the near and medium term.
Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in Dubai on December 1, 2023, that India would host the annual UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) in late 2028. Ramesh said the announcement, made months ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, appeared aimed at leveraging the global event for political visibility, citing a similar strategy with the 2024 G20 Summit in New Delhi.
Ramesh noted that the withdrawal was announced “unexpectedly” with no explanation provided by the government, raising concerns about India’s commitment to the Paris Agreement in both letter and spirit. He added that as COP33 Chair, India would have faced pressure to scale up climate ambitions in line with findings from the forthcoming seventh assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which could influence global climate action.
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“By 2028, the IPCC report may compel India to lead negotiations on more ambitious carbon targets, not just for the distant future,” Ramesh said. He also referenced a past remark by the Prime Minister on climate change, noting that Modi had once said, “people have changed, climate has not,” calling the statement “bizarre.”
Sources confirmed that the decision to withdraw the bid was communicated to relevant authorities earlier this week, but no specific reason was provided. Typically, COP host countries are confirmed two years in advance, underscoring the abrupt nature of India’s pullback.
The Congress’ criticism underscores growing concerns over India’s climate leadership at a time when global environmental governance is under scrutiny, and international expectations from major emitters like India remain high.
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