India Withdraws Bid to Host COP33 Climate Talks The Indian government has quietly withdrawn its offer to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, according to a report by Climate Home News. The decision, announced on April 2, was communicated to other nations by an Indian official who cited a “review of its commitments for the year 2028” as the reason for the withdrawal. The initial bid had been made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. The Indian government has not publicly acknowledged the decision and has not responded to requests for comment, making this the first report of the withdrawal. The withdrawal leaves the host country for COP33 uncertain, as the summit will follow COP31 in Türkiye and COP32 in Ethiopia. While South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed interest in hosting the talks during his 2025 campaign, the country’s climate ministry has not formally endorsed the bid. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment stated that local governments may pursue hosting interests for regional development and tourism, but this does not reflect the national government’s stance. Additionally, Boyoung Kang, director of the ministry, noted that South Korea’s planned G20 Summit in 2028 could limit its capacity to host COP33, given the substantial financial and logistical demands of the event. The right to host the annual climate negotiations rotates among the UN’s five regional groups. This year’s COP31 is co-hosted by Türkiye and Australia, members of the Western Europe and Others Group, while Ethiopia will host COP32 as part of the African Group. The Asia-Pacific Group is next in line, and India had been widely expected to host COP33 after Modi’s announcement at COP28. However, the withdrawal disrupts this expectation.#india #narendra_modi #brics #unfccc #climate_home_news
India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Balancing Development & Decarbonisation India has unveiled its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2035 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aligning with its obligations under the Paris Agreement. These targets represent a progression from earlier commitments, aiming to balance climate ambition with developmental priorities and energy security. The strategy reflects India’s commitment to addressing climate change while ensuring sustainable growth and meeting the needs of its population. The 2035 NDC targets include expanding non-fossil energy capacity to 60% of installed electricity capacity, a goal already partially achieved with 52% capacity in 2025. This progress underscores the rapid growth of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and nuclear. Additionally, India aims to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 47% from 2005 levels by 2035, with a 36% reduction already achieved between 2005 and 2020. The focus on energy efficiency and low-carbon growth highlights the country’s efforts to decarbonize its economy. India also targets a carbon sink of 3.5–4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, with current progress at 2.3 billion tonnes by 2021. This involves afforestation, reforestation, and ecosystem restoration to enhance natural carbon absorption. The strategy emphasizes the importance of these carbon sinks in offsetting emissions, though challenges such as limited forest cover and land constraints remain. India’s NDC evolution demonstrates an incremental approach, with the first NDC targeting 2025, an updated version for 2030, and the latest for 2035.#india #paris_agreement #unfccc #jal_jeevan_mission #national_mission_sustainable_agriculture
