Context & The Gist
The article addresses the ongoing debate surrounding climate change responsibilities, particularly focusing on the roles of India and China. It’s in the news due to recent data highlighting a shift in climate action dynamics, with developed nations facing setbacks while India and China are leading in renewable energy expansion. The central thesis argues that India and China are unfairly criticized for their carbon footprints, overlooking their significant progress in renewable energy and advocating for a fair carbon budget considering historical emissions.
The article challenges the narrative that places blame solely on emerging economies for climate change, emphasizing the need for developed nations to address their own mitigation barriers and fulfill their commitments.
Key Arguments & Nuances
- Shifting Landscape: For the first time in 50 years, coal power generation is declining in both India and China due to record renewable energy capacity additions.
- Developed Nations' Setbacks: The EU experienced an increase in fossil fuel-generated electricity due to unfavorable weather conditions and grid limitations, while the US saw a rise in heat-trapping gases under the Trump administration.
- Equitable Carbon Budget: India and China advocate for a larger carbon budget, acknowledging their developmental needs and historical low GHG footprint.
- Challenges Remain: Sustaining the decline in fossil fuel use in India and China requires significant investments in grid modernization and energy storage.
- Global Cooperation: Meeting clean energy goals hinges on developed economies overcoming their recent barriers to climate change mitigation.
UPSC Syllabus Relevance
- GS Paper II: International Relations – Climate Change negotiations, India’s foreign policy, and its stance on global environmental issues.
- GS Paper III: Economy – Energy security, renewable energy development, infrastructure development (grid modernization), and sustainable development.
- GS Paper III: Environment – Climate change, its impact on India, and international agreements related to environmental protection.
Prelims Data Bank
- Paris Agreement: An international treaty on climate change, adopted in 2015, aiming to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
- COP (Conference of the Parties): The decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). COP30 was held in Brazil in 2025.
- International Energy Agency (IEA): An autonomous intergovernmental organization that provides analysis and recommendations on energy policy.
- Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): National plans outlining how countries will reduce their emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change under the Paris Agreement.
Mains Critical Analysis
The article highlights a crucial shift in the climate change narrative, moving away from solely blaming developing nations towards acknowledging the setbacks faced by developed countries. This is particularly relevant in the context of the Paris Agreement and the principle of ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities’ (CBDR-RC).
Challenges
- Grid Infrastructure: Both India and China face significant challenges in modernizing their grid infrastructure to accommodate the intermittency of renewable energy sources. This requires substantial investment and technological advancements.
- Energy Storage: Scaling up energy storage systems is crucial for managing the variability of renewable energy and ensuring a reliable power supply.
- Geopolitical Factors: Geopolitical uncertainties and energy shocks, as seen in the EU, can disrupt decarbonization efforts and lead to a reliance on fossil fuels.
Opportunities
- Renewable Energy Leadership: India and China’s success in expanding renewable energy capacity positions them as leaders in the global energy transition.
- Negotiating Leverage: Their progress provides them with greater leverage in international climate negotiations, allowing them to advocate for a more equitable carbon budget.
- Economic Benefits: Investing in renewable energy and grid modernization can create new economic opportunities and jobs.
The core issue is the need for a more nuanced and equitable approach to climate change mitigation, recognizing the historical responsibilities of developed nations and the developmental needs of emerging economies. The critical gap lies in the lack of concrete action from developed countries to meet their commitments and provide financial and technological support to developing nations.
Value Addition
- CBDR-RC Principle: This principle, enshrined in the UNFCCC, acknowledges that all states have a common but differentiated responsibility to protect the global environment.
- Trump’s Withdrawal from Paris Agreement (2025): This decision significantly hampered global climate action and demonstrated the vulnerability of international agreements to political shifts.
- India’s commitment to 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030: This ambitious target demonstrates India’s commitment to a sustainable energy future.
Context & Linkages
Global Carbon Project underlines need for investments in clean energy, building people’s resilience
This past article corroborates the current piece by highlighting the increase in US emissions in 2025, reversing a two-decade trend. It reinforces the point that progress on climate change is not uniform and that developed nations are not consistently meeting their commitments, thus validating the need for India and China to advocate for a fairer carbon budget.
Despite Trump, 2025 saw deeper engagement with climate crisis
This article demonstrates the resilience of global climate engagement despite the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. It shows that other nations, including India and China, continued to invest in renewable energy and reaffirm their commitment to the Paris Agreement, providing context for the current article’s argument that these countries are not the primary obstacles to climate action.
State of Climate Action Report shows record clean-energy investments still inadequate to check temperature rise. Upcoming COP 30 must address i
The State of Climate Action Report, discussed in this past article, highlights the insufficient pace of progress towards the Paris Agreement goals, despite record clean energy investments. This reinforces the argument in the current article that simply increasing investment is not enough; systemic changes and commitment from all nations are required.
The Way Forward
- Developed Nations’ Commitment: Developed countries must fulfill their financial and technological commitments to support developing nations in their transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Grid Modernization: Investments in grid infrastructure and energy storage systems are crucial for integrating renewable energy sources effectively.
- International Cooperation: Strengthening international cooperation and fostering a more equitable approach to climate negotiations are essential.
- Technology Transfer: Facilitating the transfer of clean energy technologies to developing countries can accelerate their decarbonization efforts.
- Policy Frameworks: Implementing supportive policy frameworks that incentivize renewable energy development and discourage fossil fuel consumption.