The global climate change negotiation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is held periodically under the aegis of the Conference of Parties (CoP). The 24th CoP to the UNFCCC, COP24, was held in Katowice, Poland, from December 2 to 14.
After the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015, the Katowice meet was the most significant. It was supposed to lay down the contours for climate change action plans. This year marked the deadline, as agreed by signatories of the Paris Agreement, to adopt a "work programme for the implementation" of commitments that were made in 2015. An analysis of the decision taken in CoP24 clearly indicates that the shadow of the US' withdrawal from the climate change talk is over. New global leadership has emerged and India is leading from the front.
Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, his actions, determination, and dynamism ensured that the commitments made at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21, reached the ultimate goal despite the many problems faced by our country, most important of them pertaining to the growth in population. The second most important leader in the global climate leadership is French President Emmanuel Macron, who readily agreed to Prime Minister Modi's proposal for setting up the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which was signed by both leaders earlier this year. More than 120 countries have become signatories to the ISA. In October 2018, more than 48 countries along with 25 heads of states attended the ISA conference that was hosted by India.
Another reason for the progress of climate-related talks is the trust factor. Most low and middle-income countries bestowed faith in Prime Minister Modi's capability to steer the climate change proceedings due to his stature as a global leader. The only other country that holds similar potential is China. But then, it suffers from a trust deficit. It would be worthwhile to discuss some of the takeaways from the CoP24 and India's role in the successful conclusion of the climate change conference. Prior to this, we saw the then Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Jairam Ramesh, registering a similar impact on India's idea of climate diplomacy. Ramesh also espoused the cause of the developing world.
