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Discuss the role of India's leadership in tackling climate change with its G20 Presidency.
- With the Russia-Ukraine war, energy and food security concerns, and many more issues like that, and in between these, India holds the presidency of the G20.
- Moreover, many new regional trade blocks are emerging which is ill-suited for climate cooperation as it will have an adverse impact on the long-term concerns such as climate crisis.
- In this context, India should use this opportunity to push for greater cooperation to combat complex climate issues.
G20
- It is a strategic multilateral platform connecting the world’s major developed and emerging economies.
- Starting in 1999 as a meeting for the finance minister and central bank governors, it has evolved into a yearly summit involving the Head of State and Government.
- The Sherpa meetings working groups and special events are also organized throughout the year.
- Each year, the Presidency invites guest countries to participate fully in the G20 exercise.
- The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
Significance of G20
- The G20 plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.
- It recognizes that global prosperity is interdependent and that economic opportunities and challenges are interlinked.
India’s role do with G20 Presidency
Regarding climate crisis
- G20 believes in One Earth, One Family, and One Future.
- Because of climate change, many nations are facing problems.
- India can use its presidency to urge that addressing the climate crisis remains near the top of the agenda.
Address energy security concerns
- India can give a reminder to stick to the policy that some European nations are reacting to energy security concerns by reopening coal mines and scrambling for gas contracts.
- India can put this fact on focus at the G20.
Put mitigation effort equally towards all fossil fuels
- India should put more focus on the argument that mitigation efforts should proceed evenly across all fossil fuels.
- Many nations are putting emphasis only on coal.
Lifestyle for Environment initiative (LiFE)
- Through the LiFE initiative of India, the G20 can promote sustainable consumption through enhanced attention to energy-use patterns.
- LiFE sends an important message on sustainable consumption and provides a perfect platform to amplify the need for demand-side measures for energy that are a proven route to cost-effective climate mitigation.
Conflicted agenda of climate finance
- India can make further progress in some conflicted agendas.
- Developed countries are giving attention to mobilizing private finance instead of public finance.
- Private finance is unlikely to flow for adaptation, and the promised new loss-and-damage mechanism also needs funds.
- Public finance can play a role in leveraging private finance for mitigation.
Green policies
- Green industrial policy, by definition, requires developing a competitive advantage in particular areas of the economy.
- Winning domestic political support for green policies requires showing that these help domestic industry and create jobs.
The opportunity of being a leader in G20 should be utilized at the maximum by addressing the problems in G20. This leadership can benefit India in many ways like proving its competency of India to solve global problems. Globally many countries are in danger because of the climate crisis and the leadership of G20 is the best opportunity to address the problem and draw the focus of developed countries to make a sustainable future for everyone by implementing policies related to the environment and make sure to they stick to the policies.