India Withdraws Bid to Host COP33: A Shift in Climate Action Strategy

In a significant move, India has officially retracted its bid to host COP33, the UN climate conference scheduled for 2028. This decision, announced by Rajat Agrawal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, reflects a broader evolution in India’s climate priorities amid changing global dynamics.

On April 2, the news was conveyed to the Asia-Pacific group of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A ministry spokesperson, Virat Majboor, later confirmed to Mongabay-India that the retraction had been communicated to the UNFCCC secretariat, although no further details were disclosed regarding the motivations behind the decision.

The announcement comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prior expression of interest in hosting the conference during COP28 in Dubai in 2023. Historically, India has engaged actively in global climate discussions, having previously hosted COP8 in New Delhi in 2002. However, the shifting landscape of international climate negotiations may have influenced this latest decision.

The presidency of the Conference of the Parties (COP) rotates among five regional groups: the African Group, Asia-Pacific Group, Eastern European Group, Latin American and Caribbean Group, and Western European and Others Group. Following Brazil’s hosting of COP30 in 2025, Australia and Türkiye will co-host COP31, with Ethiopia taking charge of COP32 for the African Group. India had initially sought to represent the Asia-Pacific Group in hosting COP33, but this latest withdrawal raises questions about the country’s evolving role in global climate leadership.

The process of selecting a host country for COP remains somewhat opaque, occurring within the confines of regional groups, as noted by environmental experts. With India stepping back, the Asia-Pacific Group will need to identify another candidate to take on this significant responsibility, further emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts in addressing climate change.

Source: scroll.in