By Faridat Salifu
India’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, will travel to Brasília, Brazil, on October 13–14 to attend the pre-COP meeting as part of preparations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) scheduled for November in Belém.
Yadav confirmed his participation in the two-day ministerial meeting on his official X account, saying the session will provide an opportunity to build consensus among countries on key issues before the main negotiations.
The pre-COP, hosted by Brazil’s environment ministry, will bring together environment ministers, senior negotiators, and climate officials from more than 30 countries to discuss politically sensitive topics and smoothen talks ahead of COP30.
According to reports by the Press Trust of India (PTI), around 800 delegates are expected to attend the gathering, which aims to narrow divisions over finance, adaptation, and energy transition goals.
Although pre-COPs are not formal UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) events, they have become a key diplomatic tool for host countries to focus ministerial attention on contentious issues and prepare the ground for final decisions at the main summit.
The upcoming COP30 takes place amid growing geopolitical and economic tensions, with several developed nations reconsidering their climate commitments due to energy security concerns.
Trust between developed and developing countries remains fragile following COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Global South representatives criticized the outcome on climate finance as inadequate.
Negotiations in Brasília are expected to focus on scaling up climate finance, defining the post-2025 collective finance goal, and ensuring a predictable flow of funding for adaptation and loss and damage.
Other key issues include the integrity of international carbon trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, finalization of national adaptation plans, and translating the Global Stocktake findings into concrete timelines for implementation.
Logistical challenges are also under discussion, as reports suggest limited accommodation and rising costs in Belém may restrict participation by smaller and vulnerable delegations, potentially affecting negotiation balance.
India is expected to use the pre-COP platform to reaffirm its stance on equity, common but differentiated responsibilities, and the need for developed countries to fulfill their Article 9 obligations on climate finance.
Officials said India will push for concessional and predictable funding for adaptation and loss and damage, as well as technology transfer and capacity building that align with national development priorities.
New Delhi has also emphasized the need for a “just and equitable energy transition” that allows developing economies space to grow while pursuing low-carbon pathways.
Ahead of COP30, India plans to submit two key documents: an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) extending targets to 2035, and its first National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
The updated NDC is expected to enhance ambition on emissions intensity, expand non-fossil electricity capacity, and strengthen carbon sinks through forest and tree cover without adding new commitments.
Officials noted that India has already surpassed its 2030 target for non-fossil installed capacity and will closely track the outcome of talks on global carbon markets to ensure transparency, fairness, and environmental integrity.