As Western nations waver in their climate commitments, emerging economies led by China, India and Brazil are preparing to take centre stage at next month’s UN COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil.
Analysts say the retreat of the United States and Europe has created an opening for the Global South to shape the future of international climate policy through development-driven decarbonisation.
“With the climate retreat of the US and growing domestic challenges in the European Union, countries such as Brazil, India and China and other emerging economies now have an open space to shape the global climate discourse,” said Li Shuo, director of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s China Climate Hub.
“Unlike the Western powers, their approach is likely to focus on aligning development with decarbonisation.”
The summit comes at a critical moment, with the world falling short of the Paris Agreement goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
A UN report projects temperature rises of up to 2.8°C by 2100, threatening more frequent heatwaves and extreme weather.
For many experts, emerging economies now hold the key to accelerating global action. “It’s the foundation of the next generation of market growth and nations that integrate technology, finance and diplomacy around it will have a critical advantage for shaping the global order ahead,” said Sunwoo Lee, CEO of JADE Dialogues.
China, India and Brazil have already taken significant steps to reduce emissions.
China invested US$625 billion in clean energy and reached its wind and solar targets six years early. India met its 50% clean power goal five years ahead of schedule and Brazil has expanded biofuel use while pledging US$1 billion to global forest conservation.
Aarti Khosla, director of Climate Trends, said this shift could redefine climate politics. “This moment offers India, China and Brazil – all among the top four in renewable capacity – a platform to align not just on green growth, but also on broader strategic interests ranging from trade and technology to south-south cooperation and multilateral reform.”
Emerging nations take up climate leadership as West retreats appeared first on Energy Live News.