Current Affairs 2022 : India and Russia opposed UNSC resolution on Climate Change

By Ankita Rawat

India and Russia voted against the UNSC resolution. Read here the reasoning behind such voting steps taken by India.

India has voted against the draft of the United Nations Security Council that link climate change with global security challenges. TS Tirumurti, India’s representative to UN explained India’s position, indicating that the draft attempted to ‘securitize’ climate action weakening the hard-won agreement in Glasgow.

From 31st October 2021, the COP26 held in Glasgow, UK, the Indian Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that agreement remains subtle at COP26. India has maintained wasteful consumption patterns and an unsustainable lifestyle towards the current climate crisis. According to him, India is blunt and outspoken against the excesses in consumption in developed countries. Ambassador Tirumurti said that many UNSC members are major contributors to climate change due to historic emissions. Mr Yadav explained that developing countries have the right to equitable sharing of the global carbon budget and are entitled to the accountable use of fossil fuels.

Russia on opposing the draft UNSC resolution

Placing climate change as a menace to international security diverts the Security Council’s attention from actual, deep-rooted reasons of conflict in the countries on the Security council’s agenda. This is an opportunity for countries who are actively supporting these conflicts to come into being or pay military activities in deflection from the council’s mandate or just don’t want to provide the help to developing countries. Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy vocally opposed the involvement of climate topics to the security council, terming it as very dangerous in a press briefing on November 30.

India on opposing the draft UNSC resolution

A vote from India on the draft text proposed in 2020 was not executed because of powerful opposition from Russia, US and China. Despite that, on the 11th October meeting, Russia, India and China expressed deep doubts about the need for Council engagement on the issue.

The security council report highlighted that Russia and India showed concerns regarding the “securitised” approach to the issue. The countries raised their voices that the Council could conduct compulsory measures to address challenges created by climate change. The draft resolution was set up by the Niger and Ireland, members of the UN Security Council who are responsible for confronting negotiations and drafting resolutions on the issue of climate change. The draft was backed by 12 of the council’s 15 members, Russia banned the resolution while China avoided the same. The draft resolution depicts climate as an that will harm global peace and security but members familiar with this matter said the UNSC is not an appropriate forum to discuss this issue. While explaining the country’s vote TS Tirumurti said India has no choice but to vote against the draft resolution.

Further, TS Tirumurti said that India is going forward on climate change with “high ambition and great courage” but the country understands the consequences of developing nations and continues to voice its expectations and concerns. India will always support real climate action and serious climate justice. TS Trimurti explained the ambitious climate action vision of the Indian prime minister with 5 elements at COP26- meeting  50% of energy requirement from renewable sources by 2030, non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030, reducing the carbon intensity of the economy by less than 45% by 2030, reducing total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tones by 2030, and achieving the “Net Zero” by 2070. Now, India ranks 4th in terms of installed renewable energy capacity and increased the non-fossil energy by 25% since last 7 years and achieved 40% of the total energy mix. Also, India has taken initiatives like Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and International Solar Alliance (ISA).

TS  Tirumurti says, easy access to climate technologies and finance has become crucial and developed countries should immediately provide climate finance of $1 trillion. But the actual scenario is that developed countries are failed to fulfil their promises. This is very important to acknowledge because today’s attempt to link security with climate seeks to confuse obscure lack of progress on critical issues under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process.

India is also concerned about the method through which the issue was raised before the Security Council and there was no actual requirement for the draft resolution except for bringing climate change under the extent of the Security Council.

The decisions were carried out without recognising the agreements and involvement of most developing countries. The UNSC members are the main contributors to climate change due to historical emissions and the position that few countries have a free hand in deciding all climate issues are not acceptable & desirable.

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About the Author

  Ankita Rawat is doing graduation in BA(JMC) from JIMS Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.