India and China can no longer be treated as developing nations: Objections raised at UN climate talks

Delegates from several developing nations at the COP29 UN climate talks in Azerbaijan are challenging the long-standing classification of China and India as developing countries, arguing they should no longer receive the same treatment as the world’s poorest nations.

Nigeria’s environment minister, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has taken a strong stance, stating that China and India are in a “faster phase” of development than countries like Nigeria and should begin contributing to climate finance for poorer nations. This sentiment was echoed by other representatives, including an African negotiator who suggested that countries like China, India, South Africa, and Egypt should be removed from the developing countries list, reports the Guardian.

The current classifications, dating back to 1992 when the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed, mean that China and India have no formal obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or provide financial assistance to poorer countries. China, despite being the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter and second-largest economy, technically qualifies to receive climate aid, though it chooses not to accept it.

Colombia’s environment minister, Susana Muhamad, called the developed and developing country categories “obsolete” and in need of change. The issue has gained particular significance at this year’s talks in Azerbaijan, where nearly 200 governments are discussing how to provide poor countries with access to the $1 trillion annual funding needed for emission reduction and climate adaptation.

While China has provided approximately $4.5 billion annually in climate finance to poorer countries from 2013 to 2022, critics note that developing nations spent nearly $300 billion in 2022 solely on servicing their Chinese debt, says the Guardian.

Indian representatives, meanwhile, point out India’s per capita income is only $2,800 compared with the USA’s $35,000 and insist climate finance is essential for India to transition to a green economy.

As the talks continue into their second week, this debate over national status and financial responsibilities threatens to complicate efforts to forge a new collective agreement on climate finance, a key goal of this year’s conference.

The discussions in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, come as nearly 200 governments grapple with the challenge of mobilizing $1 trillion annually to help poorer nations cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts. Progress has been slow, with developed nations hesitant to meet funding targets and disputes over commitments to phase out fossil fuels.