COP29: Developing nations slam ‘unfair’ unilateral trade measures
New Delhi: Developing countries strongly opposed unilateral trade measures disguised as climate actions at the COP29 climate talks on Friday, calling them “discriminatory” and harmful to global cooperation.
They argued these measures violate the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR).
China, on behalf of the BASIC group of countries, submitted a proposal to the UN climate body last month requesting that this year’s climate talks address the issue of unilateral trade measures such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Although the proposal did not make it to the formal agenda even after a prolonged debate on the first day of the summit, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev announced consultations on the issue, with outcomes to be shared at the conference’s conclusion.
Making an intervention in the presidential consultations on Friday, India said this is a matter of global concern that needs urgent consideration to ensure the development pathways of developing countries are not constricted.
Other groups of developing countries, including the G77, the largest bloc representing over 130 nations at the UN climate talks, and Like-Minded Developing Countries also registered their strong opposition on the issue.
However, developed countries, particularly the European Union, argued that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is not the right platform to discuss this issue, as it is already being addressed by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
India said restrictive unilateral measures force developing and low-income nations to bear the costs
of transitioning to low-carbon economies, undermining climate finance commitments from developed nations, which have historically benefitted from industrialisation and contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions.
“They effectively will result in the reversal of climate finance mobilised by the developed countries. It is like asking the victim to pay for the remedy,” it said.
“Any unilateral measures in the name of climate change responses are discriminatory towards developing countries and detrimental to multilateral cooperation.
They violate principles of equity and CBDR-RC and the UNFCCC provisions,”
it said.
