UNSC Debate on Climate and Security in Africa

[Wednesday, 12 October 2022; 1000 hrs]

Statement by Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj

Permanent Representative of India to the UN

Thank you Mr. President,

    At the outset, I take this opportunity to thank Gabon for holding this debate. I also thank Martha, Tanguy and Patrick for their presentations.

2.    Mr. President, you will perhaps agree with me that the maximum impact of the climate crisis is being borne by the poorest countries and most vulnerable communities, which have contributed the least to the climate crisis; they also lack the finance, technology, and capacity to significantly alter the status quo. This is more evident in Africa than any other continent. Africa and the countries in the Global South, have not only suffered due to colonialism in the past, but also in terms of exploitation of natural resources that fueled the economic progress, industrial revolution and the scientific advancement of the western world. Any discussion on climate change cannot do justice by ignoring this basic historic truth. 

Mr. President, 

3.    The deep bonds of solidarity between India and Africa represent a defining partnership of the Global South - a partnership that has been forged over several decades, strengthened by long-standing trade and diaspora linkages, shared struggles against colonialism, and common developmental challenges.

4.    Today, this partnership is anchored on supporting the efforts of African states in their pursuit of comprehensive socio-economic development, always guided by Africa’s own priorities. Since 2015, India has extended concessional loans over US$ 12.3 billion to various projects in Africa. We have completed 197 important projects, and, currently, we are executing 65 projects, while 81 are being positively considered. Significant development projects such as drinking water schemes to irrigation, rural solar electrification, power plants, transmission lines, cement, sugar & textile factories, technology parks, railway infrastructure, etc. have contributed towards the socio-economic development of Africa. India remains committed to its partnership with Africa in its journey towards attainment of the SDGs and Africa’s Agenda 2063.

Mr. President,

5.    India is second to none when it comes to climate action. Our Prime Minister made ambitious commitments at COP26 in Glasgow over and above the commitments made earlier. On the sidelines of COP26, Prime Minister also introduced Mission LiFE--Lifestyle For Environment - as an international mass movement towards “mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment. 

6.    India’s experience may be relevant in the African context as they embark on their own energy transitions. The International Solar Alliance, spearheaded jointly by India and France, is an important platform, which has a majority of African countries as members, and has promoted the rapid deployment of clean energy technologies. In recent years, clean and green energy have increasingly driven India’s development programmes in Africa and beyond. 

7.    On the specific issue of climate and security, allow me to make the following three points: 

i.    First, India has consistently held a principled position on attempts to securitize climate change. Linking climate change to security would only intensify the historical injustice towards developing countries, who are already at the receiving end of the environmental crisis. We are committed to climate action and climate justice, and consider climate justice to be integral to the discourse on climate action.

ii.     Second, we recognize the fact that climate change may have aggravated existing instability in certain parts of Africa. But over-simplification of causes of conflict will not help in resolving them; worse, it can be misleading. Morphing localized law and order situations into international peace and security issues, only serves to distort the narrative on climate change. Moreover, there is no common, widely accepted methodology for assessing the links between climate change, conflict and fragility as they are highly context specific.

Even the latest IPCC report states that “non-climatic factors are the dominant drivers of existing intrastate violent conflicts”, and while “in some assessed regions extreme weather and climate events have had a small, adverse impact on their length, severity or frequency, the statistical association is weak”. The same report mentions that “violent conflicts in the near-term will be driven by socio-economic conditions and governance more than by climate change”.

iii.     Third, we reiterate UNFCC’s preeminence as the fora for addressing climate change and attendant issues. The UN-led UNFCCC, which has a near universal membership, has been the main driver over the years to take all of us collectively forward, guided by principles and provisions agreed to by all. It is because of these principles and provisions that the fight against climate change has been a meaningful one. It represents a balanced global democratic effort where there are concrete commitments from developed countries as well as genuine requirements of developing countries as reflected in nationally determined contributions based on certain fundamental principles, foremost amongst which is “Common but Differentiated Responsibility- and Respective Capability”. India has announced its updated Nationally Determined Contributions after COP26. 

8.     That being the case, Mr. President, India will continue to oppose any attempt to take climate change out of the UNFCCC and discuss it separately without these principles and provisions. And that is precisely why we do not subscribe to the UN Security Council as a place to discuss this issue. In fact, we view this as an attempt to evade responsibility under the UNFCCC and divert the world's attention from an unwillingness to deliver where it counts.

Mr. President, 

9.     It is indeed regrettable that the developed countries have fallen short of their promises not just on mitigation and adaptation but also on providing access to climate finance and technologies. Consequently, the attempt to link climate with security seeks to obfuscate lack of progress on critical issues under the UNFCCC.

10.      Affordable access to climate finance and technologies is critical to move forward on climate action. Developed countries must provide climate finance of $1 trillion at the earliest. As per UNFCCC provisions, climate finance has to be ‘new and additional’ and climate specific; and not just diverted from existing levels of ODA towards climate finance. This problematic clubbing of development finance with climate finance is pushing developing countries into more debt. 

11.     In recent years, we have collectively made significant progress with enhanced climate commitments and momentum for accelerated actions. But the years ahead will be critical for concrete deliverables. We look forward to COP27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh to usher us into action.

Mr. President, 

12.     India will always support real climate action and serious climate justice. We will always speak up for the interests of the developing world, including Africa.  And we will do so at the place it deserves--the UNFCCC. We do hope that the deliberations of today’s meeting will provide valuable inputs for rendering the climate change debate more inclusive, more just and more action-oriented, as well as for making developed countries deliver on their climate finance commitments, including for Africa. 

Thank you!

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