MEDIA ADVISORY
What is happening?
On 8 May, EU27 leaders will meet with the Prime Minister Modi of India, in a leader’s meeting which due to COVID19 has been shifted to a virtual format. This follows the 2020 summit and the “EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025” adopted back then. Climate change and clean energy cooperation is expected to be an important element in the agenda, as well as kicking off negotiations for a trade and investment agreement.
This high-level meeting needs to be seen in the context of recent dynamic developments to further enhance global climate ambition, with the Leader’s Climate Summit hosted by the US administration on 22-23 April, and the Petersberg Climate Dialogue taking place on 6-7 May. As overall countries’ combined emission reduction ambition still lags behind what is needed to set the world on a pathway to keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit within reach, the EU India Leaders’ meeting is another crucial opportunity for the EU27 to step up in climate diplomacy and action, and deepen cooperation with India.
What do we want?
Agreements coming out of the EU India summit should reflect and lead to:
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A commitment to 1.5°C compatible climate action
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Concrete cooperation to rapidly expand renewables. This must include commitments from the EU to enable and support technology transfer.
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Clear steps to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in a just and pro-poor manner
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No trade liberalisation for goods that fuel the climate crisis. Trade relations with India must support a Paris-compatible economic recovery post-COVID, both in the EU and India.
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Tackling COVID-19 crisis leaving no one behind and to support more resilient, equal societies.
“Not a single summit or meeting until November’s COP26 should miss discussing how the EU can support its partners, in this case India which is highly impacted by climate change, in increasing their mitigation ambition, further developing renewable energy and achieving climate resilience objectives,” – Sven Harmeling, International Climate Policy Coordinator, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.
Contacts:
Nina Tramullas, Communication Coordinator. +34 601 348 343; nina@caneurope.org
Sven Harmeling, International Climate Policy Coordinator. +49 1776136431; sven@caneurope.org
