The German Embassy in New Delhi hosted a high-level edition of its Climate Talks series on Monday, bringing together German Ambassador to India and Bhutan Dr. Philipp Ackermann and Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, Founder-CEO of CEEW and South Asia’s Special Envoy to COP30. Their conversation examined the key outcomes of COP30 in Belém and the implications for India, Germany and the wider South Asian region.
‘Global Mutirão’ Sets the Tone for Shared Responsibility
Reflecting on the two weeks of negotiations in Brazil, Ambassador Ackermann said COP30 reaffirmed that multilateralism remains essential to meaningful climate progress. He noted that the decision known as the Global Mutirão—literally a collective effort—captured the spirit of the summit.
He emphasised that the negotiations “reminded us that climate change is not a challenge any country can tackle alone,” adding that Belém delivered both “notable advances” and “clear tasks that must now be carried forward.” While progress was visible on adaptation and just transition, he stressed that these commitments will only matter if countries now move decisively into implementation.
South Asia Envoy: Climate Action Must Reflect Realities and Protect People
Speaking as South Asia’s Special Envoy, Dr. Ghosh said COP30 marked a decisive shift toward implementation after years of broad debate. He argued that the Belém summit highlighted the need for practical, locally grounded action, especially in regions facing diverse climate pressures.
He said COP30 made it evident that “implementation, not abstraction, now sits at the centre of global climate action,” adding that South Asian countries face urgent and varied adaptation needs. Nepal’s mountains, the Maldives’ low-lying islands, Sri Lanka’s coasts and Bangladesh’s river deltas all confront distinct risks, he noted, underscoring that “credible climate action cannot be one-size-fits-all.”
Dr. Ghosh also highlighted three core themes that must shape climate efforts going forward:
- Multilateralism still matters, even with its imperfections, because no country can tackle the crisis alone.
- A just transition must protect human livelihoods, noting that “physical or financial assets can be repurposed, but the workers whose lives depend on coal today cannot be abandoned.”
- Trade and technology co-development should be seen as climate enablers, not barriers — a way to raise ambition through shared innovation and investment.
These principles, he said, will determine whether countries can translate the momentum from Belém into long-term resilience. “Real progress will come not only from two weeks of negotiations, but from the remaining fifty weeks of the year,” he added, emphasising that cooperation must continue beyond the conference halls.
Germany Exceeds Climate-Finance Commitments
Ambassador Ackermann also reaffirmed Germany’s reliability as a climate partner, announcing that the country had fully met—and surpassed—its international climate-finance pledges for 2024. Germany provided €11.8 billion, including €6.1 billion in budgetary support, meeting its annual target of at least €6 billion. Berlin also mobilised more than €1 billion in private capital for climate action, a development he described as “an important milestone” confirmed in Germany’s latest reporting to the EU.
He stressed that Germany stands by its commitments “even in challenging times,” adding that consistency is essential for building trust and sustaining momentum in global negotiations. Germany also pledged €1 billion to a new fund aimed at protecting tropical forests, launched during COP30.
Indo-German Cooperation Gains Momentum After COP30
Looking ahead, Ambassador Ackermann said Indo-German cooperation will play a central role in delivering on the outcomes of COP30. He recalled the meeting between India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Germany’s Environment Minister Carsten Schneider in Belém, which reaffirmed the commitment to deepen collaboration under the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP).
Germany has also launched a new International Climate Initiative (IKI) Large Grant call for India to support the country’s upcoming National Adaptation Plan and strengthen the resilience of forests, ecosystems and biodiversity. Ackermann highlighted strengthened cooperation between IKI and CEEW showcased at COP30 as an example of how analytical tools and evidence-driven approaches help integrate climate considerations into development policies.
South Asian Priorities: Adaptation, Loss & Damage, and Skills for TransitionDr. Ghosh shared regional perspectives on COP30 outcomes, stressing the urgent need to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund and align adaptation finance with the scale of risk faced by South Asian countries. He also pointed to opportunities for Indo-German cooperation on just transition, green-skills development and energy-system transformation.
Ten Years After Paris, the Pressure Intensifies
COP30 marked a decade since the Paris Agreement, bringing renewed urgency to close the widening gap toward the 1.5°C pathway. The Belém summit delivered major advances on adaptation—including a commitment to triple global adaptation finance by 2035—and operationalised the Loss and Damage Fund. However, negotiations on fossil-fuel phase-out and climate finance again revealed persistent divides.
Against this backdrop, India and Germany have emerged as key partners shaping constructive climate action: Germany through consistent climate-finance leadership and global initiatives on forests and just transition, and India through its scale, ambition and focus on equitable solutions.
Delhi Dialogue Reinforces the Shift to Implementation
The Climate Talks in New Delhi concluded with a clear message: the next phase of global climate action must be defined by delivery, not declarations. Both countries underscored that implementation, innovation and sustained collaboration—particularly on adaptation and resilience—will shape their engagement in the post-COP30 landscape.
