Ten years ago, India flipped the script on its approach to climate negotiations. It worked with rich and poor countries to craft the Paris Agreement, launch the International Solar Alliance, supported Mission Innovation, set out ambitious targets for energy access and clean energy, and positioned itself as a champion of climate justice. A decade thereon, the dynamism of India’s economy is more evident, as is the scale of its energy transition. But it now faces a fork in the road: Will it build on this legacy or allow global climate reversals insert road bumps on its path to sustainable growth?

At COP30 — starting in Belém, Brazil today — there will be much hand-wringing about what’s not happening and who is to blame. Cutting through the noise and the jargon of negotiation texts, there are primarily two gaps that must be filled. One is the ambition gap, or how much more we must collectively act to keep the temperature increase within relatively safe limits. The other is the implementation gap, or how we fulfil the promises made on actions at home and to support others. There is, however, a third gap too — a perception gap, or a misreading of what developing countries are already doing to combat the climate crisis. India must approach COP30 with a strategy to bridge all three gaps. It must own its story (what it has achieved) and also write a new story, a new narrative, which reflects a bold commitment to climate action.

The ambition gap is real. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increased 1.2% annually in the decade following the Paris Agreement, compared to 18.4% over the 10 years that preceded this decade. This shifted the trajectory from 3-3.5°C of projected warming to 2.3-2.5°C (if all Nationally Determined Contributions are implemented), according to the latest UNEP Emissions Gap Report. But this is not enough, and the US leaving the Paris Agreement has cancelled 0.1°C of temperature reduction. Much more must be done.........

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