India took a tough stance on climate change at the United Nations on Friday, stressing that a “big gap” still exists in the pledge by developed countries to provide developing countries with $ 100 billion for action climate. “This amount is less than what the NFL (National Football League; the professional American football tournament) wins on media law,” TS Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the UN, said at the meeting. a speech on climate action at the current 76th session of the United Nations. General Assembly (UNGA76).

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Long-term finance was a key pillar of the Paris Agreement (Paris Climate Agreements), which recognized that it was crucial for developed countries to contribute to global efforts to tackle the climate crisis in order to help developing countries to catch up. However, even though this pledge of financial support – mobilizing $ 100 billion a year in climate finance to meet the needs of developing countries – was made in 2010, much has yet to be fulfilled. In fact, UN Executive Secretary on Climate Change Patricia Espinosa also personally urged developed countries earlier this year in June to keep their pledge, according to an official statement from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. climate change (UNFCCC).

Acknowledging the need to refrain from “hand-picking” the structure of the UNFCCC, India’s permanent representative to the UN Tirumurti said negotiation should be led by all member states and not just by a few nations which tend to decide for everyone. “It is necessary to refrain from ‘choosing’ in the inclusive and comprehensive structure of the UNFCCC,” Tirumurti said, quoted by ANI news agency. “It is negotiated by all member states. A few should not decide for all. India supports the Member State-led process for the benefit of developing countries.

According to Patricia Espinosa, who was speaking at the UN climate talks earlier this year, nations “are still talking about this promise”, even as the need for climate action grows more desperate by the day. in days.

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“We still talk about that promise, despite the fact that greenhouse gas emissions continue to be at their highest concentration ever; as extreme weather conditions continue to decimate more and more parts of the world and with greater intensity; and while the vulnerable continue to suffer, continue to lose their livelihoods and their lives, ”said the UN Executive Secretary on Climate Change.

The trillions of dollars spent by developed countries to recover from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) shows that 100 billion dollars a year could be mobilized “relatively easily with the adequate political will”, according to the UN. For many countries, securing the funding necessary to spur their own transition to a more sustainable future cannot be done without this promised support. This includes actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and actions to build resilience to the inevitable impacts of climate change, such as frequent and severe droughts, floods and storms.