India Votes Against UNSC Draft Resolution Attempting To 'Securitise' Climate Action

A vote on that draft text was not held because of strong resistance put up by China, Russia, and the US.

File Photo

New Delhi: India on Monday voted against a United Nations Security Council's draft resolution saying that it aimed to "securitise" climate action and undermine the hard-won consensual agreements in Glasgow.

Ambassador TS Tirumurti, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, presented the explanation of the vote on India's part. He said that India will always speak up for the interests of the developing world and had no option but to vote against the draft, news agency PTI reported.

"India had no option but to vote against the resolution," TS Tirumurti said.

He further stressed that there should be no confusion about India's determination to combat climate change as the country 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 the Sahel region. And we will do so at the right place, the UNFCCC," India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations stated.

He also asserted that developed countries must provide climate finance of USD 1 trillion at the earliest as it is necessary that climate finance be tracked with the same diligence as climate mitigation.

"The developed countries have fallen well short of their promises," TS Trimurti stated.

About UNSC Draft Resolution

As per news agency ANI, the draft resolution, co-authored by Ireland and Niger, states that the adverse effects of climate change can "lead...to social tensions..., exacerbating, prolonging, or contributing to the risk of future conflicts and instability and posing a key risk to global peace, security, and stability".

Ireland and Niger circulated a zero draft of the resolution after a September 23 high-level open debate on climate and security which was organised by Ireland.

The co-penholders apparently based their text on a draft resolution which was proposed in 2020 by then-Council member Germany in cooperation with nine other Council members, ANI reported.

A vote on that draft text was not held because of strong resistance put up by China, Russia, and the US.

One round of negotiations was held on October 11 in which Estonia, France, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Niger, Norway, Tunisia, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines, the UK, the US, and Vietnam expressed support to have more systematic integration of climate-related security risks into the Council's work, requesting only minor adjustments to the zero draft.

On the other hand, as per ANI, China, India, and Russia appeared to express deep scepticism about the need for Council engagement on this issue.

India and Russia also highlighted concerns about a "securitised" approach to the issue, conveying apprehension that the Council could pursue coercive measures to address the challenges posed by climate change.

(With Inputs From Agencies)