‘India and China driving global clean energy shift’

COP30 President Andre Corrêa do Lago has praised India and China for leading the global clean energy transition, saying both countries have embraced climate action “in a very clear way” and are driving down the cost of clean technologies worldwide.

Speaking at the opening of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, do Lago said China has “embraced this agenda in an extraordinary way” by combining scale, technology and affordability — three key factors accelerating the world’s shift to cleaner energy systems.

He said both China and India are shaping the future of the global energy transition.

“China has very advanced technology and has a scale that can only be compared to India. And India is somehow doing the same, because they also have brilliant companies and engineers and incredible people. They are going in the same direction,” he said, responding to a question on China’s contribution to the fight against climate change.

Do Lago highlighted China’s leadership in clean technology manufacturing — from electric vehicles and solar panels to wind energy and batteries.

“I don’t need to say how important China has become for electric vehicles, for solar panels, for wind, for batteries. Thanks to their scale, by lowering the price of all these essential elements in the transition, they are at the same time doing an amazing job of international cooperation,” he said.

He added that China’s massive scale has helped cut the cost of key green technologies, with global ripple effects.

“If the solar panel now costs ninety per cent less than a few years ago, many more people in the developing world can afford them. And somehow, you need fewer resources to get this done in many countries in the world, thanks to the price reduction. And then you can do other things in developing countries,” he said.

“So, we are going to have two major markets which will lower the price of this transition because both countries have embraced this transition in a very clear way,” the COP30 President added.

This year’s COP marks a decade since the Paris Agreement and is taking place amid heightened geopolitical tensions, ongoing wars and economic uncertainty fuelled by US tariffs. The withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement, along with several developed nations re-evaluating their climate commitments over economic and energy security concerns, has created a challenging backdrop for the negotiations.

A fair and ambitious outcome at COP30 will be seen as critical to reaffirming trust in multilateral climate cooperation.

Countries are also due to submit their next set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the 2031–2035 period. These national climate plans outline how each country intends to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts, guiding global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The planet has already warmed by about 1.3 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era (1850–1900), largely due to burning fossil fuels. The UN Emissions Gap Report released last week warned that, under current policies, the world is heading towards 2.8 degrees of warming by 2100.

India is expected to present its updated NDCs and National Adaptation Plan at COP30, detailing how it will strengthen preparedness for climate impacts.

Delivering India’s statement at the COP30 Leaders’ Summit on Friday, Indian Ambassador to Brazil Dinesh Bhatia reaffirmed the country’s commitment to multilateralism and the Paris Agreement.

India said that global climate ambition remains inadequate even a decade after the Paris Agreement and called on developed countries to accelerate emission reductions and deliver on their climate finance pledges.