Latest news with #COP21
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
France expresses strong support for India against terrorism, trade ties deepen: Piyush Goyal
By Shailesh Yadav Paris [France], June 1 (ANI): Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal expressed India's gratitude to France for its unwavering support and solidarity following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, emphasising the shared commitment between both nations in maintaining zero tolerance against terrorism. Goyal is on his three-day official visit to Paris as part of his ongoing visit to France and Italy from 1-5 June 2025. Goyal highlighted the strong understanding between India and France on counter-terrorism efforts. 'The French people and government also stand for zero tolerance against terrorism, just like India,' he stated. 'The French Senate delegation that visited India fully supported India's stand and gave us confidence that the world stands with India when we are fighting against terrorism in all forms, whether state-sponsored or non-state actors,' Goyal said. The April 22 attack, carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, is one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The minister drew parallels between both countries' experiences with terrorism, referencing the devastating 2015 Paris attacks that killed approximately 125 people just days before the COP21 climate summit. 'Acts of terrorism in France have caused a lot of damage,' Goyal noted. 'The people and the government of France can understand India's anger. They could connect with the displeasure the people of India felt,' Goyal said. The visit underscores the deepening ties between India and France, built on the strong personal relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Macron share a very deep personal connect and rapport and have had frequent interactions, giving afresh momentum to the strong French-India ties,' Goyal emphasised. This momentum was recently demonstrated in February 2025 when India and France co-hosted the AI Action Summit, which Goyal described as 'a strong endorsement of our shared objective to further the ethical use of artificial intelligence and promote good regulations.' During his Paris visit, Goyal is scheduled to meet with CEOs of several French companies to encourage investment in India, leveraging the country's market of 1.4 billion people and its skilled workforce. The minister will also hold bilateral meetings with his French counterparts and trade ministers from around the world. A key focus of the discussions will be advancing the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, with France being one of its strongest supporters. Goyal is set to meet EU Trade Commissioner Maurus Sarkovic to take the trade partnership 'to the next level at the earliest.' The meetings aim to advance the Horizon 2047 roadmap finalised between Modi and Macron, which includes a mini-ministerial gathering of trade ministers from major economies to discuss strengthening multilateral trading systems and WTO reforms. The minister highlighted the role of approximately 120,000 Indians living in France as 'a living bridge between India and France.' He also mentioned the upcoming Swaminarayan temple near Paris as a symbol of Indian culture and heritage in Europe. In a significant cultural collaboration, the Louvre has entered into an MoU with India to help establish the Yug Yugeen Bharat Museum, described as the world's largest museum, which will showcase India's rich cultural heritage at the North and South Block complex in New Delhi. Goyal's visit represents a significant step in strengthening the multifaceted partnership between India and France, built on shared values of democracy, counter-terrorism cooperation, and mutual economic growth. (ANI)
Observer
2 days ago
- Politics
- Observer
We are the ocean: Protect it through concrete action
From June 9 to 13, France will host the Third United Nations Conference on the Ocean (UNOC3). This meeting will be a decisive moment: it will bring together, in Nice, a hundred heads of state and government, and several tens of thousands of participants, researchers, scientists, economic actors, community activists and citizens from all over the world. On this occasion, France will have a clear objective: to protect the ocean through concrete actions. The ocean is our common good. It feeds and protects peoples. It makes us dream and travel. It offers us sustainable energy, means of trade, endless resources and scientific knowledge. One in three people depend on the ocean for their lives, yet the ocean is in danger. It is a space that is still largely unknown, which does not have global governance, nor the funding necessary for its preservation. The figures are worrying: more than 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year, according to a study in the journal Science. Added to this is the overexploitation, which affects more than a third of fish stocks, but also the acidification of waters, the rise of sea level and the destruction of marine ecosystems. And these phenomena are accelerating, direct consequences of climate change. It is time to act. More than ever, we need to ensure that multilateral action rises to the challenge of protecting the ocean. Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement, which established a binding global framework to limit global warming, UNOC3 represents a historic opportunity. The 'Nice Agreements' would constitute a real international pact for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. This pact would thus be directly in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015. To achieve this, the discussions in Nice will have to be concrete and action-oriented. It will be a question of working for better governance, more funding and a better knowledge of the sea. A seagull holds a plastic bag in its beak as it searches for food in Vannes, Brittany, France. More than 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year, according to a study in the journal Science. In terms of governance, the Treaty on the Protection of Biodiversity in the High Seas (BBNJ) is an essential lever. The high seas — more than 60 per cent of the oceans — are today the only space not governed by international law. The absence of surveillance and common rules leads to a real socio-environmental disaster: massive pollution of hydrocarbons and plastics, illegal and unregulated fishing methods, catches of protected mammals. To put an end to this legal vacuum, we need to get 60 countries to ratify and thus allow the BBNJ Treaty to enter into force. Protecting the ocean also means mobilising public and private funding and supporting a sustainable blue economy. To continue to benefit from the ocean's tremendous economic opportunities, we must ensure that marine resources can regenerate. In Nice, several commitments will be announced in the areas of international trade, maritime transport, tourism and investment. Finally, how do we protect what we don't know — or not enough known? We need to increase our knowledge of the ocean and better disseminate it. Today, we are able to map the surface of the Moon or Mars, but the bottom of the oceans remains unknown. They cover 70 per cent of the Earth! Together, let's mobilise science, innovation and education to better understand the ocean and raise awareness among the general public. In the face of accelerating climate change and the overexploitation of marine resources, the ocean is not one of many issues. That is everyone's business. The questioning of multilateralism must not make us forget our common responsibility. The ocean is a universal link, it is at the heart of our future. Together, we can make UNOC3 a major turning point for our peoples, for future generations and for our planet. We are proud to be able to count on the Sultanate of Oman commitment to the protection of the environment and especially the oceans. Together, we will continue this important mobilisation in Nice.
Mint
5 days ago
- Business
- Mint
India is working with multilateral bodies on climate funding, says Nirmala Sitharaman
New Delhi: India is continuously working with multilateral institutions to make sure they have enough leverage with their funds to finance the common cause of climate action, even as countries like itself, having committed to a greener future, are having to find their own resources in the absence of global funding, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Speaking at an event with students of Delhi University, Sitharaman also highlighted that indigenous defence manufacturing was an opportunity for India in the light of Operation Sindoor, the codename for India's strike against terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied areas on 7 May. Sitharaman said the adverse impact of climate change on economic growth had aggravated the issue and raised more complex issues over the last two years. She said previously, all nations could meet the climate-related targets they had set for themselves using domestic funding, as well as funding from global and multilateral institutions. But the worsening climate crisis has left each nation on its own, said Sitharaman. The finance minister said each country has to rely on its own domestic funding to shift to cleaner energy sources and manufacture greener products to export. In this effort, she said the government has continued to work with multilateral institutions to raise more funds to help developing nations. "Today, with many countries having understood the cost of moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy, they are asking themselves this question—whether it is possible for them," said Sitharaman. She added that during the transition period from fossil fuels to renewable energy, many states looked for greener alternatives such as natural gas. Also, issues such as how green exports are have become a trade issue, said Sitharaman, referring to policies such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) put in place by the European Union. "So the pressure on countries like India, which successfully completed complying with the COP21 regulations, was mounting. And you already are proving that you are shifting towards renewable energy. But now it is very clear, that it is just you and your funds. No funds are available yet globally. So it is a question of how speedily you can move towards greening yourself and looking at cutting down carbon emissions," said Sitharaman. "We are negotiating to make sure that global multilateral institutions will have leverage with their funds so that they can use them for a common cause, a public good," she added. Sitharaman also said India's indigenous defence production had shown significant progress, compared to the past when all the country's weapons were imported. "From that stage to where we are today, most of what is being used by defence personnel today is made in India," she said. While India continues to import weapons, it still makes its own products, which integrate seamlessly among the three arms of the military—the army, the navy, and the air force—and work well with imported technology. India's systems in defence today are able to integrate equipment coming in from elsewhere, the minister said. 'They can talk to our operational systems, and our operational systems are capable of functioning on their own, and between the three forces—the army, navy, and air force—there is that interoperability," said the finance minister. The minister also said that while some states are actively engaging in capital expenditure with their own funds, others are relying primarily on the Union government funds. Since the covid pandemic, there has been a realisation of the multiplier effect of capital expenditure on growth, suggesting that capital expenditure can significantly accelerate economic growth, the minister added.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why net zero is a battle for political middle ground
The Liberal and Nationals parties have launched a review of their commitments to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, which shapes as a defining moment for the Coalition and the nation's long-running climate wars. Both Coalition partners announced, after Labor's thumping federal election win earlier this month, they would throw open debate in their party rooms before finalising their policy offerings. Net zero is among the most pressing issues, given Coalition leader Sussan Ley has committed to end the nation's climate wars and take the Liberal party back to the 'sensible centre' of the political spectrum in a bid to win back the more than 30 seats it would need to form government again. Most of Australia's biggest polluters, including the mining, energy and agriculture sectors, are committed to reaching net zero by 2050, in line with Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Loading But four prominent Coalition MPs have called the commitment into question. Nationals Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan and Colin Boyce are campaigning for the Coalition to ditch net zero and to instead pursue greater use of fossil fuels in a bid to lower the cost of energy. Liberal Andrew Hastie has called for a debate on net zero. Why is net zero important? The goal is a centrepiece of the Paris Agreement, agreed to by 195 countries. It aims to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees over pre-industrial levels and limit the worst impacts of climate change. It was enshrined as a legally binding treaty at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris in 2015. It has been official Australian government policy ever since, through Coalition and Labor governments.
The Age
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Why net zero is a battle for political middle ground
The Liberal and Nationals parties have launched a review of their commitments to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, which shapes as a defining moment for the Coalition and the nation's long-running climate wars. Both Coalition partners announced, after Labor's thumping federal election win earlier this month, they would throw open debate in their party rooms before finalising their policy offerings. Net zero is among the most pressing issues, given Coalition leader Sussan Ley has committed to end the nation's climate wars and take the Liberal party back to the 'sensible centre' of the political spectrum in a bid to win back the more than 30 seats it would need to form government again. Most of Australia's biggest polluters, including the mining, energy and agriculture sectors, are committed to reaching net zero by 2050, in line with Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Loading But four prominent Coalition MPs have called the commitment into question. Nationals Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan and Colin Boyce are campaigning for the Coalition to ditch net zero and to instead pursue greater use of fossil fuels in a bid to lower the cost of energy. Liberal Andrew Hastie has called for a debate on net zero. Why is net zero important? The goal is a centrepiece of the Paris Agreement, agreed to by 195 countries. It aims to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees over pre-industrial levels and limit the worst impacts of climate change. It was enshrined as a legally binding treaty at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris in 2015. It has been official Australian government policy ever since, through Coalition and Labor governments.
