India vital to ensure success of COP26: UK minister Alok Sharma

With the critical round of the UN-sponsored climate summit to be held in Glasgow just nine months away, the chair of the 2021 climate talks and UK minister Alok Sharma has begun his in-person outreach.

Sharma, who began the Asia leg of the listening tour in New Delhi, told ET that India “is going to be vital in terms of ensuring that we have success on the route to COP26”.

During his visit, the COP26 president met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, key ministers, business representatives and think tanks.


The UK’s stewardship of the global effort to tackle climate change comes at a critical juncture. The previous meet, the 25th round of the talks chaired by Chile, witnessed an erosion of the spirit of cooperation forged in Paris in 2015, resulting in a loss of trust among countries. Adding to the complexity is Covid.

Sharma outlined four key areas where he expects the Glasgow meet would deliver progress – getting countries to focus on near-term emission reduction commitments, adaptation to climate change, finance for developing countries to tackle climate change, and finalising outstanding issues of the Paris rulebook, such as carbon markets.

Sharma said, “There are very many areas in which India is moving towards this green transition, this green future in terms of the economy... There are a whole range of areas that India is moving forward and that needs to be... applauded.”