At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, India has emerged as a leading voice for climate justice, championing equitable and accountable climate finance. Representing the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs)—a bloc that speaks for over half the world’s population—India has forcefully articulated the urgent need for predictable, transparent, and legally binding financial support from developed nations. India’s climate finance journey has been built on a decade of persistent advocacy. While the Paris Agreement enshrined the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities,” at COP30, India contends that developed countries have consistently failed to meet their obligations. The much-publicized $100 billion annual pledge remains unmet, and the new target of $300 billion by 2035, agreed upon at COP29 in Baku, has seen by India as “suboptimal” and lacking enforceability. At the third high-level ministerial dialogue on climate finance, India underscored that without scaled-up, concessional, and grant-based finance, developing nations cannot meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These NDCs are central to global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C, and India warned that the failure of developed nations to deliver finance risks derailing the entire climate ambition. India has also emphasized that climate finance must be “new and additional,” not repackaged development aid or loans that increase debt burdens. It has called out “greenwashing” and the lack of clarity in current financial flows, demanding that Article 9.1 and 9.3 of the Paris Agreement—on legal obligations and leadership in mobilization—be upheld. Despite these challenges, India has made significant progress: expanding renewable energy capacity, enhancing climate resilience, and investing in green infrastructure. Yet it maintains that domestic efforts cannot substitute for the developed world's global responsibility. India meeting one of its Paris commitments, well ahead of schedule, is testimony to that. More green power being added in 2025, than coal shows, the countries continued effort in this direction. As new climate finance challenges occur, India’s stance is clear: climate finance is not charity—it is a matter of climate justice. The road from Baku to Belém and beyond must not be paved with diluted commitments but with concrete, enforceable actions that reflect the urgency of the climate crisis and the rights of the Global South. India’s climate finance journey is not just about numbers—it is about fairness, trust, and the future of multilateralism. For me, climate finance is not about technical terms or big negotiations — it’s about real people and the communities that are affected first. Through my involvement with the Climate Reality community, I’ve seen how climate impacts can disrupt lives, especially for those who already have limited resources. When support and funding reach the right places, it truly strengthens local resilience. That’s why I feel India’s call for climate finance that is clear, fair, and reliable is not just a policy topic, but an essential step for protecting vulnerable people, given India and the neighbourhood is at the receiving end of climate catastrophes. We are a large country with diverse development needs, and it continues to contribute to climate action in its own capacity. However, without the financial support initially committed to developing countries, meeting these responsibilities becomes more challenging. India’s position at COP30 and now at the ongoing World Economic Forum, Davos highlights that climate action and climate fairness are interconnected. When developed nations fulfil their commitments, it strengthens trust and supports more balanced global progress.

A global wave of responsible, experience-driven travel is lifting ecotourism from the fringes to the forefront of the tourism industry. According to the UNWTO, ecotourism accounted for nearly 25% of global tourism revenue in 2024. Allied Market Research projects the global ecotourism market, valued at $210.4 billion in 2023, will grow to $829.8 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 11.7%. Nearly 45% of these destinations are located in rural areas—underscoring the transformative potential of ecotourism to foster both environmental sustainability and inclusive development. Lessons from the Global South Several countries in the Global South have already demonstrated how ecotourism can serve as a national development strategy rooted in both conservation and livelihoods. Costa Rica has embedded Payments for Environmental Services into national policy. With over 25% of its land protected, the country has turned ecological preservation into a pillar of economic growth, tourism contributes 5.8% of its GDP. Namibia passed legislation in 1996 granting tribal communities the rights to manage and benefit from local wildlife tourism. Today, 86 conservancies cover nearly 20% of the land and generate over $10 million annually. The Philippines embraced ecotourism as a jobs strategy. Through its Green Jobs Act (2016), it trained locals as reef protectors and eco-guides, proving that conservation can be a viable livelihood. India: From Hidden Potential to Global Leader India’s greatest advantage lies in its villages, more than 6.5 lakh of them, home to 65% of the country’s population. These rural landscapes are not just geographical entities; they are cultural and ecological treasure troves. They hold traditional wisdom, diverse biodiversity, and the human potential to steward both. Recent government efforts such as the National Strategy for Promotion of Rural Homestays (2022), Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD schemes, and the inclusion of a Rural Tourism section on the Incredible India portal show encouraging momentum. Over 300 eco-villages and circuits have been developed. However, the benefits remain uneven, concentrated in a few states and urban centers. State-Level Sparks of Success States like Kerala, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya offer homegrown models of success. Kerala’s Responsible Tourism Mission has trained more than 20,000 families, revitalizing local economies and curbing outmigration. Mountain Shepherds in Uttarakhand and Sundarbans Jungle Camp in West Bengal showcase models that centre ecology, community ownership, and cultural storytelling. The ABC Formula: India’s Ecotourism Action Plan To truly lead globally, India must adopt a livelihood-first approach that sees ecology and economy as partners. This begins with the ABC Formula, Action, Backing, and Convergence: 1. Catalyst Capital Dedicate a share of tourism budgets to a Community Ecotourism Fund that empowers rural entrepreneurs. Even a modest, sustained national allocation, like Costa Rica’s approach (0.3% GDP in their case), can unleash a powerful multiplier effect across rural India. 2. National Ecotourism Skilling Portal Launch vernacular-language training in eco-guiding, cultural hospitality, and digital marketing, designed for diverse geographies. 3. Convergence with Flagship Schemes Integrate ecotourism with MGNREGA, PMGSY, NRLM, and Digital India to improve infrastructure, access, and entrepreneurial support. 4. Ecotourism Cooperatives Strengthening community-owned collectives to manage pricing, storytelling, and visitor experience ensuring transparency and equitable income. 5. Real-Time Ecotourism Dashboard Deploy a dynamic MIS system to track revenue, jobs, and ecological impact enabling better governance and CSR alignment. 6. Ecotourism Mission Cell Establish a dedicated body within the Ministry of Tourism to coordinate multi- stakeholder action and ensure long-term impact. India’s time is now. Ecotourism is not only about showcasing pristine landscapes, it’s about building local leadership, strengthening self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) and shaping a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future. As we move toward Viksit Bharat 2047, ecotourism could become one of India’s most transformative development tools.

I am from Honduras, which is considered as one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, even though it contributes almost nothing to global emissions. Here climate change is a reality that shapes our daily lives in our food supply, our economy and our safety. Over the past few years, we have been through hurricanes that left us incredible damages such as floods and climate driven displacement. For us adaptation is not optional, it is a matter of survival. Honduras’ Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen resilience in agriculture, water management, forest protection, and disaster response. This is why COP30 is deeply important for Honduras. Through my participation in this program Youth for COP under  the Climate Reality Project, I have learnt a lot about important topics such as climate finance and justice or just transitions and green jobs but I think the impactful thing for me is that we are all witnesses that climate impacts are accelerating faster than our actions to get through the problem. Honduras has plenty of ideas and commitment. Our NDCs are based on clear and practical plans to protect mangroves, sustainable forest management, which is required is stable, reachable, and grant-based finance to go from ideas to make them real. Adaptation projects often are delayed, because international funding is complicated, deficient, or slow. While local communities do their best with, they have in their hands, international cooperation systems remain too slow to respond to our urgent crises. This is something that COP 30 must convert from promises to actions. In November 2020, Honduras was hit by hurricanes Eta and Iota within a span of two weeks, the already devastated people of Honduras were again swept away by mudslides and overflowing rivers. Over 2 million people in Honduras were affected which analysts presume cost 10 billion dollars in damages. Some 1,000 homes were destroyed, more than 6,000 were damaged and more than 88,000 were affected.  Ninety per cent of the damage was recorded in the agricultural sector and 10 per cent in the livestock sector. ((IFRC)., 2022)  International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2022, December 5). Central America: Hurricanes Eta & Iota – Final report (MDR43007). ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/guatemala/central-america-hurricanes-eta-iota-final-report-mdr43007 This wasn’t a simple damage, this was what years of accumulation of underinvestment resilience caused, and this could be prevented if the funds weren’t so complicated to access so more resources had been available. We know that Loss and Damage Fund, is financial mechanism was designed to provide crucial support to vulnerable nations facing the brunt of climate-related challenges and climate justice is focused on addressing the unequal impacts of climate change by prioritizing the health and safety of those who face the greatest risk, we can not continue waiting time and this fund must be functional and easy to access. And finally three urgent actions  what leaders must prioritize are: Provide strong grand based funding for climate adaptation in Honduras and the Global South. Make Loss and Damage Fund works effectively Support and ensure of NDCs specially in countries most at risk.

Growing up in Odisha, climate change has never felt like a distant headline. It is the cyclone warning on the radio and TV, the flooded streets after heavy rains, and the stories my elders talk about how the land and forests used to be more predictable. Every year, our state support for storms like Fani (2019) or Yaas (2021), and each time I see how vulnerable communities, especially Indigenous groups carry the heaviest burden. As the world heads into COP30 in Brazil, I believe one of the most urgent priorities is to recognize and integrate Indigenous knowledge into climate governance. For India, and for Odisha in particular, this is not just about preserving traditions, it is about survival, resilience, and justice. In Koraput, tribal women from the Gadaba and Bonda communities have long practiced mixed cropping and forest stewardship. They know which plants survive erratic rainfall, which trees protect soil, and how to share resources fairly. Recently, some of these women created “dream maps” to tract disappearing water sources and plan restoration. These maps are not just drawings, they are living testimonies of how Indigenous knowledge adapts to modern challenges. India’s NDCs, emphasize on ecosystem based adaptation and afforestation, which denotes a direct connection. What our communities are already doing aligns with national priorities. The challenge is that their voices rarely reach the negotiation tables at COP. Closer to the coast, in Kendrapada district in Odisha, villagers have formed “climate panchayats” to restore mangroves in Bhitarkanika. These mangroves are natural shields against cyclones like Yaas, while concrete embankments cracked, the mangrove belts stood firm. This is how the Indigenous governance take action that is collective decision making and mass participation rooted in ecological wisdom. Yet, when global leaders talk about adaptation, they often focus on technology or finance. Why not also learn from communities who have been adapting for centuries? COP29 Baku Workplan recognized Indigenous leadership, but implementation remains weak. Indigenous communities in Odisha contribute almost nothing to global emissions, yet they face displacement from floods, deforestation, and mining. This is the injustice at the heart of climate change. Recognizing their knowledge is not charity, it is justice. It is about valuing those who protect ecosystems that benefits all of us. As a citizen of the country, I believe COP30 must put Indigenous knowledge at the centre of adaptation strategies, ensure climate finance reaches communities directly, not just through bureaucratic channels, bridge India’s NDC communities with local practices like mangrove restoration and tribal farming, creating real spaces for youth is not an abstract policy, it represents the difference between the loss of homes to future cyclones and the possibility of dignified survival. Indigenous knowledge gives reliable ways to stay resilient based on justice. At COP30, the world must listen because when Indigenous wisdom and global governance walk together, climate action becomes not only stronger but fairer.

The first time I truly felt climate change was during a Pune heatwave so intense, the ground looked like it was breathing. But the second time I noticed it at a textile factory when I saw the purple and grey water drained from water-dyeing into open channels. India ranks second in worldwide textile exports, and our environmental narrative is woven into every piece of clothing we make. The reason I care about COP30 is that it represents a turning point in the understanding of our consumption habits, particularly in the fashion sector, which, in turn, is accelerating the climate crisis while the less privileged Global South bears the burden. Nationally determined contributions by India highlight a 45% reduction in emissions intensity and the attainment of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030. But somehow, we are missing something in how we address one of our largest industrial sectors: textiles. Fashion is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions and is the second-largest water consumer in the world. In India, where more than 45 million people work in the textile industry, the climate-livelihood equation becomes inseparable. Through Youth for COP with The Climate Reality Project, I have witnessed the ways in which fast fashion's environmental cost plays itself out in Indian communities. Rivers run with chemical-laced water near textile hubs like Tirupur and Surat. Cotton farmers from Gujarat face severe water scarcity due to the intensive cultivation of cotton. Garment workers working in Delhi's poorly ventilated factories in 46°C heat make clothes destined for global markets that would be discarded within months. This is not an abstract environmental degradation-it is a justice issue. India produces clothes that the world consumes, but our communities are absorbing the pollution, water stress, and health impacts. It's not a trend, but an adaptation imperative. And that's where COP30 needs to act: through the establishment of enabling frameworks by governments that make sustainable living accessible, not aspirational. India's textile heritage is not just limited to khadi, handloom, natural dyes, and zero-waste draping techniques associated with sarees, but it is a collection of eco-friendly, low-carbon practices that can create dignified jobs for people. These conditions have prevailed in the case of traditional weavers who cannot make their products because the prices of fast fashion are very low due to a mix of factors including government support and environmental ignorance. COP30 is therefore, in a way, the turning point where it is essential to back up the fashion industry with policy mechanisms such as Extended Producer Responsibility, carbon cost reflecting the actual environmental impact, pro-sustainable textiles green procurement policies; waterless dyeing and renewable-powered manufacturing technology transfer among others. A circular economy approach for India is outlined in the waste management targets of our NDCs. But for implementation, it takes finance. The Global South countries need support in transition of industries without sacrificing livelihoods-not vague promises, but the $100 billion in adaptation finance that remains largely undelivered. Young people have already begun building that future. I've spoken with designers upcycling textile waste, entrepreneurs inventing rental platforms for traditional wear, and activists demanding supply chain transparency from big brands. I also started a blog to increase awareness about these matters “The Neuve”. But individual action can never replace structural change. When a garment worker barely earns enough to survive, "sustainable fashion" is a privilege. When renewable energy costs burden small manufacturers while fossil fuels stay subsidized, green transitions stall. This is where government leadership becomes critical. India needs to integrate textile sustainability into our NDC targets explicitly. We need national frameworks that provide support to circular fashion, worker protections during green transitions, and investments in traditional textile clusters. We have to demand internationally that fashion brands-mostly headquartered in high-income nations-take accountability for supply chain emissions and finance clean production in manufacturing countries. COP30 has a simple test: will it accord adaptation and implementation the same weight as pledges? Will climate justice be seen to include the right to sustainable livelihoods? Will it finance the transition towards systems in which the communities, like our own, will no longer need to choose between economic survival and environmental protection? Climate change is already reshaping India's textile belt. The question is whether COP30 will enable us to reshape it sustainably or leave us cleaning up the world's closet while paying the climate cost. It means if COP30 matters, it must treat sustainable living not as an individual virtue but as a collective infrastructure-woven into policy, funded adequately, and The Fabric of Change: Why COP30 Must Address with centrality given to the people who have contributed least to the crisis but suffer most from its unraveling.

A Call to Global Leaders from the Drought-Stricken Fields of Maharashtra I had never known what a "water crisis" actually looked like until I attended my first session of Youth for COP-in a room full of climate activists from South Asia, I listened to stories from the front line of climate change-and I felt sure that the headlines I had been reading in newspapers about farmer suicides in Maharashtra weren't just statistics but calls for urgent, global action. Now, being a young Indian at Youth for COP for the first time, I want the world to know this: climate change is not some far-oƯ threat; it is here, killing our farmers, and COP30 needs to adapt as a priority. The Unbearable Cost of Drought Maharashtra is a giant of the Indian agricultural sector, but it's quickly changing into a state of despair. 269 suicides of farmers were recorded in Marathwada from January to March 2025 only. Marathwada is a region that has traditionally been seen as one of the most drought-prone areas of India. By April 2025, the number of farmer suicides in the state within just four months had increased to 869. These are not just numbers. Behind every number, there is a family broken, a farm deserted, and a future wiped out. The crisis has roots in a merciless combination of factors. As a matter of fact, Vidarbha and Marathwada-which produce cotton, soybeans, and pulses for both India and the world-have an irrigation coverage of only 10-12%, in contrast to 60% in western Maharashtra. This means that farmers are totally dependent on the monsoon. However, monsoon is not reliable anymore. Climate change has turned India's once very predictable rainfall pattern into aggressive rains following long droughts. Over the past two decades, its groundwater has been overexploited to the point where in some areas, borewells have to be dug as deep as 1,000 feet, which is greatly increasing farmers' costs and is pushing them into debt even further. The drought has worsened in a way that up to 11,800 villages are dependent on water tankers for basic drinking water. Those are villages that once thrived on agriculture and now wait for government tankers-a humiliating reminder of how fast climate chaos can unravel a way of life. This vicious circle of debt and desperation. This crisis is all the more tragic as it is entirely preventable through climate adaptation. Dipping into a vicious cycle, farmers see input costs rise for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and diesel, while crop prices have fallen below the Minimum Support Price. A farmer earning barely ₹27 per day from agriculture finds it no longer economic to buy even a meal, apart from repaying loans or investing in water management. One example of such a loss is the death of Kailash Arjun Nagare. In March 2025, the 43- year-old farmer from Buldhana who had received the Young Farmer Award from the Maharashtra government recurred to self-harm. For five days, he had gone on a hunger strike out of necessity for irrigation water for 14 villages from the Khadakpurna reservoir. His suicide note informed that the pollution crisis and the indiƯerence of the authorities were the reasons for his death. The situation here is not that of an isolated incident, rather it is a daily pattern of repetition in Vidarbha and Marathwada. Farmer rights groups have come to a conclusion that every day 7-8 farmers in Maharashtra take their own lives as a result of agrarian distress. But what makes this tragedy even more unbearable is the response of the government. Out of the 767 suicides that were reported from January to March 2025, only 373 were "eligible" for compensation. Just 327 families received the state's ex gratia of ₹1 lakh. Two hundred cases were outright rejected. This is bureaucratic cruelty heaped on tragedy-as if grief and loss needed to be means-tested. Why Adaptation Has to Be Indian NDC and COP30's Biggest Priority Adaptation is at the center of our climate action, as per India's nationally determined contribution. The country has pledged to support these changes through a growing number of investments in agriculture, water management, disaster preparedness, and other sectors. On the other hand, farmers are still dying due to this discrepancy between the promise and the reality of urgent, large-scale action. Hence, COP30 in Brazil is a good time for India to indicate what it needs for the climate finance delivery to adaptation to be acceptable, from the Global North. Reduction of carbon emissions-mitigation alone-will not help the Maharashtra farmers. What they need most at the moment are adaptation activities such as climate-smart agricultural technologies, drip irrigation systems, water harvesting structures, climate-related crop insurance, and debt relief programs. There has never been a drought year without the increased farmer income through climate-smart agriculture interventions by as much as 80-90% in some cases, among others. This especially goes for farm ponds, check dams, and watershed management. However, small farmers who need the initial capital are still far from these because of the debt-ridden families who cannot afford it. What COP30 Should Provide. First of all, as a member of Youth for COP, I personally align myself with the opinion of my people and express our collective calling upon the world leaders at COP30 to take real steps in that direction. We require: Climate Finance for Adaptatio: It is necessary that the developed countries raise their funding for the adaptation specifically to the need areas of the agriculturally vulnerable sector. India is not the one to handle the crisis alone. Loss and Damage Mechanisms: The losses and damages fund should already be in operation to provide that kind of support to the communities in need such as the farmers one like Kailash Nagare who lost everything. Technology Transfer. Climate-resilient agricultural technologies have to be manufactured in a way that is cheap and easy to obtain by small and marginal farmers in drought-prone areas. Water Security as a Right. At COP30, it ought to be accepted that, as a result of climate change, water resources are limited. This issue cannot be solely dealt with in terms of economics and politics but must also be approached from the perspective of human rights and survival. Supporting Rural Livelihoods: Besides invesing in alternative livelihoods for farmers who will no longer farm, and jobs for young people, both have to be the elements of the solution if we want to prevent the rural-to-urban migration further. A Personal Plea to World Leaders I was brought up with learning about climate change through textbooks, and I used to think it was an issue of the distant future. Well, Youth for COP has totally changed this view. The future is already here. One can see it in every dried-up borehole, deserted field, and mourning family in Maharashtra. It is also hidden in the stories of farmers who decided to die rather than undergo the slow agony of witnessing their way of life vanish. Climate change in India is not just an environmental issue, rather it is a justice issue. It is about who ends up paying the cost for the centuries of carbon emissions that were caused by the Global North. It is about the poorest and most vulnerable who become the ones to shoulder the burden of a crisis that they had no hand in creating. In such a moment, COP30 has the potential to be the one when the world finally hears Global South voices, understands that adaptation is not a favor but a duty, and grasps the fact that when a farmer in Maharashtra commits suicide due to lack of water, it is a failure of global climate action. The Climate Reality Project, and Youth for COP helped me find my voice. With that voice, I represent Vidarbha and Marathwada farmers who deserve to have a future. I am the voice of the people from the locality of India and the Global South who are going through unprecedented extreme manifestations of climate change. I urge COP30 to prioritize adaptation, provide climate finance, and hold the Global North accountable. It has stopped raining regularly in Maharashtra, but we cannot make hope to be a luxury. If the world acts now, and in the truest sense of the word, then we can still construct climate resilience before more lives are taken. COP30 should be the concerted moment when the world decided to act. Our farmers are worth nothing less than our combined commitment to justice and survival.

Growing up in Tanzania, I did not learn about climate change from textbooks I learned it from the stories, struggles, and daily experiences of my community. I learned it from farmers who watched the rain patterns shift without warning, from families displaced by floods in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Mkuranga, drought in Central Tanzania, rise in temperature, and the loss of biodiversity from the plastic-filled beaches I cleaned with fellow volunteers. These experiences shaped my commitment to climate action long before I ever heard of COP conferences. Today, as a young environmental advocate involved with The Climate Reality Project’s Youth for COP program, COP30 is not just another global meeting. For me, it is a chance for the world to listen and truly hear what young people from the Global South are saying about adaptation, justice, and survival. Tanzania’s climate vulnerability is not a theory; it is our daily reality. During my work with MBRC The Ocean, I spent hours on the coastline collecting plastic waste and talking to local fishers. I saw how rising sea levels, stronger waves, planting mangroves and eroding beaches were damaging homes and threatening livelihoods. These were the same coastal areas Tanzania’s NDC highlights as high-risk zones needing urgent adaptation measures. Seeing those impacts with my own eyes made me understand why ocean and coastal protection must be a top priority at COP30. As volunteers in WWF Tanzania as Youth Conservation Champion (YCC) introduced me to rural communities where deforestation and biodiversity loss were changing the landscape. I remember speaking with young farmers and students who told me how droughts had become longer and more unpredictable. Their stories gave me a deep sense of responsibility if youths do not step up today, these communities may not recover tomorrow. Nature-based solutions, forest restoration, and community engagement are not just policies to me; they represent people whose hope depends on climate action. This enabled me to reach region like Dar es salaam, Coast (Kisarawe), Morogoro, Dodoma and Tabora. As a Youth Mappers I learned different kind of lesson. Mapping flood-prone areas and water points using GIS showed me the power of data. When you see homes marked in red zones on a map, you understand that climate change is not just affecting families, elders, children and neighbors. These maps support Tanzania’s NDC commitments on early warning systems and disaster preparedness, but they also reminded me that behind every data point is a human life. During my field training at NEMC’s Temeke Zone, I saw the institutional side of climate action environmental monitoring, compliance, pollution control, and environmental impact assessments. It became clear to me that we can have strong laws, but without proper implementation and resources. Working with the Green Science Organization brought me back to the community level conducting awareness sessions, supporting school programs, and mobilizing youth volunteers. What I saw consistently was this: young people are willing and ready to act, but they need support, platforms, and opportunities. This is why perspectives are valuable. From these I have learned that adaptation is not about buildings or budgets it is about protecting people. It is about ensuring that the farmer in Dodoma can harvest without fear of drought. It is about giving coastal families in Bagamoyo hope that their homes will not disappear to erosion. It is about ensuring that Dar es Salaam does not flood every rainy season due to poor drainage and climate extremes. As COP30 is going on I believe leaders must prioritize three things: - Livelihoods. Turn promises into real implementation, especially in agriculture, water, energy, and coastal protection. Recognize youth as partners, not observers, in climate solutions. I carry the stories of my community with me into this work. I carry the faces of the people I met on beaches, farms, forests, and urban neighborhoods. Climate change is personal for me and COP30 must reflect the urgency felt by millions across the Global South. The future of Tanzania and of young leaders like me depends on the decisions made today. And through The Climate Reality Project’s Youth for COP, I am proud to add my voice to the call for justice, resilience, and action.

“We cannot air-condition our way out of the heat crisis, …” This was the statement made by Inger Anderson, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, at COP30 in Belem. While heat waves are rising due to the climate crisis, the solution cannot be to simply increase the use of air-conditioning, because that would further increase greenhouse gas emissions, thus warming up the Earth even more, and be unaffordable for a lot of people as well, especially in low-income countries. Cooling demand could more than triple by 2050 in the business-as-usual model, according to Global Cooling Watch 2025, a report launched in November 2025 in COP30. The highest increase in heat is projected to be in Africa and South Asia. The good news is that it is possible to fulfil our cooling needs while reducing our emissions from cooling substantially. This possibility is outlined in the ‘Sustainable Cooling Pathway’, which could reduce emissions of 64 to 97% if the advised measures are implemented. The report is published by UNEP Cool Coalition and is part of Beat The Heat Initiative. The need to shift to sustainable cooling is urgent and unavoidable. What this entails includes a mix of the following : Passive cooling – This refers to techniques in building design and urban planning that enable comfortable temperature without mechanical systems and using natural processes. Hybrid cooling – This refers to using a mix of different methods. Combining fans and ACs create suitable temperature with low energy consumption. Nature based solutions – These use nature-based processes or those inspired by nature to achieve the objectives. For example, increasing plants or creating water bodies to reduce temperature. Ambient cooling – This uses the surrounding naturally cool air or water to reduce the indoor temperature. This is often useful at night and better than relying on electricity consuming cooling systems. Energy efficiency – Shift to energy efficient equipment will be helpful to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as expenses. Rapid phase down of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and adoption of low GWP natural refrigerants in both air-conditioners and refrigerators – the refrigerant gases used in them contribute to warming the atmosphere depending on their type. Around 65% of the emissions cuts as per the pathway are dependent on passive and low-energy solutions, which are also more affordable. They could reduce indoor temperatures by up to 8°C and reduce household energy use by at least 30 percent. One part of this transition is based on a shift to more eco-friendly refrigerants. Refrigerants release a variety of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) which are air pollutants which have global warming potentials many times that of carbon dioxide, but a much shorter life-span in the atmosphere. Strategies to reduce their emissions, such as phase-out of HFCs, is not only one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce warming but will also reduce air pollution. Along with replacing the refrigerants, this requires implementing Lifecycle Refrigerant Management (LRM) which entails avoiding and reducing refrigerant leaks and improving refrigerant recovery to mitigate unnecessary refrigerant use and emissions. It also requires regulations to prevent the dumping of inefficient cooling appliances with high-GWP refrigerants, and import and export bans of such appliances. At COP30, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition launched the Super Pollutant Country Action Accelerator, a 3-year programme to help governments in Official Development Assistance (ODA) -eligible countries to drive deep and sustained reductions in their emissions. The Accelerator enables support to governments through tailored technical assistance projects. It aims to engage up to 30 countries by 2030 and to mobilise upto USD 15 lakh in grant funding. Apart from this improvement in refrigerant technology, using alternatives like promoting evaporative coolers and fans and transitioning energy production to renewable sources are vital and part of the sustainable cooling pathway provided by the report. The pathway is given to us, science has provided, now what needs to be done is actions as per it to achieve the desired outcomes for welfare, sustainability, health and economy. Although 72 countries pledged to reduce their cooling emissions by following Global Cooling Watch’s Sustainable Cooling Pathway, and 134 countries have incorporated cooling into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Long-term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS), or other similar national plans, only 54 countries have comprehensive policies across all the three priority areas for cooling - passive cooling in building energy codes, minimum energy performance standards, and rapid phase-down of high GWP refrigerants. Cooling is needed not only for humans directly but also for food and medicines, and for animals and plants. The Sustainable Cooling Pathway that is needed combines both adaptation and mitigation of the greenhouse gases. They are inseparable and needed to protect lives, livelihoods and health. We cannot adapt to a hotter planet. Mitigating heat means reducing it from its sources. We cannot afford to rely on the ideology of productionism – increase in production (in this case, of heat and air pollutants) and still hope to be safe using adaptation. Unfortunately, the ground reality in much of India, and a lot of other countries too, is not in alignment with this pathway, the science. Increase in concretisation, indiscriminate removal of thousands of trees, ecocides, accompanied with increase in AC use, construction of unsustainable glass buildings, air-conditionization of public transport, are opposite to what we need. Let us take the scientific advice of Global Cooling Watch 2025 as our guideline to demand the necessary changes in our cities and countries.

As climate change advances, we are going to experience more frequent and severe natural phenomenon that are mainly driven by human activity and in these times it becomes highly important that, according to the principle established by the UNFCC of “common but differentiated responsibilities”, the wealthier and heavy emitters countries must start showing real commitment and pay for the damages that are already affecting many vulnerable communities and people around the world, as well as contributing enough finance to create more resilience and adaptation. In my country, Mexico, we recently faced one of the greatest floods in the last decades that affected some central states, like Veracruz, Puebla and Hidalgo, resulting in hundreds of families that lost their homes and livelihoods, including some missed and dead people, most of them from low to medium income backgrounds, reflecting the harsh reality of climate change and revealing the truth about most of the global south countries: the governments still don’t have enough capability and resources to face these situations, being one of the greatest challenges nowadays to create more adaptation and resilience. Collection center for victims of the 2025 floods in Mexico at Plaza de la Constitución, Mexico City. | Source: Creative Commons. However, in Mexico, this catastrophe was prognosticated by the authorities of one of the last administrations just two years ago in 2023, in a report called “Atlas de Riesgos” (“Risk Atlas”), in the case of Veracruz, in which there existed a map showing the risk areas and it was stated that more than 126,000 citizens were exposed to a high risk of flooding and 22,000 with a very high risk. In another document called “Plan Municipal de Desarrollo Urbano 2019” (“Municipal Urban Development Plan 2019”) it was highlighted the importance of building a 4.3-kilometer retaining wall on the right bank of the Cazones river, with a budget of 129 million pesos, to mitigate the flooding and save the population from the devastating consequences. Despite the warnings, the government decided to prioritize and invest in other matters, but unfortunately now it is clear that they can no longer postpone it anymore. Cazones River in Poza Rica, Veracruz. | Source: Creative Commons. Recently at COP30, Mexico submitted its updated NDC 3.0, bringing more focus to these pressing areas. For the first time, Mexico included an explicit component that accounts for Loss and Damage, reflecting the recognition of the real and inevitable impacts of climate change, as well as reinforcing the adaptation efforts by working on a National Adaptation Policy to institutionalize these strategies. It also covers other areas such as climate justice for vulnerable communities and just transition, including finance mechanisms, technological transfer and strengthening of institutional capabilities. However, the implementation of this NDC will depend largely on getting international support to achieve these goals, as I mentioned in the beginning, so the role of international cooperation becomes crucial more than ever. One of the oldest refineries in Mexico, the Fransico I. Madero refinery at Tamaulipas, Mexico. | Source: Creative Commons. Finally, Mexico is still a heavy fossil fuel dependent country with more than half of its energy production coming from this source, so the mitigation component is one of the most important to work in order to reach to the goal of carbon zero which this year was projected to be achieved in 2050, committing to keep its carbon emissions between 365 and 404 Mt regardless of the international support, that means through national efforts. Meanwhile, the Mexican population needs to continue raising their voices against the climate injustice and claim for policies that really support the energy transition and solve the inequities due to climate change that are currently inevitable and will continue to appear in the following years.

Introduction  Rise in Global Temperature despite having NDC and commitments to reduce global temperature by both governments and industries in the Paris agreement raising strong concerns over the commitments and the efforts made to address the issue. This Extreme Heat will hit the developing and under developed part of the globe the most that is South Asian and African region. In India, more than 70% of Indians have been impacted by Heat waves due to Climate Change, and this increase in heat is causing droughts and water shortages across the country (Goddard et al., 2025). This article aims to highlight how extreme heat needs serious discussion needed in the COP 30 and rapid implementation of measures to reduce its impact. Extreme Heat: References from India and South Asia  Extreme Heat is much more impacting in more, with 2024 being recorded the hottest year on record accounting for 45% of global heat related deaths between 2000 and 2019 (CEEW, 2025). More deaths are now reported due to Heat waves with over one billion people in India face heatwaves every year. Old and Children are more vulnerable from Impacts of Extreme Heat and to people who are low in Socio-Economic level. Heat makes no visible destruction and that causes impacts easily ignored in climate negotiations. The Indo-Gangetic Plain in this South Asian region has experienced the highest rise in the summer relative humidity up to 10% increasing the heat stress. CEEW, 2025 report highlights that 77% of the Indian districts are under high to very high heat risk. Major Indian cities such as Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai had experienced intensified “urban heat island”. 34 million full-time job loss is predicted with a reduction in GDP by 4.5% by 2030 making outdoors workers, women, and the elderly more prone to harm due to extreme heat (CEEW, 2025). India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan are experiencing a shifting monsoon- summer transitions with a pattern of rising hot days and humid nights.  There are also regional disparities observed where Indian states like Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are reported to experience higher heatwaves than the national average (Goddard et al.,2025).  Extreme Heat is causing unrest in many sectors, crop failures, water scarcity. Food shortages and energy disruptions that are leading to a cascading climate risk pathway (Goddard et al., 2025). There is enough evidence that the extreme heat risks in India are measurable and urgent, it calls for an urgent action at COP30. With India and South Asia turning into global epicenters of heat stress, its high time to take necessary measures, not only verbal commitments.  Conclusion  Extreme heat is no longer for verbal commitment, it is becoming a climate threat for the country, especially for the countries like India that are most vulnerable for global warming. Women, Elderly and Children are becoming more vulnerable to extreme heat. Billion of people exposed to life threatening temperatures, shrinking water resources and collapsing labor productivity, it’s a warning signal that south asia is facing and that it cannot be ignored. The impact of heat waves cannot be felt by collapsing buildings, uprooting trees but they silently affect human health, economic stability and cause social resilience. It's high time for COP30 to recognize the impacts of extreme heat and its challenges and also to recognize extreme heat as a global challenge. Extreme heat must be put in a category which needs proper climate finance, early warning systems and need of rapid decarbonization. To safeguard the future, COP30 must treat extreme heat as one of the main agenda of discussion that needs immediate collective actions.  References  Prabhu, S., Suresh, K. A., Mandal, S., Sharma, D., & Chitale, V. (2025). How extreme heat is impacting India: Assessing district-level heat risk . Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). https://www.ceew.in/sites/default/files/mapping-climate-risks-and-impacts-of-extreme-heatwave-disaster-in-indian-districts.pdf .  Goddard, E., Marlon, J. R., Thaker, J., Rosenthal, S., Carman, J., Jefferson, M., & Leiserowitz, A. (2025). Majorities in India think global warming is affecting extreme weather . Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/majorities-in-india-think-global-warming-is-affecting-extreme-weather/ .

Image source: Pexels Growing up in the village, I was always fascinated by how cool the air felt and how green everything was. Trees surrounded my home, my school, and nearly every place I went. The sound of birds, the fresh breeze, and the shade from the trees made the environment calm and comforting. At that time, I never imagined that things could be any different — this was simply the world I knew. Everything changed when I left the village for high school in Thika. It was my first real experience of city life, and I immediately noticed how different the environment felt. There were still trees, but not many. The air was heavier and sometimes dusty, and on hot days the heat felt unbearable. During the rainy season, water would flood the fields, making them inaccessible for days. It was frustrating, especially because those flooded periods came with swarms of mosquitoes that made life uncomfortable. That’s when I started to notice how much the environment could change from one place to another — and how these changes affected daily life. Years later, when I joined campus, I began exploring different topics to discover what truly interested me. Climate change caught my attention and stayed with me. As I read more, I started connecting what I was learning to the experiences I had growing up — the fresh village air, the heat and floods in the city, and the discomfort that came with environmental changes. I began to realize that these weren’t random events; they were part of a larger pattern that scientists and leaders had been studying and addressing long before I even knew the term “climate change.” The more I learned, the more I felt a sense of responsibility. I wanted to understand not just the problems but also the solutions — how we can reduce our carbon footprint, move away from reliance on fossil fuels, and adopt sustainable practices that protect both people and the planet. Now, as I continue this journey, I want to share what I’m learning and hopefully inspire others — especially young people — to join in. Together, we can take small but meaningful steps toward protecting our environment and ensuring intergenerational equity, so that future generations can enjoy the same beauty and balance that once surrounded me as a little girl in the village. This is my first blog entry. 🌍💚 Come along with me — let’s learn, grow, and act for a better world. Image source: Pexels

When we picture the victims of climate change, we often imagine a farmer staring at a parched field or a family wading through floodwaters. We might rarely imagine a young woman, barely in her twenties, lying on a makeshift hospital bed, making the terrifying choice to remove her womb just to survive the season. In the Beed district of Maharashtra, India, this is not a dystopian fiction. It is the silent, brutal reality of the climate crisis. The Climate Trigger Beed, located in the Marathwada region, has long been prone to droughts. However, the intensifying climate change has turned these dry spells into disasters. With their own crops destroyed by unpredictable weather and severe water scarcity, thousands of families are forced to migrate every year to the "Sugar Belt" of western Maharashtra to work as cane cutters. This migration is not a choice; it is a desperate adaptation strategy. But for women, the cost of this adaptation is their own bodies. The "Jodi" System and the Cruel Choice In the sugarcane fields, labour is hired in pairs, known as a Jodi (husband and wife). They are paid for the weight of cane they cut, often working gruelling shifts of 12 to 16 hours. The system is unforgiving. There is no sick leave. There are no breaks. If a couple misses a day, they face heavy wage deductions. For a woman, menstruation becomes a liability. In fields with no toilets and no running water, managing a period is nearly impossible. Many women are forced to use the same cloth they use to carry cane bundles—cloth often covered in pesticides and chemical residue—as sanitary protection. The resulting infections, combined with the agonising pain of heavy labour during menstruation, force them to take days off. But in a climate-ravaged economy, a day off means hunger. To avoid these wage cuts and the "penalty" of bleeding, thousands of women in this region have undergone hysterectomies (surgical removal of the uterus). Research highlights a shocking disparity: more than 55% of women from migrant cane-cutting families have undergone the procedure, compared to less than 17% of women who remained in their villages. These women are "paying the cost of the climate crisis with their wombs". They are trading their long-term health—facing early menopause, hormonal imbalances, and chronic pain—for the short-term ability to work through a harvest. A Failure of Adaptation As we look toward COP30, we must ask: Is this what "resilience" looks like? India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) rightly focus on adaptation and health. However, the tragedy in Beed exposes a blind spot in global climate policy. We often measure the impact of climate change in economic terms—GDP lost, infrastructure damaged. But how do we measure the loss of bodily integrity? This is a clear case of Non-Economic Loss and Damage. The drought took their livelihood, but the lack of social protection took their health. The Way Forward The climate crisis in the Global South is not gender-neutral. For the women of Beed, climate justice is not just about reducing carbon emissions; it is about guaranteeing basic human dignity. P riorities for COP30 must include: Gender-Responsive Climate Finance: Adaptation funds must trickle down to the most vulnerable. This includes creating sanitation infrastructure in migrant labour camps so women don't have to choose between hygiene and income. Social Protection for Climate Migrants: We need policies that protect the health rights of those forced to migrate due to weather extremes. We cannot let the "wombs for water" trade-off become the new normal. As young leaders, we must demand that adaptation plans include the voices of these women. No one should have to sacrifice a part of their body to survive the climate their ancestors did not break.