COP30 should be the COP of adaptation, says environment minister Bhupendra Yadav 

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said COP30 at Belém in Brazil should be the COP of adaptation, HT and several other outlets reported. Yadav was speaking at the Pre-COP30 meeting in Brasilia. He said COP30 must send a political message that multilateralism remains the cornerstone of global climate action. “We should all agree on a minimum package of indicators from the UAE-Belem Work Programme, leaving some of the rest for further technical discussion as necessary”, he said. 

He said with the Paris Agreement mechanism fully operational, now is not the time to undermine its architecture by insisting on post-global stocktake processes that seek to prescribe new mechanisms. “Let us be informed by the first GST (global stock take) and do our utmost as per our national circumstances,” he said.

India is likely to unveil its first national adaptation plan ahead of or at the UN Climate Meeting (COP30) at Belem, Brazil. The national adaptation plan and an update to India’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) for the 2035 period are currently under review and expected to be taken up for Cabinet approval very soon, HT said citing ‘those aware of the matter’.

India announces emission intensity targets for industries participating in carbon market

The Centre set greenhouse gas emission intensity targets for companies participating in the domestic carbon credit trading scheme, HT reported. 

The sectors of aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, paper and pulp will have to, “achieve the greenhouse gas emission intensity targets in the respective compliance year as per the Schedule; surrender the banked carbon credit certificates or carbon credit certificates purchased in the respective compliance year equivalent to the shortfall to comply with the greenhouse gas emission intensity target; and register on the portal under the Indian Carbon Market Framework.”, the outlet said.

Targets have been issued for 3 companies in aluminium; 253 in iron and steel sector; 21 in petroleum refining; 11 in petrochemicals; 11 in naphtha; 173 spinning/textile units registered under the scheme, the report said. 

Climate litigations escalating, cases being heard by Indian courts, too: UN report

Court cases related to climate change issues are increasing globally, including in India, where so far 14 such cases have been registered in courts, found a new UN report. 

HT reported that the new report titled, Global Climate Litigation Report 2025: Climate Change in the Courtroom – Trends, Impacts and Emerging Lessons by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, concluded that over 3,099 climate-related cases have been filed across 55 jurisdictions and 24 international or regional courts, tribunal and quasi-judicial bodies as of June 30. India has registered 14 such cases so far. 

Indian cases relate to air pollution, deforestation, renewable energy obligations, climate adaptation, and the right to a clean and healthy environment under the Indian Constitution, UNEP said. HT noted that the Supreme Court of India and National Green Tribunal (NGT), have increasingly integrated climate considerations into judgments, emphasising the state’s duty to safeguard citizens’ rights against the impacts of climate change. 

The outlet explained that the Supreme Court “recognised the right to a healthy environment and the right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change when balancing the protection of an endangered species threatened by an overhead transmission line connecting to a renewable energy project (Mk Ranjitsinh & Ors. v. Union Of India & Ors.).149-“. The Court balanced the need for a just energy transition within the context of the long-term emission reduction goals of the Paris Agreement with conservation priorities, the report said

China continues to curb critical minerals export, 31% drop in 3 months

China’s new export curbs on critical minerals (crucial for auto, defence and electronic industry) last week “threatened a trade truce with Washington, and the three months of declines are expected to raise questions about its agreements with Europe and the US to ramp up exports after China’s decision to restrict shipments in April triggered shortages worldwide” Reuters reported, adding that China’s rare earth exports “fell 31% in September from August”.

The Financial Times reported China “slammed Donald Trump’s plan to impose additional 100% tariffs on Chinese exports and threatened new countermeasures”, accusing the US of “escalating tensions” between the two countries. Bloomberg reported that, despite tariff standoff, China’s overall exports “grew at the fastest in six months, far exceeding forecasts in a sign of resilience that’s giving Beijing a stronger hand in the latest dispute with the US”. 

Meanwhile, HT reported that US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said “This is China versus the world.” “We have already been in touch with allies…We will be meeting with them this week, and I expect that we will get substantial global support — from the Europeans, from the Indians from the democracies in Asia.”

HT report added that India, which faces massive US tariffs at 50%, finds itself in the middle of this new battle, with the US expecting it to ally with it even when PM Narendra Modi recently made an eastward move by visiting China, seeking to reset ties affected badly by border clashes about five years ago.

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