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India abstains from Signing COP28 Health and Climate Declaration; expressed overall support
India has refrained from signing the COP28 Declaration due to apprehensions about the practicality of reducing greenhouse gas emissions for cooling within its healthcare system.
India refrained from signing the COP28 Declaration on Health and Climate at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai on Sunday.
According to the news reports, the decision came due to India’s apprehensions about the practicality and achievability of reducing greenhouse gas emissions for cooling within its healthcare infrastructure in short term.
However, India extended overall support for the ministerial event hosted by the COP28 Presidency, the World Health Organisation and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.
The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health calls for climate action to achieve "benefits for health from deep, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, including from just transitions, lower air pollution, active mobility, and shifts to sustainable healthy diets".
The declaration emphasized on the urgent need for substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and highlighted the negative impacts of climate change on health.
124 countries signed the declaration. However, India and the US abstained from the list of signatories.
India expressed reservations that greenhouse gas reduction for cooling in the health sector could hinder its ability to meet the growing demands for medical services, particularly in remote and underserved areas, as told by the delegate from Kenya.
Previously, India’s G20 declaration prioritized resilient health, with the top three health priorities including building a robust healthcare system, improving access to medical countermeasures, and developing international collaboration for digital goods sharing.
The COP28 Declaration emphasizes a holistic approach to address the diverse health challenges posed by climate change. This includes mental health considerations, preservation of traditional medicinal knowledge, protection of livelihoods and cultures, and managing climate-induced displacement and migration.