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From Climate Ambition To Action
Juhi Chakraborty
Ahead of COP31, global voices converge in New Delhi to push for stronger partnerships, climate finance and implementation.
Climate ambition is no longer just about setting targets. The real test is turning those commitments into action on the ground.
That was the central message at Partners in Green Transition: Advancing Ambition, Action and Partnerships for COP31, a Pre-COP Dialogue convened by Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) in partnership with the Australian High Commission in India in New Delhi on 23 September.
Bringing together policymakers, diplomats, researchers and climate practitioners, the dialogue examined what it will take to accelerate the global green transition ahead of COP31 in Türkiye.
“India is an indispensable voice in the future of climate and energy policy. It is showing the world that clean energy is not a brake on prosperity, but a pathway to it,” said Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Government of Australia.
The Minister highlighted mitigation, climate finance, electrification and investment certainty as key priorities, while stressing the importance of giving Pacific Island Countries a stronger voice in the COP31 process.
Opening the dialogue, Shishir Priyadarshi, President, CRF, underlined the scale of the climate challenge and the need to bridge the gap between commitments and delivery. He also called for greater mobilisation of private capital, particularly towards countries facing financing constraints.
The conversation gained a wider global perspective with ambassadors from Australia, Brazil, Fiji, Jamaica and Ethiopia, alongside Rajasree Ray, Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.
Philip Green, Ambassador of Australia to India
Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Government of Australia
Julien Desmedt, EU Delegation to India - Climate, Environment and Energy attaché
Ali Murat Ersoy, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to India
(Left) Shishir Priyadarshi, President, CRF in conversation with (right) Philip Green, Ambassador of Australia to India during a session
India is an indispensable voice in the future of climate and energy policy. It is showing the world that clean energy is not a brake on prosperity, but a pathway to it.”
Chris Bowen
Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Government of Australia.
Across the discussions, one message emerged clearly: climate action needs to move from consensus to credible implementation.
Finance emerged as a critical enabler, particularly for vulnerable economies facing high costs of capital and limited access to resources. Speakers also highlighted the need for technology access, stronger climate resilience, critical-mineral supply chains and deeper international cooperation.
For India, the dialogue also highlighted its growing role in supporting climate resilience across the Global South. Its work in early-warning systems, disaster resilience and meteorological services was cited as an important area of cooperation, alongside its climate commitments under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The symposium featured thematic sessions on climate-resilient infrastructure, financing green transitions, and cooperation on critical minerals and clean technologies. A fireside conversation further explored India’s capabilities and role in advancing the priorities of the Global South.
As countries prepare for COP31 in November, the dialogue reinforced a simple but significant imperative: the next phase of the green transition must be measured not only by the ambition of commitments, but by the action they enable.