Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal criticized developed nations for driving historical global carbon emissions while failing to deliver on their climate finance promises.
Goyal highlighted that Western countries created the environmental crisis through ozone depletion and industrial pollution, yet neglected their COP21 Paris Agreement commitment to provide $100 billion annually to developing nations.
Addressing the roundtable, Goyal emphasised India’s disproportionately low environmental footprint. Representing 17% of the global population, India contributes under 3% to global emissions, whereas Europe’s per capita emissions remain seven to eight times higher.
Goyal stressed that despite eleven years passing since the Paris summit, developing nations have not received “a nickel or a dime” of the promised funding, questioning the fairness of policies like Europe’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Goyal’s sharp critique coincides with the latest UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report, which revealed that India recorded a decline in greenhouse gas emissions in 2025.
Driven by structural shifts toward renewable energy and weather factors, India’s per capita emissions remain less than half the global average, solidifying its leadership in sustainable development despite unfulfilled international financial support.
