India pulls out of hosting the UN COP33 climate summit in 2028 after a review of commitments.
India has withdrawn its bid to host the United Nations’ annual climate Conference of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, Reuters reported.
The decision was communicated earlier this month, the officials told Reuters, though the reasons behind the move were not immediately clear. Both declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.
The withdrawal marks a shift from Narendra Modi’s earlier proposal in 2023 that India would host the global climate summit, one of the most significant annual gatherings on climate policy under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
According to Climate Home News, which first reported the development, India stepped back after a “review of its commitments” for 2028. The report cited a letter from an Indian official addressed to the chair of the Asia-Pacific Group outlining the decision.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the UN climate body’s secretariat also did not issue an official response.
COP summits bring together global leaders, negotiators and stakeholders to advance international climate agreements and assess progress on emissions reductions, making hosting rights both diplomatically significant and logistically demanding.
India’s withdrawal leaves uncertainty over which country will step forward to host the 2028 conference within the Asia-Pacific grouping, which is next in line under the UN’s rotational system.
With inputs from agencies
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