A decade following the Paris agreement, global warming has exceeded the 1.5C threshold for two consecutive years, with the heating rate accelerating to 0.4C per decade. Observers point to the United Nations summit framework's consensus rules, which allow petrostates like Saudi Arabia and Russia to obstruct meaningful progress. Meanwhile, participating nations are quietly undermining their commitments through expanded fossil fuel initiatives and reduced climate finance for developing countries. Notably, the United States, responsible for an estimated one in eight tonnes of current carbon dioxide emissions, has exited the treaty under President Donald Trump.
Key points
Consensus-based voting allows petrostates including Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela t…: Consensus-based voting allows petrostates including Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela to effectively veto aggressive climate action.
Several summit hosts and signatories continue expanding fossil fuel projects while rollin…: Several summit hosts and signatories continue expanding fossil fuel projects while rolling back critical environmental legislation.
Declining climate finance contributions from wealthy nations are creating deep diplomatic…: Declining climate finance contributions from wealthy nations are creating deep diplomatic skepticism regarding international negotiations.
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It was a curious way of conducting negotiations. Ahead of the 2025 climate summit, in the Amazonian port of Belém last year, the Brazilian hosts had taken off the table the issue that most had assumed would be at its heart: concrete plans from each country laying out exactly what they would be doing to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.
Brazil was insisting, instead, that these plans – the bedrock of the Paris agreement – were the business of national governments and not up for negotiation. “In that case, it will be a very short Cop,” one seasoned global south negotiator told the Guardian shortly before, reflecting a widespread unease. “There is nothing to negotiate.”
“They have decided that there is no appetite for negotiation, with the US out of Paris,” said another developing country diplomat. “Countries won’t engage.”
The summit ended with a deal, although few loved it. But, as the faultlines from the Brazilian decision deepen going into this year’s summit, it is clear that the Paris agreement, and climate action around the world, has reached an impasse.
Environmental regulators implemented emergency pollution curbs across the National Capital Region following forecasts of deteriorating atmospheric conditions ahead of Diwali. The interventions aim to slash particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions to prevent readings from breaching the critical 450 threshold. By targeting transportation, construction, and educational routines, authorities are attempting to shield public health while mitigating toxic haze.
Authorities in Haryana have begun enforcing emergency anti-pollution measures by targeting non-compliant offices across the corporate hub. The crackdown follows deteriorating regional air quality, which triggered mandatory workforce reductions to curb commuter emissions and exposure. Failure to adhere to these regional environmental restrictions has now placed private sector operations under strict administrative scrutiny.
Environmental conditions in the capital have deteriorated ahead of the major festive celebrations, prompting scrutiny of local pollution benchmarks. Emergency response measures are calibrated to escalate as specific monitoring thresholds are breached across critical zones. This situation poses immediate challenges for regional administrators attempting to manage seasonal atmospheric degradation.