India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution calling on countries to comply with their climate change obligations, citing concerns that the draft undermines the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The resolution, which welcomed the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion on States' obligations on climate change, was adopted with 141 votes in favour, eight against, and 28 abstentions, including India.
India's Permanent Mission to the UN said the resolution fails to clearly reflect the advisory and non-binding nature of the ICJ opinion and undermines the UNFCCC process by elevating it to a binding or quasi-binding status.
India also objected to the absence of the term 'climate finance' in the resolution text and stressed that sustainable development and poverty eradication remain overriding priorities for developing countries.
