Developing Nations Should Not Pay Unequal Price for Green Transition, Says CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant has reportedly flagged the issue of “climate injustice”, saying that developing and industrialising nations should not be made to bear a disproportionate burden of the global transition towards clean energy.

Addressing the High-Level Commonwealth Policy Dialogue on Climate Justice at Marlborough House in London on Friday, CJI Kant reportedly said that the global shift towards renewable energy must take into account the differing circumstances of individual countries and ensure that the costs of the transition are distributed fairly.

He reportedly said the climate crisis has “two faces” of the same injustice — unequal vulnerability to climate change and unequal costs associated with the transition to clean energy.

“Countries that are finally industrialising are being asked to move rapidly towards renewable power, and often made to bear the brunt of criticism when they cannot move fast enough. In comparison, the nations urging that transition spent two centuries building their own strength on coal and oil,” the CJI reportedly said.

Justice Kant reportedly emphasised that countries currently undergoing industrialisation face different economic and developmental challenges from nations that achieved significant economic growth during the fossil-fuel era.

He said global climate policies should therefore recognise these differences rather than apply the same expectations to all countries.

The remarks come amid growing international discussions over climate finance, energy transition and climate equity, particularly concerning the responsibilities of developed nations and the challenges faced by developing economies in moving away from fossil fuels.

The Commonwealth dialogue in London brought together policymakers and stakeholders to discuss issues surrounding climate justice and the equitable distribution of the costs and responsibilities associated with tackling climate change.