COP 29 pushed back over climate crisis in Tibetan Plateau due to China

The recently concluded COP 29 summit, held in Azerbaijan in November, failed to address the urgent climate crisis in the “third pole”, the Himalayan region, including the Tibetan Plateau, due to the sharp marginalization of Tibetan representation due to China’s influence. According to one opinion diplomat.

Varun Shankar and Jagannath Panda’s opinion in The Diplomat raised questions about the lack of core Himalayan issues in the UNFCC agenda and the sharp marginalization of Tibetan representation in multilateral climate forums, which was attributed to China’s growing influence.

The article in ‘The Diplomat’ accused China of gradually developing into a water hegemon by using its control over Tibet’s water resources. China has also built large dams on Tibet’s major rivers to block water access to downstream countries, impacting Tibet’s people and environment.

he/she also argued that China used financial incentives and economic coercion to suppress dissent against the country or its interests.

The Diplomat piece said China’s “unprecedented” development policies in “relentless pursuit” of infrastructure and military facilities have exacerbated Tibet’s climate crisis.

The Diplomat article said that China’s increasing militarization in the Himalayan regions and influence in countries like Pakistan and Nepal are also having an impact on the instability of the entire South Asian region.

The Diplomat piece also said that COP29 should focus on issues raised by the Himalayan Council of Ministers, dealing with cross-border issues with a common approach.

Regarding the climate crisis, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, in a ministry statement, expressed the need for “coordination and support” at global forums to “represent and amplify” regional concerns that have global impact.

The Diplomat article urges that representing and amplifying common issues and concerns at UN climate conferences is important to draw global attention to the Himalayan region.