COP 29 backtracks to address climate crisis in Tibetan Plateau due to China

The recently concluded COP 29 summit held in Azerbaijan in November, failed to address urgent climate crisis in the “Third Pole”, Himalayan region including Tibetan Plateau, due to the acute marginalization of Tibetan representation because of China’s influence, according to an opinion piece in The Diplomat.

The opinion piece by Varuna Shankar and Jagannath Panda in The Diplomat raised questions over lack of core Himalayan issues in the UNFCC agenda and acute marginalization of Tibetan representation in multilateral climate forums, attributing the reason to China growing influence.

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

They also argued that China used financial incentives and economic coercion to suppress the dissent against the country or its interest.

The piece in Diplomat stated that China’s “unprecedented” development policies in its “relentless pursuit” of infrastructure and military facilities have widened the Tibet’s climate crisis.

China’s increasing militarization in Himalayan territories and influence in countries such as Pakistan and Nepal also have repercussions for the instability of the South Asian region as a whole, the piece in Diplomat stated.

The piece in the Diplomat also said that the issues raised by the Himalayan ministers’ council at COP29, tackling transboundary issues with a common approach has to be given the spotlight.

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

The piece in the Diplomat urged that UN climate conferences to represent and amplify common issues and concerns is critical in attracting global attention to the Himalayan region.