At Net Zero Forum, EU Envoy Underscores Importance Of EU–India Cooperation in Tackling the Climate Crisis

H.E. Hervé Delphin, the European Union Ambassador to India, took the spotlight at the inaugural India Net Zero Forum on June 18, 2025, delivering a keynote address that underscored the critical importance of EU–India cooperation in tackling the climate crisis. The event which brought together industry leaders, policymakers, financial institutions, and civil society was framed by Ambassador Delphin's opening remarks, which cast the Forum as “a crucible for deeper cooperation” in decarbonisation, precisely at a time when the world must “double down on implementation.” His words set a tone of urgency and partnership, making the Forum a key milestone in the evolving EU–India climate agenda.

The Ambassador flagged one of the underlying tensions of the global climate debate:

“The world is not on track to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial levels. Current policies and pledges are insufficient, and the gap between ambition and action continues to widen.”

He cautioned that failure to act swiftly would come at a steep cost, in both human and economic terms: “Climate‑induced disasters … can wipe out decades of investments and billions‑worth of infrastructures.”

He cited a recent Asian Development Bank report projecting that India could suffer GDP losses of nearly 25 percent by 2070 if climate challenges are not addressed in time.

Against these stark warnings, Ambassador Delphin held up India's growing climate momentum as a source of hope. He called India “a central player” in global climate discussions and welcomed New Delhi's commitments under the Paris Agreement—particularly the decision to strive for net‑zero emissions by 2070, its pledge to reduce emissions intensity by 45 percent and ensure half of its electricity capacity comes from non‑fossil sources by 2030. Recognising India’s achievements, he declared: “The target of achieving 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 reflects a bold commitment.” He highlighted India's current installed clean energy capacity of over 210 GW and lauded programmes such as the National Solar Mission and the International Solar Alliance.

The Ambassador also drew attention to emerging clean-energy frontiers. India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, he said, “promises to decarbonise heavy industries and the transport sector,” and stands to benefit greatly from the joint EU–India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. Urbanisation, he noted, brings both a challenge and an opportunity. “The European Union supports India’s smart cities initiative which integrates energy‑efficient infrastructure, sustainable transport, and green buildings.” Yet he also acknowledged that India's pathway to net‑zero is not without obstacles: “Financing the energy transition, ensuring just transitions for vulnerable communities, upgrading grid infrastructure, and fostering innovation at scale” remain critical challenges.

Ambassador Delphin emphasized the industrial decarbonisation imperative, warning that India’s industrial sector, particularly steel and cement, responsible for 15–20 percent of emissions must modernize. He voiced EU backing through sustainable-finance instruments, green bonds, and collaborative research efforts such as the cement-industry roadmap developed by the Global Cement and Concrete Association of India and TERI. He went on to highlight the broader economic benefits of climate action, referencing OECD data: “In the period 2015–2022, Global GDP grew 22 percent while emissions only grew 7 percent … Clean energy markets are developing.” He concluded, “Yes, you can decouple growth from emissions,” urging India to seize the opportunity in clean‑tech and circular‑economy innovations.

The Forum’s opening dialogue was enriched by the EU Ambassador’s reflections on resource efficiency and waste valorisation. He described a recent engagement in Chennai with Indian recycling professionals and innovators, noting that “waste can be turned into a gold mine.” That comment resonated deeply with the event’s focus on scaling up both national and regional circular‑economy systems.

On the multilateral front, Ambassador Delphin emphasized the shared responsibility India and the EU bear within UNFCCC processes and the G20. He also referenced European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal to launch a “Global Energy Transitions Forum,” urging India to “add its voice” to this global mechanism. He reminded the audience that only five years remain until 2030, and called the Forum an ideal platform for building momentum ahead of COP‑30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.

Throughout his speech, Ambassador Delphin framed climate cooperation not only as an imperative but also as a vehicle for deeper bilateral ties. “By working together bilaterally and in multilateral fora, the European Union and India are demonstrating that climate action is both an imperative and an opportunity,” he asserted, making clear that clean-energy collaboration is a key pillar of EU–India strategic relations. He concluded with a confident appeal: “The level of India’s ambition will be the determining factor in whether the world as a whole is able to meet its collective objectives in the years and decades to come.”

The India Net Zero Forum was structured as a high-level roundtable, with contributions from public-sector stakeholders including the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, senior PSUs, financial experts, ESG leaders, and innovation advocates. Their discussions built on the key thematic areas Ambassador Delphin spotlighted—renewables, industrial and urban decarbonisation, green hydrogen, circular economy, and access to climate finance. The Forum did not exist in a vacuum: it comes amid a broader push by the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, which in May announced a joint ₹391 crore (€41 million) research push focused on marine pollution and waste‑to‑hydrogen technology. Ambassador Delphin praised this initiative as “a testament to the growing momentum” of EU–India scientific partnerships.

Taken together, the Forum, the EU Ambassador's address, and the public–private initiatives signal a strengthening strategic partnership between India and the European Union—one that transcends traditional trade and economic frameworks to embrace shared global responsibilities. With both sides committed to ramping up national climate ambition in the run‑up to COP in Brazil, environmental diplomacy has emerged as a defining dimension of modern EU–India relations.

In a world struggling to chart a path toward 1.5 °C, the India Net Zero Forum and its diplomatic resonance offer a compelling example of how equitable climate action can bridge continents, economies, and cultures. As India continues to scale up investments in clean energy, green infrastructure, circular systems, and industrial transformation, its engagement with the EU provides both moral and technical reinforcement. The EU’s sustained backing through finance, regulatory frameworks, research partnerships, and shared ambition underscores the potential of climate diplomacy to forge deeper geopolitical bonds.

The significance of this development is profound: the EU and India are not merely allies in words, but partners in action. The India Net Zero Forum crystallized this shift, delivering a shared roadmap of clean-energy deployment, innovation ecosystems, and policy frameworks that could define global climate governance for years to come. Ambassador Delphin’s message resonated not just as a policy statement, but as a diplomatic pledge—a renewed declaration of solidarity between two global powers determined to turn climate ambition into concrete transformation.

From solar arrays to hydrogen hubs, from green bonds to circular-economy systems, both sides have drawn a shared map toward a net‑zero future. In the words of the EU Ambassador: “We look forward to deepening our collaboration, leveraging our combined expertise, and forging innovative pathways that can deliver climate justice, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability for all.”