Consider the following statements :
Statement I: At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the ‘Declaration on Climate and Health’.
Statement II: The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a binding declaration; and if signed, it becomes mandatory to decarbonize health sector.
Statement III: If India’s health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of its health-care system may be compromised.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Explanation
At the COP28 (Dubai, 2023), the Declaration on Climate and Health was introduced to promote climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems.
Statement I is correct. India refrained from signing this declaration, reflecting its cautious approach towards commitments that may affect domestic policy flexibility and implementation feasibility.
Statement II is incorrect. The declaration is non-binding in nature. It is a voluntary statement of intent and does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sector.
Statement III is correct. Concerns exist that rapid or rigid decarbonization of the health sector, especially in a developing country like India, may affect operational reliability—for example, access to affordable cooling and energy in hospitals, particularly in heat-prone or resource-constrained regions. This explains India’s hesitation.
Thus, only Statement III is correct, and it explains why India refrained from signing the declaration.