India and China Step Back From Hosting COP33, Raising Questions Over Asia’s Climate Leadership
India and China, two of the world’s largest carbon-emitting countries, have stepped back from hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP33, scheduled for 2028. China has decided not to host the event, while India withdrew its proposal in April 2026. The decisions have triggered fresh debate over climate leadership in the Asia-Pacific region.
India had proposed hosting the 2028 conference during COP28, held in Dubai in 2023. The central government had also constituted a special committee to oversee preparations. However, India withdrew its candidature in April 2026 without providing a detailed public explanation. China had also considered hosting the conference but has now decided against pursuing the opportunity.
Pacific Island Nations’ Concerns in Focus
Under the United Nations’ regional rotation system, the opportunity to host COP33 falls to the Asia-Pacific group. Climate concerns of small island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are expected to feature prominently in discussions.
Rising sea levels, coastal erosion and threats to freshwater resources pose serious challenges to these countries. Hosting the conference in India or China could have given greater political visibility to regional climate concerns on the global stage. Their withdrawal has now created uncertainty over who will take the lead.
COP33 to Review Global Climate Progress
COP33 is expected to be significant as it will coincide with the second global stocktake under the Paris Agreement. The process will assess how far countries have progressed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the goal of limiting global temperature rise.
South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand and Uzbekistan are among the countries being discussed as potential hosts.
Attention is now focused on which Asia-Pacific nation will take responsibility for organising the crucial climate conference and shaping the region’s role in global climate negotiations.
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