Recently, world leaders and experts gathered in the heart of Amazon rainforests for the 30th Climate conference. Every year UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) organizes COP (Conference of Parties) summit in a particular country, to dwell over future climate strategies for a cleaner, cooler and calmer world. This time it was Brazil’s Belem and the COP had begun with the release of “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3 trillion” for scaling up green finance.

However, reports have painted a gloomy picture on the progress made so far on climate promises as no country appears to be even near to achieving its Paris targets. A UN Synthesis report, recently released, claims that countries’ promised goals can reduce emissions only by 17% of 2019 levels, by 2035 which is extremely insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5o Celsius. Every year countries pitch for highly ambitious climate targets but fail to act upon them, thus failing the entire process of climate diplomacy. And therefore, it is time we talk about climate paradiplomacy. This offers a more promising alternative to improve the execution of climate policies and governance crafted at the global levels.

Climate or green paradiplomacy refers to the process whereby subnational governments, below the level of national governments, participate in foreign affairs & international relations to advance climate objectives. Although subnational actors such as provinces (in case of India- states) and cities have always been a part of climate governance as they are the ultimate implementers of........

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