Asian Leaders Discuss Ethically Grounded Approaches to Tackling Climate Change and Strengthen Collective Efforts toward COP30
The Third Regional Dialogue of the Global Ethical Stocktake brought together activists, artists, scientists, civil society representatives, and authorities in New Delhi, India
By the Ministry of Environment of Brasil
“Complacency is a death wish. Our planet is on fire, and the time of ‘business as usual’ is over. We must act now—fundamentally changing our way of life, redefining growth, stopping climate injustice, and uniting in a new era of global cooperation. Let us globalize compassion to protect our home,” said Kailash Satyarthi, founder of the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC).
The Global Ethical Stocktake (Balanço Ético Global–BEG–in Portuguese) prompts reflection on how far we have come, the actions we still need to implement, and the behavioral and collective trajectory shifts required to reach the 1.5°C target. It is inspired by the process of the first Global Stocktake of the international treaty, concluded at COP28, held in the United Arab Emirates.
The initiative is based on the premise that humanity already possesses the technical solutions to address climate change and carry out ecological transformation. What is lacking is the ethical commitment to put them into practice. The Global Ethical Stocktake explores pathways to achieve this, focusing especially on the implementation of climate agreements signed by nearly 200 countries under the Paris Agreement over the past decade, since its signing in 2015.
The central focus is the resolutions of the United Arab Emirates Consensus, agreed upon at COP28, through which nations committed to tripling renewable energy, doubling energy efficiency, ending deforestation, and transitioning away from the use of fossil fuels.
“It is up to us to turn this agenda into action, and commitments into tangible results for all regions. The greatest challenge is no longer discussing what needs to be done, but having the moral and ethical courage to do it,” explained Marina Silva.
Led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the process will result in six regional reports and a synthesis report to be presented at the Pre-COP in October, in Brasilia. The document will be submitted to the COP30 Presidency for consideration in shaping decisions and forwarding to heads of state and climate negotiators.
André Corrêa do Lago emphasized that the Global Ethical Stocktake presents the COP30 presidency with issues from various sectors of global society that should be considered beyond the concerns raised by individual countries. “In international negotiations, only countries speak. But at the end of the day, what truly matters are the people,” he stated.
Ana Toni stated that the Global Ethical Stocktake serves as a guiding compass for COP30. “In these meetings, we bring the moral compass we need to confront at COP30.” The conference CEO emphasized that “time is our greatest enemy” in addressing climate change. “With each day we fail to act, more people suffer—whether in Brasil, India, or the United States. Time is a precious resource that we sometimes fail to value,” she stressed.
Regional Dialogues
The Global Ethical Stocktake unfolds through Regional Dialogues to be held across different continents until October. The first meeting was held in London, United Kingdom, representing Europe, and the second in Bogotá, Colombia, representing South, Central America, and the Caribbean. The co-lead roles in these regions were held by former presidents of Ireland, Mary Robinson, and Chile, Michelle Bachelet, respectively.
The upcoming dialogues will take place in Africa, under the co-leadership of Kenyan activist Wanjira Mathai; in Oceania, with former President of Kiribati, Anote Tong; and in North America, with American activist and founder of the Center for Earth Ethics, Karenna Gore.
In addition to the Regional Dialogues, the Global Ethical Stocktake proposes Self-Managed Dialogues, organized by civil society organizations and national and subnational governments, following the same methodology and principles as the central process.
The meeting in New Delhi was held at the headquarters of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and organized with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
Full list of participants in the Global Ethical Stocktake Asia-Americas Dialogue:
Ajay Mathur – Energy and climate expert, Professor of Practice at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India
Ana Toni – CEO of COP30
André Corrêa do Lago – President of COP30
Arunabha Ghosh – Public policy expert, author, founding CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and COP30 Special Envoy for South Asia
Farzana Faruk Jhumu – Climate activist from Bangladesh and advocate for environmental justice
Ihitashri Shandilya – Founder and CEO of MITHILAsmita, an award-winning UN-recognized initiative dedicated to promoting traditional Madhubani paintings
Kailash Satyarthi – Nobel Peace Prize laureate, organizer of the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC), and co-leader of the Asia Regional Dialogue
Kenneth Nóbrega – Ambassador of Brasil to India and Bhutan
LeoHorn-Phathanothai – Author, strategist, ecosystem builder, and advocate for accelerating green transitions in Southeast Asia
Manjyot Kaur – Expert in international climate policy
Marina Silva – Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Brasil
Nik Nazmi – Vice President of Keadilan and Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa, Malaysia
Nitin Desai – Economist trained at the London School of Economics, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (1992–2003)
Philipp Ackerman – Ambassador of Germany to India
Rajendra Singh – Environmentalist and leader of a community movement that regenerated vast semi-arid areas in Rajasthan through decentralized water management
Ravi Shankar – Indian lawyer and political leader, currently a member of the Lok Sabha since 2019
Ridhima Pandey – Indian climate activist internationally recognized since the age of 9
Rodne Galicha – Environmental and climate leader from the Philippines
Seruni Salsabila – Young environmental leader and climate entrepreneur from Southeast Asia
Soumya Swaminathan – Indian pediatrician and clinical scientist, known for her leadership in global health and climate action
Sumaiya Binte Selim – Senior researcher in climate and development in Bangladesh
Vibha Dhawan – Director-General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) since 2021