NEW DELHI, Nov. 6, 2026 — The Chintan Research Foundation (CRF), in its policy paper, released in October 2026, has advocated improved access to climate finance, stronger climate-resilient infrastructure and greater international cooperation to accelerate the green transition, ahead of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), which officially began on November 9 and runs through November 20, 2026, in Antalya, Türkiye.
The policy paper, Partners in Green Transition: Ambition, Action, and Partnerships for COP31 – The Road to Antalya, emphasises the need to translate climate commitments into measurable outcomes, especially for developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The report compiles discussions from a Pre-COP Dialogue organised by CRF, in partnership with the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, on Sept. 23, which brought together representatives from governments, diplomatic missions, industry, finance, and research institutions.
The policy paper focuses on three major priorities: resilient infrastructure, accessible climate finance, and cooperation on critical minerals and clean technologies.
As regards climate finance, CRF recommends easier access to multilateral funding, stronger direct-access mechanisms, and more concessional finance and grants for vulnerable economies. It further seeks to strengthen project preparation and financial structuring, enabling transparent reporting of financial commitments and actual disbursements.
Emphasising infrastructure vulnerabilities, CRF recommends integrating climate-risk assessments into public investment and infrastructure planning, strengthening early-warning systems, and investing in distributed renewable energy and storage.
The paper also highlights opportunities for India-Australia cooperation in critical-mineral supply chains and rooftop solar deployment. It stresses the connection between Australia’s resource and processing capabilities and India’s manufacturing, battery, and electric-vehicle ecosystems.
Apart from the energy transition, CRF makes a case for greater integration of ocean protection, coastal resilience and blue-economy investments into international climate-finance frameworks.
The report examines India’s potential to support Global South climate action by sharing its experience in clean energy, resilient urban infrastructure, cooling and circular economy initiatives. It also recommends deeper South-South and triangular cooperation, depending on individual countries’ development priorities.
The policy paper asserts that COP31 must shift from declarations towards measurable implementation, with resilient infrastructure, accessible finance and responsible technology partnerships serving as the bedrock of an inclusive green transition.
The report is authored by Meheli Roy Choudhury and Shagun Mamgain.
