Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, took part in the 11th Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) Partner Countries’ Meeting, organized by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment on Wednesday (local time), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change reported.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the UNFCCC CoP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Chaired by Hirotaka Ishihara, Japan’s Minister of the Environment, the session brought together ministers and representatives from JCM partner countries to review progress and reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral climate cooperation, the Ministry stated.
In his opening remarks, Ishihara announced that the JCM now includes 31 partner countries and that more than 280 projects are underway under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. He highlighted plans for global expansion of the collaboration, focusing on long-term investment frameworks, opportunities for partner nations in climate resilience projects, and support for capacity-building programs.
Addressing the meeting, Yadav emphasized the importance of cooperative mechanisms as the world seeks scalable, equitable, and technology-driven climate solutions. He described initiatives like the JCM as “a significant approach in strengthening climate action while supporting national priorities, particularly for developing countries.”
The Minister noted the long-standing India-Japan partnership, rooted in trust, technology cooperation, and a shared commitment to sustainable development. Referring to the India-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation signed on August 7, 2025, he said the JCM aligns with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and “provides a clear framework for both governments and the private sector to jointly develop mitigation projects, mobilize finance, deploy advanced technologies, and transparently allocate resulting emission reductions.” He added that this is a practical example of how bilateral cooperation can reinforce multilateral objectives.
Yadav highlighted that the JCM will directly contribute to India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy. He noted that “low-carbon technologies approved by the National Designated Agency for Implementation of Article 6 will play an important role in catalyzing our long-term goals.”
The Minister outlined that the mechanism is expected to facilitate investment, technology deployment, and capacity-building support for advanced low-carbon technologies, helping develop a domestic ecosystem and localizing high-tech interventions while contributing to India’s sustainable development goals.
Yadav also updated partners on the progress of implementation frameworks, stating that the Rules of Implementation and key activity-cycle documents are in advanced stages of finalization. He noted that India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency is developing the Indian Carbon Market portal, which will include a dedicated module for the JCM and other cooperative approaches under Article 6, ensuring transparency, efficiency, and ease of project facilitation.
Looking ahead, he said JCM activities are expected to focus on priority sectors such as renewable energy with storage, sustainable aviation fuel, compressed biogas, green hydrogen, green ammonia, and best-available technologies in hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals. “These areas align with India’s development priorities and offer significant opportunities for collaboration,” Yadav added.
Concluding his address, the Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to working closely with Japan and all JCM partner countries, stating, “Our cooperation with Japan demonstrates how high-integrity, cooperative mechanisms can support investment in appropriate technology deployment while strengthening the implementation of the Paris Agreement.” He called for collective action to ensure the JCM becomes “a model for transparent, impactful, and equitable climate partnerships.”
