Context:
An opinion article by Aparna Sharma highlights how Article 6 (A6) of the Paris Agreement, made fully operational at COP29, offers India a strategic opportunity to accelerate low-carbon growth, attract climate finance, and strengthen global partnerships.
What is Article 6 of the Paris Agreement?
- Provides market and non-market mechanisms for international cooperation on climate mitigation.
- Article 6.2:
- Bilateral/plurilateral cooperation
- Exchange of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs)
- Article 6.4:
- Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism
- Successor to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
- Ensures robust accounting and avoids double counting of emission reductions.
India’s Entry into Article 6
- In August 2025, India signed the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) with Japan, operationalising Article 6.2.
- Signifies India’s formal participation in international carbon markets under the Paris framework.
Why Article 6 is Important for India
- Enables:
- Technology transfer
- Support for R&D and innovation
- Climate finance inflows
- Stronger bilateral and plurilateral relations
- Goes beyond carbon credit trading to support:
- Low-carbon industrial transformation
- Resilient trade relationships in a carbon-constrained global economy
