Not Just Coal, India Seeks Phase Down Of All Fossil Fuels At COP27: Report

India wants countries to agree to phase down all fossil fuels at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, rather than a narrower deal to phase down coal as was agreed last year, two sources familiar with the negotiations told news agency Reuters on Saturday.

The report stated that a spokesperson for the Indian COP27 delegation said: "We did not mention coal at all."

The push by India would also put oil and gas consumer and producers in the spotlight and countries that rely on coal.

Countries agreed at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, last November to a final statement which, for the first time, committed parties to the U.N. climate summit to speed up efforts towards a "phasedown of unabated coal power" - taking aim at the most polluting fossil fuel.

The spokesperson said India had referred to a report by the UN climate science panel, which said countries must halve emissions by 2030 to meet climate goals and that this would require a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use.

"We mentioned the IPCC AR6 report that has come since Glasgow that recognizes the need for phase down for all fossil fuels. This was stated in the context of a clean energy transition only," the spokesperson said. 

(With Reuters Inputs)