Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has hit out at Europe over climate change and trade policies. At the Berlin Global Dialogue 2026 held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, he strongly criticized the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the trade policies of the European Union. Also recalled the $100 billion pledge on climate finance.

Piyush Goyal is on an official visit to Germany and Netherlands from 22 to 27 October 2026. In Berlin, while presenting India’s side on climate financing, he raised questions about the responsibilities of developed countries. He vehemently stated that they are failing to adequately meet the needs of LDCs or support them in their decarbonisation efforts.

Developed countries are saddled with climate finance

Raising questions on climate finance, Goyal said, ‘In 2015, the whole world came together at the Paris Climate Conference. It was Prime Minister Modi who brought the Global South together. and encouraged countries to commit to addressing climate change at COP21. It was agreed that developed countries would pay a higher price as they suffered the consequences of climate disruption for decades.

He further said that it was decided that developed countries would help developing and less developed countries. It also includes the island countries of the Pacific and the Caribbean. After this the developed countries promised 100 billion dollars per year, this was a commitment. But they failed to adequately meet and support the needs of less developed countries.

India’s population is 17%, carbon emissions are less than 3%.

Expressing displeasure, Piyush Goyal said that today marks the completion of 11 years of the Paris Climate Conference held in 2015. But we have not seen a penny of it. He said that these are all promises. Besides, this is a big question that the European Union and the CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) have not been able to answer.

Goyal said in sharper terms who is primarily responsible for this mess? Where was the ozone layer damaged? Who sent so much carbon into the atmosphere? I represent 17% of the world’s population, but my contribution to global carbon emissions is less than 3%. Europe probably represents 3% or 4% of the world’s population, the problem is caused by you.

The ax is killing its own foot – an attack on the carbon track

Goyal said India is aware and committed to its role in climate action. But there is a clear disparity between the population size and emissions output of India and the West. Despite this, the imposition of the European Union’s Carbon Tax (CBAM) and Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) is completely unfair. This is ‘shooting yourself in the foot and inviting disaster’.

In fact, the European Union has implemented two strict regulations in the name of climate change. Among these, the CBAM carbon tax, aims to tax foreign goods whose production emits more carbon. This includes steel, aluminium, iron and cement. Second, only goods can be sold in Europe in which no trees have been cut down to make them.