Like-Minded Developing Countries
Also called: LMDC · Topic: Climate Change: Causes, Evidence and the Global Response · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) are a group of developing countries, including India and China, that negotiate together in UN climate talks under the UNFCCC. Members agree on a shared position before talks and then speak with one voice, which gives them more weight than any one country has alone. The group defends equity (fairness between rich and poor countries) and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR). CBDR means that richer countries, which emitted most of the gases, should do more and pay more. The LMDC also says developed countries have a legal duty under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement to provide climate finance. It opposes new targets imposed from the top on developing countries and wants each country to set its own climate pledge, called an NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution).
Example
At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan (2024), India spoke for the LMDC at the high-level ministerial meeting on climate finance. It said countries had no common understanding of what counts as climate finance. Without a shared definition, a finance target can be met on paper even when little real support reaches poor countries.
Don't confuse with
- BASIC: a smaller group of four large emerging economies (Brazil, South Africa, India, China). The LMDC is a separate and wider group of developing countries.
- G-77 and China: the largest group of developing countries in the UN. The LMDC is a smaller group inside it, and it takes a harder line on equity and finance.