As a part of its overall approach to the COP26 Climate agenda, India has emphasized the foundational principles of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and called for climate justice in global climate action.
India has clearly articulated and put across the concerns of developing countries at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Climate change is a global collective action problem. Reports from various sources, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, highlight that the challenges faced due to global warming are mainly due to cumulative historical and current greenhouse gas emissions of the developed countries.
India is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol (KP), and the Paris Agreement (PA).
The UNFCCC notes that the emissions originating in developing countries, including India, will grow to meet their social and development needs.
Carbon Neutrality by 2070
India is on track to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions, which are compatible with a well-below-2°C scenario.
Indian Prime Minister at the recent 26th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 26) presented India’s vision to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070.
Equitable Access to the Global Carbon Budget
India has always highlighted that all countries should have equitable access to the global carbon budget, a finite global resource, for keeping temperature increase within the limits set by the Paris Agreement.
All countries must stay within their fair share of this global carbon budget while using it responsibly.
India also called on the developed countries to undertake rapid reductions in emissions during the current decade so as to reach net-zero much earlier than their announced dates, as they have used more than their fair share of the depleting global carbon budget.
Transfer of Low-Cost Climate Technologies
India also highlighted that the transfer of climate finance and low-cost climate technologies have become more important for the implementation of climate actions by developing countries.
The ambition on climate finance on the part of developed countries cannot remain the same as it was at the time of the Paris Agreement in 2015.
It was also emphasized that just as the UNFCCC tracks the progress made in climate mitigation, it should also track climate finance.
Developed countries have to take the lead in mitigation and provide climate finance, low-cost climate technologies, and capacity building.
Mitigation, Adaptation, and Finance
The major decisions at COP26, as reflected in the ‘Glasgow Climate Pact’, pertain to mitigation, adaptation, and finance required for meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
All decisions at the annual Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC are arrived at by consensus and hence the question of India being directed to undertake any action by such decisions does not arise.
India, for its part, abides by commitments to the UNFCCC in letter and spirit. India with more than 17% of the global population has contributed only about 4.37% of the global cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 1850 and 2019.
Even though we are not part of the problem, India is committed to being part of the solution and has done far more than its fair share.
India has progressively continued decoupling of economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions. In key sectors of the economy, mitigation efforts have been undertaken with a vision of low-carbon, sustainable development.
India’s commitment to emission intensity reduction of the economy is an economy-wide target and not specific to any sectors including transport and energy sectors.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
The Government is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which is the overarching policy framework and comprises national missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, water, agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India, and strategic knowledge on climate change.
Further, 33 States and Union Territories have prepared State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) consistent with the objectives of NAPCC.
The Government stands committed to combating climate change through its several programs and schemes.
Many such efforts are underway and include, inter-alia, initiatives to accelerate the renewable energy transition, decarbonization of transport, and adoption of electric mobility, etc.
National Hydrogen Mission
The government has announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission with the goal to make India a global hub for Green Hydrogen production and export.
The National Hydrogen Mission aims to cut down carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable sources of energy while aligning India’s efforts with global best practices in technology, policy, and regulation.
The Government, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme, notified a production-linked incentive scheme for manufacturing advanced chemistry cells and for automobiles & auto components.
India has leapfrogged from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to Bharat Stage-VI (BSVI)emission norms by April 1, 2020, which was earlier to be adopted by 2024.
India’s current share of non-fossil sources based on the installed capacity of electricity generation is more than 40%.
Under Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme, a total of 36.79 crores led bulbs have been distributed to enhance energy efficiency as of date.
Decarbonization of Transport
The Government has taken various initiatives to accelerate the decarbonization of transport and the adoption of electric mobility in the country.
The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles scheme supports the electric vehicle market development and its manufacturing eco-system to achieve self-sustenance.
The government has been implementing the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, wherein Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) sell petrol blended with ethanol up to 10%.
Encouraged by the past 7 years’ performance, the Government decided to advance the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol from 2030 to 2025.
SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) initiative for boosting production and availability of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) as an alternative and affordable clean fuel for the transportation sector was launched by the Government of India on 1.10.2018. The scheme envisages setting up 5000 CBG plants by FY 2023-24.
India has announced a voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and unfit vehicles, which will help in encouraging fuel-efficient and environment-friendly vehicles.
Indian Railways has taken a number of initiatives including setting up Dedicated Freight Corridors, railway electrification, improving energy efficiency in traction, and increasing the share of renewable energy.
Indian Railways has set a target of making itself ‘net zero’ by 2030.
Energy Efficiency
India has taken a series of measures to enhance energy security and improve efficiency in the use of energy for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
These inter alia include diversification in sources of imports, promotion of alternate fuels, increasing production of oil and gas, the substitution of energy demand, improving refinery processes, notification of fuel efficiency norms, etc.
The government has been promoting the use of biofuels with multiple objectives of reducing import dependency, generating employment, providing better remuneration to farmers, reduction in environmental pollution, etc. in line with the National Policy on Biofuels 2018.