Climate Change

Demonstrating higher ambition in its climate action, the Government of India submitted its updated NDC on August 26, 2022.

  • The new NDC with enhanced targets translates the vision of the Hon’ble PM expressed through the “Panchamrit” at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow in November 2021.
  • The vision mentions of sustainable lifestyles and climate justice to protect the poor and vulnerable from the adverse impacts of climate change.
  • Aligning with this vision, the share of non-fossil fuel-based capacity in overall capacity has risen rapidly over time. Including the large hydro, the share of non-fossil sources in total installed electricity capacity is estimated to be about 40.4 per cent (on 31.09.2022) compared to 27.3 per cent in 2014-15.
  • This period has seen a sizeable enhancement in the share of installed electricity capacity in solar and wind energy from 8.9 per cent in 2014-15 to 25.1 per cent in 2022-23 (April-Sept).
  • India submitted its first NDC to UNFCCC in October 2015. This was updated in August 2022.
  • The 2015 NDC comprised eight goals, three of which were quantitative targets to be achieved up to 2030.
  • The three targets included cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources to reach 40 per cent, reduction in the emissions intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 per cent compared to 2005 levels, and creation of additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover.

Carbon Sink

  • Forest Survey of India (FSI) assessed the carbon stock (which is the amount of carbon sequestrated from the atmosphere and stored in biomass, deadwood, soil, and litter in the forest) in India’s forests for the first time in 2004 and then biennially since 2011.
  • The Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) estimates the carbon stock of forests to be about 7,204 million tonnes in 2019, which is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes of carbon stock as compared to the estimates of the previous assessment for 2017.
  • This translates into carbon emissions sequestrated through forest and tree cover to be 30.1 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Mangroves

  • The Government has taken both regulatory and promotional measures to protect and conserve mangroves.
  • The National Coastal Mission Programme on ‘Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs’ is being implemented.
  • Regulatory measures are implemented through Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification (2019) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; the Indian Forest Act, 1927; the Biological Diversity Act, 2002; and rules under these acts as amended from time to time.
  • As per the ISFR 2021, the mangrove cover in the country has increased by 364 sq. km. in 2021 as compared to 2013.

River Conservation and Rejuvenation

  • The Government is working on mapping and converging the 5Ps’ - People, Policy, Plan, Programme and Project.
  • It has been supplementing the efforts of the States/Union Territories (UTs) by providing financial and technical assistance for the abatement of pollution in identified polluted stretches of rivers in the country through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for River Ganga and its tributaries, and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers.
  • In addition, the government has recently released Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for the rejuvenation of 13 major rivers prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun in consultation with the State Forest Departments

Renewables

  • India is progressively becoming a favoured destination for investment in renewables.
  • As per the Renewables 2022 Global Status Report, during the period 2014 -2021, total investment in renewables stood at US$ 78.1 billion in India.
  • Investment in renewable energy has been close to or higher than US$ 10 billion per year since 2016, except for a dip in 2020 likely due to various Covid-19 restrictions.
  • The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has projected the optimal generation capacity mix to meet the peak electricity demand and electrical energy requirement for 2029-30.
  • The estimate builds in improved efficiency and minimises the total system cost subject to various technical/financial constraints. The likely installed capacity by the end of 2029-30 is expected to be more than 800 GW of which non-fossil fuel would be more than 500 GW

Green Hydrogen

  • Vision to make India an energy-independent nation, and to de-carbonise critical sectors, the Government approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission on January 4, 2023 with an initial outlay of Rs.19,744 crore.
  • The Mission will facilitate demand creation, production, utilisation and export of Green Hydrogen and mobilisation of over Rs.8 lakh crore of investment by 2030.

Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LT-LEDS)

India submitted its Long-Term Low Carbon Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) on November 14, 2022, at COP 27. The salient features of LT-LEDS are:

  • India aspires to maximise the use of electric vehicles, ethanol blending to reach 20 per cent by the Ethanol Supply Year 2025-26, and a strong modal shift to public transport for passengers and freight.
  • Climate-resilient urban development will be driven by smart city initiatives, integrated planning of cities for mainstreaming adaptation and enhancing energy and resource efficiency, effective green building codes and developments in innovative solid and liquid waste management.

LeadIT

  • The LeadIT gathers countries and companies that are committed to action to achieve the Paris Agreement.
  • It was launched by the governments of Sweden and India at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019 and is supported by the World Economic Forum.
  • LeadIT members subscribe to the notion that energy-intensive industries can and must progress on lowcarbon pathways, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.

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