Inter-ministerial negotiations are underway to finalize Indias revised nationally decided contribution (NDC), which will be submitted to UNFCCC, environment minister Bhupender Yodav said on Tuesday.
NDC can normally be submitted in October before the Conference of Parties. Yadav spoke at the Anil-Agarwal Dialogue 2022, which was organized by the Centre for Science and Environment.
A senior official from the ministry said that the talks with the ministry for power and the ministry for renewable energy were in advanced stages. Once the talks are over, we will be able to share details on when and what features of the NDC.
According to United Nations, NDC refers to a climate action program to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts.
Modi made the announcement at the Glasgow climate summit last November 1st that India’s nonfossil energy capability will reach 500GW by 2030. This will enable India to meet 50% of its energy requirements. Modi stated that India would reduce its total carbon emissions by one million tonnes by 2030 and reduce its economic carbon intensity by 45% in the same year. India also aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
Modi also stressed that such ambitious actions will not be possible without adequate climate financing from developed countries. He called on rich countries to make $1 Trillion available for climate finance as soon and as possible.
The Prime Minister stated last month that India’s energy needs are likely to double over the next 20 years. India’s energy requirements are expected to nearly double within the next 20-years. This energy is vital for millions of people. Affordable financing is essential for climate action to be successful. Developed countries must fulfill their commitments to finance and technology transfer in order to achieve this, he stated during his address at February 16th’s World Sustainable Development Summit.
We believe in fulfilling all of our commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We have also increased our ambitions during COP26 in Glasgow. I believe, and I am certain you would agree, that environmental sustainability is only possible through climate justice. Modi stated that sustainability requires coordinated action for the commons worldwide.
India submitted its NDCs to the Paris Agreement in 2015 with three quantifiable targets. These included reducing India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), by 33- 35%, by 2030 from 2005 levels, and achieving about 40% cumulative electrical power installed capacity from nonfosil fuel energy resources by 2030. Also, to create an additional carbon sink, 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes (carbon dioxide equivalent) by increasing forest and tree cover.
Yadav emphasized Tuesday that developed countries should be held responsible for historical emissions and must take up a significant share of the global carbon market. They must transfer climate finance to developing countries. He said that developed nations must not shirk their responsibility.
On Monday, India welcomed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Working Group II report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts and Adaptation and Vulnerability. The report warned of dire consequences for India and other countries if emissions are not reduced.
India’s delegation participated in the final discussions regarding the Summary for Policymakers (SPM), which were held online between February 14 and February 27 (extended for an additional two days).
The report affirms that climate changes due to historical emission are having severe impacts that are already being felt worldwide, including in developing nations with low contributions to cumulative emissions. According to a statement from environment ministry, the SPM emphasizes the need for climate action on a basis of equity and climate justice to ensure humanity’s well-being and the planet. It also acknowledges the seriousness of the losses and damages that may result from climate.
Inadequate adaptation, due to lack of technological and financial resources, capacity building and other constraints, can lead to damages and losses. As adaptation limits are reached, further losses and damages will occur. More damage would result from higher levels of global warming. The ministry said that adaptation suffers from a severe lack of funding. Only a small amount of climate finance is dedicated to it, while the majority goes to mitigation.
Sunita Narain is the director general of CSE. She stated that this is the first time that the IPCC, an international scientific body, has acknowledged the fact that the burden from climate crisis is disproportionately borne by the poor.
The report found that the vulnerability of people and ecosystems to climate change varies significantly between and within regions. This is due to patterns of socio-economic development, unsustainable land and ocean use, inequity and marginalization, as well as historical and ongoing patterns such colonialism and governance. It added that around 3.3 billion to 3.6 million people live in climate-sensitive environments.
The report’s key message is that climate change is a real threat. The window of opportunity to address the crisis is closing quickly. Climate change has devastating consequences and half of the world’s population is at risk. It is a stark warning. This is the first time the IPCC has made such a clear statement that the poor are the most affected. We have been arguing that climate change is affecting the poor. They are not responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. IPCC acknowledges for the first time the need to promote equity and climate justice. Narain stated that this is the first time IPCC has spoken about displacement.
