MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) and (b) Government of India is aware of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report (EGR) 2019. Climate change is a global phenomenon and requires the collective action and cooperation of all nations based on the principles of ‘Equity’ and ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities’. India is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol (KP) and the Paris Agreement (PA), which provide global framework for countries to collectively address climate change. The UNEP report analyses the current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) only. However, the Paris Agreement has mechanisms like global stocktake to inform Parties in ratcheting up their NDCs every 5 years to address climate change and achieving its collective goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
(c) India has proactively contributed to multilateral efforts to combat climate change and continues to do so while undertaking its own independent, enhanced initiatives in climate mitigation and adaptation besides meeting all its commitments under the UNFCCC, its KP and PA. India declared a voluntary goal of reducing the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 20–25%, over 2005 levels by 2020, despite having no binding mitigation obligations as per the Convention. A slew of policy measures were launched to achieve this goal. As a result, the emission intensity of our GDP has decreased by 21% between 2005 and 2014. Under the Paris Agreement, India has submitted its NDC comprising eight (8) targets for 2021-2030 including (i) to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level, (ii) to achieve about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost international finance including from Green Climate Fund (GCF), (iii) to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. The other targets pertain to sustainable lifestyles; climate friendly growth path; climate change adaptation; climate change finance; and capacity building and technology. Independent studies rate India’s efforts and contributions highly and compliant with the requirements under Paris Agreement to achieve its collective goal. The UNEP EGR further states that among the G20 countries, India is one of the six countries which is projected to meet its NDC targets.
(d) According to India’s second Biennial Update Report submitted to UNFCCC, its per capita GHG emission in 2014 was 1.8 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent. The UNEP EGR 2019 states that the per capita emissions of India are about half the G20 average.
(e) and (f) The 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the UNFCCC was held under the Presidency of Chile in Madrid, Spain on 02nd – 15th December 2019. The conference focused on a range of issues, particularly Article 6 of Paris Agreement, Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts, climate finance and pre-2020 implementation and ambition. India participated in the conference and showed its leadership and commitment to implement the Paris Agreement. The COP 25 decision, titled Chile Madrid Time for Action, emphasizes the continued challenges that developing countries face in accessing financial, technology and capacity-building support, and recognizes the urgent need to enhance the provision of support to developing country Parties for strengthening their national adaptation and mitigation efforts. The decision also recalls the commitment made by developed country Parties to a goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing country Parties. The decision also provides for continued work for assessing and fulfilling the pre-2020 gaps in commitments and actions of developed countries in the pre-2020 period under Kyoto Protocol.
To reduce emissions of GHGs, Government of India is implementing National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which comprises of missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water, agriculture, Himalayan eco-system, sustainable habitat, green India and strategic knowledge on climate change. Climate actions at the state level are based on the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC). Thirty-three States/Union Territories have prepared their SAPCC in line with NAPCC taking into account State’s specific issues relating to climate change. These SAPCCs inter-alia outline sector specific and cross sectoral priority climate actions. The Government is also implementing the scheme, National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) to support adaptation measures of States/UTs in areas that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate Change. Under NAFCC, 30 projects have been sanctioned in 27 States to tackle the issues related to adaptation in agriculture, water, forestry, etc. Government of India has also embarked upon ambitious actions in the areas of renewable energy, afforestation, energy efficiency, and urban development.
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