‘Fighting climate crisis despite causing less than 4% of emissions’
SHARM EL SHEIKH: India is making strong efforts to fight the climate crisis despite accounting for less than 4% of the greenhouse gases emitted in the world so far, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said, citing the country’s recent submissions – once in August and another this week – of commitments that it will undertake to reduce emissions.
Among these commitments is the long-term low emissions growth strategy (LT-LEDS), which India unveiled at the ongoing UN Climate Conference (COP27) at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Only 56 other countries have submitted their LTS so far.
“Responding to the call for increased ambition in our 2030 climate targets, India updated its Nationally Determined Contributions in August 2022. We have embarked on far-reaching new initiatives in renewable energy, e-mobility, ethanol blended fuels, and green hydrogen as an alternate energy source,” he said, adding that it is a testimony to India’s effort for global good.
“We also seek to foster strong international cooperation through action and solutions-oriented coalitions like International Solar Alliance and Coalition of Disaster Resilience Infrastructure, both of which were launched and nurtured by India. This is a testimony to our ethos of collective action for global good,” Yadav said.
“India, home to 1.3 billion people, is undertaking this arduous effort, despite the reality that our contribution to the world’s cumulative emissions so far is less than 4% and our annual per capita emissions are about one-third of the global average,” he added.
Yadav pitched for a global shift in lifestyles.
“The world urgently needs a paradigm shift from mindless and destructive consumption to mindful and deliberate utilisation. We are trustees of this planet earth. We must nurture it through sustainable lifestyles that optimise resource use and minimise waste,” he said.
Along with the LT-LEDS, India updated its nationally determined contribution (NDCS) under the Paris Agreement to the United Nations apex body on August 26 with two broad quantifiable goals-that India will reduce the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 45% from 2005 levels by the year 2030, and achieve about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from nonfossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
The NDC had said the update will help achieve a long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.
The overall climate finance needs by 2050 for achieving net zero emissions by 2070 will be in the order of tens of billions of dollars and around ₹85.6 trillion by 2030 for India’s adaptation needs, the document that runs into over 100 pages states.