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India aims to cut emission intensity of GDP by 20-25% by 2050: official
- Environment ministry official said that India is indeed at the forefront of the global response to combat climate change
India took on a voluntary target of reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25% over 2005 levels by 2050, said Richa Sharma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.
Speaking at ‘G20 in action: How collective effort drives development and keeps 1.5 degree C target within reach’ event organized by TERI, the additional secretary said that India is indeed at the forefront of the global response to combat climate change.
Sharma added that India’s position is cemented by strong domestic action spanning key sectors of the economy as well as in fostering impactful and results oriented international collaborations on the global platform.
“The country is committed to pursuing low carbon strategies for development and is actively pursuing them as per its natural circumstances. India's leadership in climate action must be framed in its proper context,” she said.
The additional secretary added that the National Adaptation fund for climate change has implemented about 30 projects across 27 states and union territories. “It has funding about 847 crores and it covers several sectors including urban coastal, agriculture, water, so on and so forth.”
Sharma said that India updated its climate targets on the basis of the strong progress that it already made. “For example, the non-fossil installed capacity target was achieved. Nine years ahead of schedule in 2022 itself. Therefore, there was already ample opportunity for India to update its climate targets.”
She added that India also included new national missions, such as on climate change and health, and it is already developing additional national missions on sustainable transport. “India took a target of net zero by 2017. The global target is to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions from sources and removals by sinks sometimes by the middle of the century.”
The secretary said that the country has fostered international cooperation for global climate targets, such as to the launch of the International Solar Alliance, which already has about 112 signatories today and the coalition for disaster risk resilient agriculture, which has about 31 signatories, including 14 from the G20 and the European Union and for international organizations.
“India has also stepped up its south cooperation significantly, especially in CIS. The country has significant strengths in climate information services and early warning systems. The nation is working with small island economies through the UN system as part of information sharing and knowledge exchange on climate change,” Sharma added.
She said that India's installed solar energy capacity has increased by 24.4 times in the last nine years, and stands at 63.3 Giga watt as of February 2023. “Government has notified wind solar hybrid policy providing a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind solar photovoltaic hybrid projects for optimal and efficient utilization of transmission infrastructure and land, reducing the variability in renewable power generation.”
The additional secretary added that PM Modi had announced the national hydrogen mission for generating hydrogen from clean energy sources. “The mission aims to aid the government in meeting climate targets and meet making into a green hydrogen hub. Government of India has also notified green hydrogen and ammonia policy which will help in meeting the target of production of 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 and related development of renewable energy capacity. It is a major policy enabler for production of clean hydrogen green and ammonia using renewable sources of energy.”
Sharma said that India will complete its phase down of HFCs in 4 steps from 2032 onwards with cumulative reduction of 10% in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 80% in 2047.
“India has already achieved what it intends to do, but all of it is geared towards ensuring that the country makes a significant contribution to the reduction of emissions. It plays an important role in fostering international cooperation on climate change, and remains a significant part of the global transition,” she added.
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First Published:20 Feb 2023, 09:10 PM IST
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