Climate change: Cabinet approves India’s updated nationally determined contributions
Image credit: Tribune India
The revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for India, which include the “Panchamrit” approach proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Glasgow conference into higher climate targets, were agreed upon by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.
The amended NDC states that India is now committed to achieving around 50% of its total installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil fuel-based energy sources by 2030 and reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% from its 2005 level by that time.
The term “NDCs” refers to a nation’s national plans and commitments to help it achieve the target of keeping global temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, with a goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
At the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last November, Modi declared that India’s non-fossil energy capacity would exceed 500 GW by 2030.
According to him, India would meet 50% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2030, cutting its total estimated carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes.
Mr Modi claims that India will achieve net zero emissions by 2070 and reduce its carbon intensity by 45 per cent from 2005 levels.
The “Panchamrit” agenda consists of five points (five nectar elements).
Achieving a balance between the number of greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere and those removed is known as “net zero.”
The revised NDC aims to increase India’s contributions to the Paris Agreement’s goal of strengthening the international response to the threat of climate change.
This will assist India in establishing low-emission growth routes. According to a statement from the Cabinet, “it would secure the country’s interests and protect its future development needs based on the principles and conditions of the UNFCCC.”
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