Lok Sabha Question No. 1148 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Emissions of Green House Gases
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Gautham Sigamani Pon

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1148

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2020

## Emissions of Green House Gases

1148.

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA: SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE: SHRI GAUTAM SIGAMAANI PON:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the recently released United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report-2019 that has  highlighted that the Earth's average temperature may rise by 3.2 degree;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) the  details  of  India's  contribution  in  reducing  emissions  of  Green  House  Gases (GHGs) globally;
- (d) whether as per the report, India's per capita emission is one of the lowest within G20 countries and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether India has participated in the United Nations Climate Conference (COP-25) held recently; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce emissions of GHGs?

## ANSWER

## 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 25 th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the UNFCCC was held  under  the  Presidency  of  Chile  in  Madrid,  Spain  on  02 nd -  15 th 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  capacitybuilding  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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