Lok Sabha Question No. 1698 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Global Budget Conference
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dhal Singh Bisen

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1698

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2023

## Global Budget Conference

## 1698.   DR. DHAL SINGH BISEN:

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

- (a) whether  India  has  used  much  less  than  its  fair  share  of  the  global  carbon  budget, leading to an increase in carbon emissions;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  to  increase  India's  contribution  to  the  global carbon budget;
- (c) whether the Government is planning to send an expert panel from India to the next Global  Budget  Conference  under  Inter-governmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change (IPCC); and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE

CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) and (b) Cumulative emissions from various countries is the most important parameter as its how show much of the global carbon budget has been used by each country and whether this is in accordance with their fair share. As per the compilation provided by the website, Climate  Equity  Monitor  (https://climateequitymonitor.in),  based  on  data  compiled  from primary sources, all developed countries have consumed more than their fair share of the global carbon budget, until 2019.

As  a  Party  to  the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change ( UNFCCC),  India  periodically  submits  its  National  Communications  (NCs)  and  Biennial Update Reports (BURs) to the UNFCCC which includes national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory. As per India's third BUR submitted to the UNFCCC in February 2021, net GHG emissions  for  2016are  2.5  billion  tonne  CO2e.  Our  annual  per  capita  emissions  are  1.96 tCO2 which is less than one third of the world's per capita GHG emissions and our annual emissions in 2016 are only about 5 percent of the global emissions. India has contributed only  around  4  percent  of  global  cumulative  emissions  from  1850  to  2019,  despite  being home to around 17 percent of humanity. On the basis of equity, which means the equitable sharing of global common resources, India has used much less than its fair share of global carbon budget.

Climate  change  is  a  global  collective  action  problem  to  be  addressed  through multilateralism  and  nations  of  the  World  must  adhere  to  using  only  their  respective  fair shares  of  the  global  carbon  budget.  Being  a  developing  country,  the  emissions  of  India according to the UNFCCC, will grow to meet its social and development needs. India, seeks to achieve this through its long term low carbon development strategy reaching net zero in 2070 and, will stay within its fair share of global carbon budget. This will enable India's inclusive  and  sustainable  development  while  adhering  to  the  foundational  principles  of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR&RC) of the UNFCCC.

As  per  the  Seventh  National  Communications  of  USA  and  European  Union submitted to the UNFCCC, their total emissions in 2015 are pegged at 6,671 million tone CO2e  and  4,450  million  tonne  CO2e  respectively.  The  projected  emissions  for  2030  are 6,194 million tonne CO2e for USA and3,872 million tonne CO2e for European Union.

The Government of India stands committed to combating climate change through its several programmes and schemes including the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which comprises  missions  in  specific  areas  of  solar  energy,  energy  efficiency, water,  sustainable  agriculture,  Himalayan  ecosystem,  sustainable  habitat,  green  India,  and strategic  knowledge for climate change. The NAPCC provides an overarching framework for all climate actions. Thirty-four States/Union Territories (UTs) have prepared their State Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change  (SAPCC)  in  line  with  NAPCC  taking  into  account  the State-specific issues relating to climate change. These SAPCCs outline sector-specific and cross-sectoral  priority  actions,  including  adaptation.  Apart  from  resolutely  addressing climate change domestically, India has launched international coalitions such as International  Solar  Alliance  (ISA)  and  Coalition  for  Disaster  Resilient  Infrastructure (CDRI).  Initiatives  under  CDRI  and  ISA,  viz,  Infrastructure  for  Resilient  Island  States (IRIS) and Green Grids Initiative-One Sun One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) stand launched. Along with Sweden, India co-leads the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (Lead-IT) for voluntary low carbon transition of hard to abate sectors.

As a result of the aforesaid measures, India has progressively continued decoupling of  economic  growth  from  green  house  gas  emissions.  India's  emission  intensity  of  gross domestic product (GDP) has reduced by 24 per cent between 2005 and 2016. Further, India has also overachieved one of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) announced at Paris Climate Summit (2015) by already meeting 40 percent of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources as of November 2021, which is almost nine years ahead of schedule. The current share as of December 2022 is 42.53%. The share of solar and wind in India's energy mix is also growing to support its clean energy transition.

(c) and (d) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body  formed  jointly  by  World  Meteorological  Organization  (WMO)  and  United  Nations Environment  Programme  (UNEP)  in  1988.  It  is  currently  in  its  Sixth  Assessment  cycle.

Considerations of global carbon budget as are scientifically necessary are part of the overall work/tasks of IPCC. The government, as a member of IPCC, sends its official delegation to all  relevant  sessions  and  activities  of  IPCC  and  promotes  participation  of  its  scientific community in the scientific/technical activities of the IPCC.

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