Lok Sabha Question No. 2035 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-13
Subject: CoP 26
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu

## 2035. SHRI T.R. BAALU:

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

- (a) the details of commitments pledged by India to cut carbon emissions so as to bring down global warming,  at the recently  held Climate Change Conference,  CoP 26 in Glasgow, UK;
- (b) the basis on which these Green House Gas reduction commitments have been firmed up by the Government and the extent to which the involvement of States and private industry has been assured;
- (c) the  details  of  Nationally  Determined  Contributions  for  emission  reductions,  along with targets for various stakeholders in Government and Private Sector;
- (d) whether financial requirements and technology changes have been firmed up to meet the long-term goal of Net Zero emissions by the country; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  proposed  to mobilize funds?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) and  (b)  India,  at  26 th session  of  the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate Change  (COP  26)  held  in  November  2021  in  Glasgow  United  Kingdom,  expressed  to intensify its efforts to address the challenge of climate change by presenting to the world five nectar elements (Panchamrit) of its climate action including the target to achieve net zero emissions by the year 2070.

The  five  elements  enunciated  by  India  at  COP26  in  Glasgow  have  been  appropriately incorporated  in  enhanced  Nationally  Determined  Contributions  (NDCs)  and  Long  term  Low Carbon Development Strategies towards net zero emissions by 2070, both submitted under the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2022, in accordance with the principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) in light of National Circumstances.

India's contribution takes into account its commitment for conservation of nature as well as the imperatives  of  meeting  the  competing  demand  of  resources  for  addressing  the  challenges  of poverty eradication, food security and nutrition, universal access to education and health, gender equality  and  women  empowerment,  water  and  sanitation,  energy,  employment,  sustainable

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2035

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2023

## CoP 26

urbanisation and new human settlements and the means of implementation for enhanced action for achieving among others, the sustainable development goals for its people.

(b) India's NDC with the updates as submitted to the UNFCCC in August 2022 are as under:

- (i) To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions  and  values  of  conservation  and  moderation,  including  through  a  mass movement  for  'LIFE'-  'Lifestyle  for  Environment'  as  a  key  to  combating  climate change.
- (ii) To adopt a climate friendly and a cleaner path than the one followed hitherto by others at corresponding level of economic development.
- (iii) To reduce Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030, from 2005 level.
- (iv) To achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from nonfossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, with the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance including from Green Climate Fund (GCF).
- (v) To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
- (vi) To  better adapt to climate change  by  enhancing  investments  in  development programmes  in  sectors  vulnerable  to  climate  change,  particularly  agriculture,  water resources, Himalayan region, coastal regions, health and disaster management.
- (vii) To  mobilize  domestic  and  new  &  additional  funds  from  developed  countries  to implement the above mitigation and adaptation actions in view of the resource required and the resource gap.
- (viii) To build capacities, create domestic framework and international architecture for quick diffusion of cutting edge climate technology in India and for joint collaborative R&D for such future technologies.

India's NDC do not bind it to any sector specific mitigation obligation or action. The goal is to reduce overall emission intensity and improve energy efficiency of its economy over time and at the same time protecting the vulnerable sectors of economy and segments of our society.

(d) and (e) India's Long term Low-Carbon Development Strategy rests on seven key transitions to low-carbon development pathways. According to latest estimates in the strategy document, it  is  envisaged  that  a  transition  to  a  low-carbon  development  pathway  will  entail  costs, pertaining  to  the  deployment  of  new  technologies,  development  of  new  infrastructure,  and other transaction costs. Several estimates regarding India's financial needs exist. Many of them focus on the energy sector, including industry, buildings, and transport. Estimates vary across studies due to differences in assumptions, coverage, and modelling approaches, but fall in the range of trillions of dollars by 2050. The document also mentions about the technology needs for transition to low-carbon development pathways.

India's commitments as action are executed through various schemes/ programs of concerned Ministries/ Departments of the Central Government as well as the State Governments, drawing resources  from  the  normal  budgetary  processes.  In  addition,  providing  new  and  additional financial  resources  as  well  as  transfer  of  technology  to  address  the  global  climate  change challenge are among the commitments and responsibilities of the developed countries under the  United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change  (UNFCCC)  and  its  Paris Agreement. India will also require its due share from such international financial resources and technological support. The Government has also approved Sovereign Green Bonds framework of India to attract global and domestic investments in eligible green projects. The framework provides for deployment of proceeds generated from issuance of such bonds in Public Sector projects which help in reducing carbon intensity of the economy. Green economy is one of top seven priorities (Saptarishi) of the Union Budget presented to the Parliament on Feb 1, 2023. The Union Budget provides for Rs. 35,000 crore for priority capital investments towards energy transition and net zero objectives, and energy security; support through viability gap funding for Battery Energy Storage Systems with capacity of 4,000 MWH with a view to steer the economy on the sustainable development path etc. The Government has launched National Green Hydrogen Mission, with an outlay of Rs.19,700 crores.

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