Lok Sabha Question No. 3611 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-20
Subject: Glasgow Summit
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Rattan Lal Kataria, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Andimuthu Raja, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3611 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021

## Glasgow Summit

## 3611.   SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA:

SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI:

SHRI T.R. BAALU:

SHRI A. RAJA:

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

- (a) whether many other nations of the world and International Monetary Fund/UNO have welcomed the call of the Prime Minister in Glasgow, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  environmental  experts  were  consulted  before  the  target  was  announced  in Glasgow;
- (c) basis on which Green House Gas (GHG) reduction commitments have been firmed up by the Government and to what extent the involvement of States and private industry has been assured;
- (d) details  of  Nationally  Determined  Contributions  for  emission  reductions  along  with targets for various stakeholders in Government and Private Sector;
- (e) whether  India  demanded  that  developed  countries  must  take  measures  for  net-zero emissions by the end of this decade, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the developed countries;
- (f) the stand of India on the Green Resilient and Inclusive Development (GRID) strategy and  whether  it  would  be  consistent  with  Nationally  Determined  Contributions  of individual countries; and
- (g) whether differentiation of Green House Gases (GHGs) mitigation policies among the developed  and  developing  countries  highlighted  in  various  forums  and  if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)    Many  nations  in  the  world,  multilateral  institutions,  experts,  think  tanks,  and  global media, among others, haveapplauded the five nectar elements (Panchamrit) of India's climate action presented by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India to the global community at the 26 th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held at Glasgow in November 2021.
- (b): Yes, environmental experts were consulted before India's participation in COP 26.

(c):  India's  vision  to  intensify  its  efforts  to  address  the  challenge  of  climate  change,as presented throughthe announcements of India's climate action, has been carefully considered after  taking  in  to  account  the  principles  of  equity  and  ofcommon  but  differentiated responsibilities  and  respective  capabilities.  The  five  announcements  are  not  bound  to  any sector  specific  mitigation  obligation  or  action.  India's  goal  is  to  reduce  overall  emission intensity  andimprove  energy  efficiency  of  its  economy  over  time,  while  at  the  same  time protecting thevulnerable sectors of economy and segments of our society. To achieve India's contributions to global climate action, the Government is determined to continue with its ongoinginterventions,  and  enhance  the  existing  policies,  schemes  and  programmes,  wherever required.

(d):  India  has  ratified  the  Paris  Agreement  and  submitted  its  Nationally  Determined Contribution (NDC) comprising of eight contributions for 2021-2030. The three quantitative targets are: (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,  (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; mobilisation of climate change finance; capacity building and technology.  India's NDC do not bind it to any sector specific mitigation obligation or action, including the private sector.

(e)  &  (g):  At  COP  26,  the  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  of  India  articulated  the  concerns  of developing countries and called for climate justice and climate friendly lifestyles to safeguard future  generations  and  the  Planet  from  the  adverse  impacts  of  climate  change.    He  also emphasized  that  India's  historical  cumulative  emissions  and  per  capita  emissions  are  very low despite being home to more than 17% of the global population.

As a part of its overall approach, India always emphasizes on the foundational principles of equity,  and  common  but  differentiated  responsibilities  and  respective  capabilities.    It  also highlights that all countries should have equitable access to the global carbon budget, a finite global  resource,  for  keeping  temperature  increase  within  the  limits  set  by  the  Paris Agreement, and must stay within their fair share of this global carbon budget, while using it responsibly.  India  has  persistently  called  for  climate  justice.  It  has  also  called  on  the developed countries to undertake rapid reductions in emissions during the current decade and reach net zero much earlier than their announced dates, as they have used more than their fair share of the depleting global carbon budget.

(f) The  NDCsubmitted  under  the  Paris  Agreement  express  efforts  by  each  country  to reduce  national  emissions  and  adapt  to  the  impacts  of  climate  change  whereas  theGreen Resilient and Inclusive Development (GRID) is an approach suggested by the World Bank Group to developing countries for addressing the challenges due to COVID 19 pandemic and the climate change. The Government has launched many schemes and programs to scale up India's climate action on both the adaptation and mitigation. As a result of these measures, India  has  progressively  continued  decoupling  of  economic  growth  from  greenhouse  gas emissions.  In  exercise  of  their  right  to  sovereignty,countries  are  free  to  decide  upon  the relevance of GRID to their respective NDCs.