Lok Sabha Question No. 3161 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Carbon Emission by 2050
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramesh Chander Kaushik, Chirag Paswan, Sanghamitra Maurya

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3161

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023

## Carbon Emission by 2050

3161.   SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK: SHRI CHIRAG PASWAN: DR. SANGHAMITRA MAURYA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  launched  various  time  bound  National  Decarbonisation Plans  to  ensure  net  zero  emissions  level  in  a  systematic  manner  in  respect  of  carbon emissions by 2050 and if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor and the time by which the framework of said plans is likely to be prepared;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to launch any special programme to check rising level of  pollution  and  to  control  rapidly  changing  environment  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the roadmap thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to launch a country-wise plantation drive to maintain balance in the environment and to check pollution and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any roadmap for the use of eco-friendly fuel in the different vehicles in place of diesel and petrol has been prepared to reduce carbon emission in the country;
- (e) whether any scheme has been formulated to reduce emission levels of carbon emitting chimneys  of factories and brick kilns in the country including Bihar; and
- (f) the steps being taken to reduce carbon emission and to fix reduction target fixed for the next five years?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)  India  has  submitted  its  updated  Nationally  Determined  Contribution  (NDC)  for  the  period 2021-2030 and its long-term low carbon development strategy which lays out India's vision and approaches towards reaching net zero by 2070. These documents have been prepared after taking into account the foundational principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), different national circumstances and our priorities for sustainable development.

(b)The  Central  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  initiatives  for  prevention,  control  and abatement of pollution including  enactment of environmental laws and  associated regulations; issuance  of  guidelines  on  various  aspects  of  environment  protection,  forests  and  biodiversity conservation;  notification  of  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  and  effluent  discharge  standards; introduction  of  cleaner  /  alternate  fuels;  ethanol  blending  program;  leapfrogging  from  Bharat Stage (BS) IV to BS VI fuel norms;  promotion of cleaner production processes;  incentives for production and use of hybrid and electric vehicles; notification of various rules for environmentally sound management  of different types of waste-solid, plastic, hazardous, biomedical, construction and demolition and e-Waste; ban on identified single use plastic; banning open  burning  of  leaves,  biomass  and  waste;  monitoring  the  implementation  of  notified  rules, standards and guidelines; and issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, wherever required; etc. In addition, the Government of India is implementing National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a national level strategy to reduce air pollution levels across the country. Under NCAP, City Specific Clean Air Action  Plans  for  131  non-attainment/million  plus  cities  have  been  prepared  to  improve  air quality.

(c) Tree plantation, being a multi-departmental, multi-agency activity, has been taken up in cross sectoral  manner  under  various  programmes/funding  sources  of  relevant  Ministries  and  also through State Plans. Some action points suggested in the NCAP for extensive plantation drive are development and execution of city specific plantation plans with targets, prioritization and strengthening  of  scheme  on  agro  forestry.  Further,  the  States  are  also  preparing  State  Action Plans  which  includes  schemes  for  development  of  green  belt/  open  spaces  and  street  sides greening on the State highways, etc.

(d)  Under the  Ethanol  Blending Program, the target is to achieve  20% blending of ethanol in petrol by Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26.

(e) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the revised environmental standards for brick kilns as 250 mg/ Nm 3 from earlier standards of 750mg/ Nm 3 . All bricks kilns shall use only approved fuel such as piped natural gas, coal, firewood, and/or agricultural residues. Use of pet coke, tyres, plastic, and hazardous wastes shall not be allowed in the brick kilns. Brick Kilns shall construct permanent facility (port hole and platform) as per the norms or design laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board for monitoring of emissions. Brick  Kilns  shall  follow  process  emissions/  fugitive  dust  emission  control  guidelines  as prescribed by concerned State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees.

(f)  India's  climate  targets  are  enshrined  in  its  nationally  determined  contributions  (NDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement. The NDCs covers the period 2021 to 2030 and include inter-alia,  targets  for  reducing  emission  intensity  of  its  GDP  by  45%  over  2005  levels,  50% cumulative  electric  installed  capacity  from  non-fossil  fuel  sources  and  creation  of  additional carbon  sink  of  2.5-3.0  billion  tonnes.    India's  NDC  does  not  bind  it  to  any  sector  specific mitigation obligation or action. The goal is to reduce overall emission intensity of its GDP 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.

The  Government  of  India  stands  committed  to  combat  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, health, Himalayan  ecosystem,  sustainable habitat, green India, and strategic knowledge  for  climate  change.  Thirty-four  States  /  Union  Territories,  including  the  State  of Bihar,  have  prepared  their  State  Action  Plans  on  Climate  Change  (SAPCC)  in  line  with  the NAPCC, taking into account State's specific issues relating to climate change. These SAPCCs inter alia outline sector-specific and cross-sectoral priority actions.

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