Lok Sabha Question No. 1179 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-06
Subject: Net-Zero Carbon Emission
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Girish Bhalchandra Bapat, Geetha Viswanath Vanga, Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy, Pritam Gopinath Munde, Rahul Ramesh Shewale

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1179

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2021

## Net Zero Carbon Emissions

## 1179.   SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE:

SHRI KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY:

SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH:

SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE:

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

- (a) whether India has made commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the country needs close to $10 trillion to meet its goals of net zero, or being able  to  effectively  eliminate  carbon  dioxide  emissions  by  2070,  if  so  the  details thereof and the steps being taken in this regard along with the results yielded till now and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether India would fall short by $3.5 trillion to achieve its net zero target and hence, investment support of $1.4 trillion would be required from developed economies to bridge the gap, if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken in this regard;
- (d) whether  appropriate  funding  and  transfer  of  technology  is  required  from  the  more resourceful developed nations to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 and if so, the response of the Union Government thereto; and
- (e) whether the Government has started the process for achieving the said commitment;
- (f) if so, the details of the efforts so far made by the Government towards climate change adaptation and mitigation?

## ANSWER

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

(a): Yes, Sir. The Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, at the 26 th session of the United Nations Framework Convention  on  Climate  Change  (COP  26) held  in  Glasgow,  United  Kingdom, expressed to intensify India's efforts to address the challenge of climate change by presenting to  the  world  five  nectar  elements  (Panchamrit)  of  climate  action  by  India.  One  of  these elements is to achieve net zero emissions by 2070which presents vision for our long-term low greenhouse  gas  emission  development  strategies.He  also  emphasized  the  need  for  climate justice and climate friendly lifestyles to safeguard future generations and the planet from the impacts of climate change.He also articulated that India's historical cumulative emissions and per  capita  emissions  are  very  low  despite  being  home  to  more  than  17%  of  the  global population.

(b) and (c):The overarching decision titled Glasgow Climate Pact, adopted by all countries, noted with deep regret that the goal of developed country Parties to mobilize jointlyUSD 100 billion per year by 2020 in the context of meaningful mitigation actions andtransparency on implementation has not yet been met. In the same context, on behalf of developing countries, Hon'ble Prime Minister put forth strongly that the global call towards increased ambition in climate  mitigation  should  be  correspondingly  matched  by  adequate  additional  means  of implementation encompassing new and additional financial support and technology transfer to the developing countries.

Different studies and  institutions have  projected variously in terms of the financial requirement  for  India's  enhanced  climate  ambitions.  India's  vision  to  achieve  net  zero emissions by 2070 have been carefully considered after taking in to account the principle of common  but  differentiated  responsibilities  and  respective  capabilities,  and  the  national circumstances.

India's  intended  Nationally  Determined  Contribution  (INDC)  has  provided  a  preliminary estimate  that  at  least  USD  2.5  trillion  (at  2014-15)  would  be  required  for  meeting  India's climate  actionsfrom  2015  to2030.  India's  INDC  submission  also  noted  that  substantial scaling up of climate actions would require correspondingly greater resource and technology transferfor India.

A detailed  and  full  scale  assessment  on  international  climate  finance  needs  would  depend upon  the  gap  between  actual  cost  of  implementing  India's  plans  and  what  could  be  made available from domestic resources.

(d):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.

(e) and(f):  Under the UNFCCC, India, in 2009, made a voluntary declaration to reduce the emissionintensity of GDP by 20-25 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. Subsequently, under the Paris Agreement, India, in 2015, has submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)  with  quantified  targets  to  reduce  the  emissions  intensity  of  its  Gross  Domestic Product  (GDP)  by  33  to  35  percent  by  2030  from  2005  level,  to  achieve  about  40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030,  and  to  create  an  additional  carbon  sink  of  2.5  to  3  billion  tonnes  of  CO2eq  through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

The Government is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which is  the  overarching  policy  framework  and  comprises  of  national  missions  in  specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, water, agriculture, Himalayan eco-system, sustainable  habitat,  green  India  and  strategic  knowledge  on  climate  change.  Further,  33 States/Union  Territories  have  prepared  State  Action  Plans  on  Climate  Change  (SAPCCs) consistent with the objectives of NAPCC.

In  addition, the Government has launched many schemes and programs to scale up India's action  on  both,  the  adaptation  and  mitigation.Appropriate  measures  are  being  taken  under these schemes and programs across many sectors including water, agriculture, forest, energy and enterprise, sustainable mobility and housing, waste management, circular economy and resource efficiency, etc.

The Net Zero target by 2030 by India Railways alone will lead to a reduction of emissions by 60  million  tonnes  annually.  Similarly,  India  massive  LED  bulb  campaign  is  reducing emissions  by  40  million  tonnes  annually.  Apart  from  resolutely  addressing  climate  change domestically,  for  the  world  India  has  created  and  continue  to  nurture  International  Solar Alliance (ISA) and Coalition for Disaster Resilient  Infrastructure.  India  is  also  taking  lead with Sweden in innovation for hard to abate sectors.

As  a  result  of  the  aforesaid  measures,  India  has  progressively  continued  decoupling  of economic  growth  from  greenhouse  gas  emissions.  India's  emission  intensity  of  gross domestic  product  (GDP)  has  reduced  by  24  per  cent  between  2005  and  2016.  Installed capacity  of  solar  energy  in  India  has  increased  by  more  than  18  times  from  2.63  GW  in March 2014 to 47.66 GW in October 2021. India's current share of non-fossil sources based installed  capacity  of  electricity  generation  is  more  than  40%.  Forest  and  tree  cover has increased by 1.3 million ha between the 2015 and 2019 as per assessments of the Forest Survey  of  India.India's  Landuse,  land-use  Change  and  Forestry  (LULUCF)  sink  (CO2 removal) is on the rise by 3.4 per cent between 2014 and 2016 and by approximately 40 per cent between 2000 and 2016.

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