India’s updated climate pledge to Paris Agreement

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Context: India’s updated climate pledge to the Paris Agreement received the Union Cabinet’s nod August 3, 2022.

Concept:

Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement is a global treaty wherein some 200 countries agreed to cooperate to reduce GHG emissions and rein in climate change.
The agreement seeks to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industry levels.
Thirty days after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55 % of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary.
On 5 October 2016, the threshold for entry into force of the Paris Agreement was achieved. The agreement, which came into force on November 4, 2016, currently it has 188 parties.
The national pledges by countries to cut emissions are voluntary called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), of which all Parties are required to report regularly on their emissions and on their implementation efforts.
There will also be a global stock take every 5 years to assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of the Agreement and to inform further individual actions by Parties.
As per the Paris Agreement’s provisions, countries must ‘update’ their pledges every five years to make higher commitments to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions.

India’s INDC

India’s first pledge, also known as India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), submitted in 2015, had three primary targets.
It states that India will improve the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33–35% by 2030 over 2005 levels; increase share of non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40% by 2030, and enhance its forest cover, thereby absorbing 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

India’s Progress:

As of June 2022, cumulative installed power capacity from non-fossil sources is 7 per cent (when including large hydropower projects).
Installed capacity from fossil fuels like coal and gas will fall to 36 per cent by 2030
India had achieved 25 per cent of emission intensity reduction of GDP between 2005 -2016 and is on a path to achieve more than 40 per cent by

Updated INDC:

These two targets would be submitted to the UNFCCC as India’s updated NDC in writing.

India now stands committed to reducing emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030 from its 2005 levels, as per the updated NDC.
The country will also target about 50 per cent of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 (which include large hydropower and not just from renewable energy (RE) sources like solar and wind)