Climate Change Push

Business Standard     11th November 2020     Save    

Context: Recently, twenty-four leading private business houses issued a joint declaration on climate change, vowing to take the needed measures to achieve carbon neutrality.

Ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

  • Greater use of renewable energy
  • Enhancing energy and material use efficiency
  • Deploy water-efficient processes
  • Sustainable and green mobility
  • Planned afforestation
  • Waste recycling

India and global warming

  • Low share in emissions: Though India is often projected as the third-largest polluter, its stake in the world is only 6%.
  • Cooperative corporate houses in India: which  came forward voluntarily to cut down their emissions to help the country meet its climate-related obligations
  • Nationally defined contributions under the Paris accord:
  • Reducing the emissions intensity of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 33 to 35 % from the 2005 levels by 2030
  • Increasing the share of renewable energy in power production to 40 %
  • Creating additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover.
  • Progress in renewable power and cleaner vehicular fuels

Conclusion: The willingness of domestic industry to collaborate with the government to deal with global warming is crucial as they can become a critical partner in delivering effective development cooperation on environmental issues.