Fight The Good, Green Fight

Context: India is showing that equity and justice must be a touchstone of any global response to climate change.

India’s policy actions against climate/environmental challenges

• A balanced approach: In the recent BRICS environment ministers’ meet, GoI has maintained that any global action against environmental challenges must also be guided by national priorities and principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC).
• Emission remission plans: 
  • India INDC targets: To be achieved by 2030, includes
    • To improve emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 below 2005 levels.
    • 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources.
    • Enhance forest cover, which will absorb 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2.
    • Progress made: India managed a 24% reduction in emission intensity of its GDP between 2005 and 2016, among the top five countries in terms of installed renewable energy (RE) capacity with non-fossil fuel-based installed capacity at 39%.
    • Further, GoI also announced an aspirational target of RE capacity of 450 GW by 2030.
  • National Hydrogen Mission: For generation and export of green hydrogen.
  • Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme: India is one of 16 member countries of the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) and is implementing the FAME scheme to support the EV market development and its manufacturing ecosystem to achieve self-sustenance.
  • India has leapfrogged from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to BS-VI emission norms by April 1, 2020, which was earlier to be adopted by 2024.
  • Indian Railways (IR) targeting full electrification of broad-gauge routes by 2023: It has set a target of becoming a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030.
  • Ethanol blending in India has increased from 1.5% in 2014 to 8.5% at present: GoI has resolved to meet the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025.
  • Under the Smart Cities Mission, the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 2019 has been launched. This intends to provide a clear roadmap for urban India towards combating climate change through the adoption of both mitigation and adaptation measures.
• Global cooperation: 
  • India, in partnership with Sweden, launched the leadership group in Industry Transition Track at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019.
  • GoI is also supporting adaptation actions of states and Union territories through the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change.
  • International Solar Alliance (ISA) (jointly created by India and France) has become a treaty-based organisation open to all UN members. So far, 80 countries have ratified the ISA Framework Agreement.
  • Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure: India has adopted a cooperative approach to build resilience in infrastructure, transport, communication, buildings, across the world, especially in regions prone to natural disasters.