Context

In recent years, the urgency of addressing climate change has become increasingly evident, propelling nations worldwide to commit to ambitious clean energy targets. Among these nations, India has emerged as a pioneer in sustainable development and climate action.

Right Against Climate Change Part of Equality and Right to Life – Supreme Court

• Recently, the Supreme Court has expanded the scope of fundamental rights to include “the right to be free from adverse effects of climate change.’’
• India has ranked 7th in a report, Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2024, published on the sidelines of the COP28 in Dubai.
  • India is effectively in fourth position, as the first three ranks in the ‘very high’ performance category remained vacant.

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The Evolution of India’s Climate Policy

• Origin Of India’s Climate Policy: 

  • India’s commitment to climate action traces back to the inception of the National Committee for Environmental Planning and Coordination (NCEPC) in February 1972.
    • In 1972, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the Stockholm conference, outlining India’s climate stance as well as that of the global south.
  • In the 1990s, new policies emerged worldwide in many areas, including the environment. 
    • The 1992 Rio Summit saw the emergence of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity and Forest Principles. 
    • India has developed its policy response through missions and programmes to reduce its climate vulnerability. On 30th June 2008, the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was released. 
      • India’s climate policy has always been clear, consistent, and coordinated.
      • India’s efforts to address climate change are immediate, ambitious, and planned, covering every sector of its economy.

• Statute: 

• • After the Rio Summit, the climate change and biodiversity divisions in India’s then Ministry of Environment and Forests came to life slowly and steadily.

• India’s Climate Policy Vision: 

• • India’s climate policy is shaped by its vision of inclusive growth for all-round economic and social development, the eradication of poverty, a declining carbon budget, firm adherence to the foundational principles of the UNFCCC, and climate-friendly lifestyles.

Major Determinants of India’s Climate Policy

Here are the some key determinants of India’s Climate Policy; 

Government Initiatives and Actions Towards Climate Change Mitigation in India

Despite having historical cumulative emissions of less than 4% (1850-2019) and 1.9 tonnes of CO2 per capita emissions, India took many domestic and international actions to benefit the planet.

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India’s Initiatives & Actions for Climate Change Mitigation:

• Green Credit Program: At COP28, India felt its presence by introducing the Green Credits Program, transcending the commercial nature of carbon credits. 
  • Participants can earn Green Credits for a wide range of activities that promote environmental sustainability.
• Global Biofuel Alliance: Under India’s G20 presidency, the India-led initiative Global Biofuel Alliance was launched to promote sustainable biofuel usage, offer technical assistance to national biofuel programs worldwide, and enable the exchange of policy practices.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA): India established ISA with France in 2015 to attract $1 Tn of investment in solar projects by 2030 in solar-rich countries, thereby increasing access to clean energy. 
  • Consequently, this demonstrated India’s leadership abilities to leverage climate finance to drive sustainable growth and combat climate change.
• Panchamrit
  • Reach 500 GW Non-fossil energy capacity by 2030
  • 50% of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
  • Reduction of total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes from now to 2030
  • Reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy by 45% by 2030, over 2005 levels
  • Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2070
• Green Climate Fund (GCF): India’s involvement in the GCF, where it has pledged contributions and actively encourages G20 members and developed countries to increase their support. 
• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): Launched in 2008 with eight missions, it has laid the ground for understanding climate change and acting on it. 
• State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs): Thirty-four Indian states and Union Territories have prepared SAPCCs consistent with the objectives of NAPCC. 
• National Solar Mission: Launched in 2010, its objective is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy, by creating the policy conditions for its diffusion across the country as quickly as possible.
• National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC): It was established in 2015 to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for India’s State and Union Territories that are particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects.
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency: It has been implemented since 2011 and aims to strengthen the energy efficiency market by creating a conducive regulatory and policy regime. It envisages fostering innovative and sustainable business models in the energy efficiency sector. 
• National Green Hydrogen Mission: This mission aims to accelerate the deployment of Green Hydrogen as a clean energy source and support the development of supply chains that can efficiently transport and distribute hydrogen.
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC): A climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts. 
  • In August 2022, India updated its NDC, according to which the target to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP has been enhanced to 45% by 2030 from 2005 level, and the target on cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources has been enhanced to 50% by 2030.
• Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR–RC): It is a principle within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that acknowledges the different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.
  • India has been a consistently strong voice of the Global South for the CBDR-RC principle was developed largely through Indian interventions at the Rio Summit, 1992.
• Others: National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for A Green India, National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change, etc.

India’s Achievements Towards Climate Change Mitigation – How is India Tackling Climate Change

• Decline in India’s Emission of Greenhouse Gases: India has been successfully decoupling its economic growth from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing the emission intensity of its GDP by 33% between 2005 and 2019. 
• Increase in India’s Renewable Energy Capacity: India’s solar energy has increased by more than 26 times, and wind energy capacity has doubled in the last ten years.
  • It now has the fourth-largest installed wind capacity and the fifth-largest solar in the world. In November 2021, nine years ahead of schedule, it achieved a target of 40% installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuels and then increased the target to 50%.
• A World Leader: India is a world leader in climate action today. It has added two more C’s to India’s climate policy: confidence and convenient action.
  • India’s long-term low emissions development strategy to the UNFCCC showcases its belief in the multilateral process to achieve net zero by 2070. 
• Call for Sustainable Lifestyles: India and Sweden head ‘The Leadership Group for Industry Transition’. With the ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ movement, India shows that convenient actions are the only way possible and that India’s sustainable lifestyles are the way forward.
• Committed Actions: India is also unprecedentedly focused on providing basic services such as pucca housing, round-the-clock electricity, clean drinking water, universal health insurance, and clean cooking gas.
  • These are remarkable steps in the fight against climate change.

What Are the Challenges India Faces in Mitigating Climate Change?

• Technological Limitations: 

  • It impacts the development and implementation of effective climate change policies. 
    • While renewable energy technologies have advanced rapidly in recent years, carbon capture and storage technologies that could help mitigate emissions from existing infrastructure are still in the early stages of development and face technical challenges.
    • As per the World Economic Forum, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to the fight against climate change. Existing AI systems include tools that predict weather, track icebergs and identify pollution. AI can also be used to improve agriculture and reduce its environmental impact.

• High Reliance on the Use of Coal: 

  • India is trying to meet its NDCs with clear long-term policies that promote renewable energy, but its heavy reliance on coal, along with oil and gas, is still meeting its growing energy needs.
    • Coal is the most essential and abundant fossil fuel in India, accounting for 55% of the country’s energy needs. 
    • As per the International Energy Agency, in 2022, with an annual production of 310 million tonnes and imports of almost 25 million tonnes, coal will provide one-third of the energy supply in India. 

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• Climate Finance: 

  • Transitioning to a low-carbon economy requires substantial investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, infrastructure, and sustainable land use practices.
    • India needs substantial climate finance by 2050 to achieve its ambitious sustainability goals. An estimated US$10.1 trillion will be required to reach net zero by 2070 (World Bank).

• Difficulty in Prediction: 

  • Climate change is a multifaceted phenomenon, including greenhouse gas emissions, land use changes, industrial activities, and natural processes and their interconnectedness, which makes it difficult to predict the nature and impact of climate change.

• Overexploitation of Natural Resources: 

  • It has been clear that the problem of climate change in India results from developed countries’ overexploitation of natural resources. 
    • The US accounts for 27% of the world’s excess material use, followed by the EU (25%). 
    • Other rich countries, such as Australia, Canada, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, collectively contributed 22%. Due to resource overuse, China has also exceeded its sustainability limit by 15%.
    • Over the same period, 58 countries representing 3.6 billion people, including India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh, stayed within their sustainability limits. 

• A Balancing Dilemma: 

  • Balancing economic development with environmental sustainability is a delicate task for policymakers, especially in India and countries heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
    • As per the World Bank, climate change could push more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030 by disrupting agriculture and fueling the spread of malaria and other diseases.
      • Socio-economic Concern: Vulnerable populations, such as low-income communities, indigenous peoples, and small island nations, face the severe impact of climate change effects. 

Way Forward to Climate Change Mitigation in India

• Regulation on Coal Usage: Coal, a major player in India’s energy sector, needs to be regulated. A shift towards green energy must be made to assist India in its renewable energy conversion goal. 
• Sustainable Management of Forests: Forests that are carbon sinks (help in Carbon sequestration) need sustainable management from cooperative efforts of local communities and government. 
  • Carbon sequestration also provides multiple benefits, such as biodiversity conservation, soil fertility improvement, water security, livelihood support, and disaster risk reduction.
• Long-term Targeted Policies: Financial, political, and policy leadership lies at the bottom of all the recommendations for climate change policy for India. Policies and actions should be taken while considering their long-term impacts.
  • Policymakers must develop policies addressing socio-economic disparities and ensuring equitable outcomes.
• A Collaborative Effort: Regional, state, national, and global involvements are the most effective keys for India to meet its aspirations of a climate-resilient planet and achieve long-term sustainable growth.
• Encouraging Innovation: Integrating technology-driven solutions such as remote sensing, IoT devices, and AI-based analytics can help combat climate challenges by maintaining the appropriate data and its computation.
  • Example: The Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture (DiCRA) platform, launched by the United Nations Development Programme and the Telangana government, uses Artificial Intelligence to improve food systems and security. 
    • The platform provides farmers with crucial data and analytics to combat the impact of climate change on their crops and livestock, enhancing their resilience and securing their livelihoods.
• Incorporate Climate Parameters into Tax Devolution Formula: The 16th Finance Commission can incorporate climate vulnerability and emission intensity as key parameters in the tax devolution formula.
  • It must become a key player in India’s climate readiness by aligning economic growth with environmental imperatives, supporting clean energy initiatives, and addressing regional climate challenges.
• More Investment: While reducing emissions is critical, it is equally important that we invest in technologies and infrastructure to help communities adapt to the crisis already at hand.
  • This is especially true for vulnerable communities in developing countries that are in dire need of investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as drought-resistant crops, flood protection systems, and early warning systems for extreme weather events.

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Conclusion

India recognises that development and environment are two sides of the same coin and must be considered together for holistic development. To solve a global problem like climate change, the world needs to believe in the age-old Indian ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’—One Earth, One World, and One Future.