At the recent CoP26 global climate conference in Glasgow, leaders committed to various measures to slow down climate change. These include halting deforestation by 2030 and significantly reducing methane emissions. In a separate announcement, India stated its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070. This ambitious target forms part of a five-point action plan, which also aims to reduce emissions by 50% come 2030.
The Methane Pledge: A Crucial Step Towards Climate Justice
The Methane Pledge is a pioneering initiative by the European Union and the US to drastically cut down emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By achieving this commitment, approximately a 0.2 degrees Celsius slowdown in global warming can be expected. Under this pledge, the alliance of nations aims to decrease global methane emissions by 30% from the 2020 levels by 2030.
More than 103 countries, including major methane emitters like Nigeria and Pakistan, have joined the pledge initiated by the EU and the US. The alliance now accounts for two-thirds of the global economy. However, China, Russia, and India have yet to join, while Australia has chosen not to back the pledge.
Methane: An Environmental Concern
Although methane is short-lived in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it is 80 times as potent in warming the earth. Human activities such as deforestation are contributing to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is because forests that used to absorb roughly 30% of carbon dioxide emissions are being chopped down, according to the World Resources Institute. Other human sources of methane include landfills, oil and natural gas systems, agricultural activities, coal mining, and certain industrial processes.
The Deforestation Pledge: A Stand to Preserve Forests
Over 100 national leaders have committed to stop and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030. This pledge is supported by $19 billion from public and private funds allocated for forest protection and restoration. WRI’s Global Forest Watch reports that the world lost an area larger than the United Kingdom in forest coverage in 2020. This new agreement greatly expands a previous commitment made by 40 countries as part of the 2014 New York Declaration of Forests.
India’s Call for Increased Climate Finance
In the conference, India argued that the current levels of climate finance, decided in 2009 at $100 billion, are insufficient to address climate change. Instead, India proposed that this figure should be raised to at least $1 trillion. In addition, India emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation over global competition and trade wars to tackle the challenges faced by developing countries.
India’s Infrastructure for Resilient Island States Initiative
As part of its efforts to combat climate change, India introduced an initiative focused on building capacity and implementing pilot projects in small island developing states (SIDS). The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will provide these states with valuable information about cyclones, coral-reef monitoring, and coastline monitoring through satellite.
The One Sun One World One Grid Group Initiative
The One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) is a joint initiative by India and the United Kingdom. It aims to tap into solar energy, facilitating its seamless transfer across borders. The initiative includes a group of governments called the Green Grids Initiative (GGI), which seeks to accelerate infrastructure and market reforms necessary for the global energy transition.
According to the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the global solar grid will be implemented in three phases. It will start with interconnecting the ‘Indian Grid’ with grids from the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. After this, it will connect with African power pools, before finally achieving a global interconnection for OSOWOG’s vision in the third phase.
