The Road from Paris: India’s Progress Towards its Climate Pledge report

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), India has achieved and even exceeds the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in its annual review of India’s actions on climate change, has set a goal for India to reduce and achieve emissions of 33-35% of GDP from 2005 levels to 2030 and it is likely to be achieved. However, the review report “The Road from Paris: India’s Progress Towards its Climate Pledge? report states that there is still some work to be done towards the goal of creating carbon sink.

Highlights

India, like the Paris talks six years ago, is the key to success in global climate negotiations starting next week in Glasgow, according to the NRDC report. Since the Paris Agreement in the year 2015, the world has made climate goals progress especially with the unprecedented expansion of renewable energy, but that is not enough. The Earth is already 1.2 degrees Celsius than before the Industrial Revolution. Warm, as the new UN Emissions Gap Report warns, the country quickly became dramatic and decarbonisation accelerated this century.

According to the report an additional 0.5 degrees Celsius temperature rise can have devastating consequences for millions of people globally, with immeasurable loss of biodiversity. At 1.5 degrees Celsius, about 420 million less people are exposed to extreme heat waves and 65 million less people are exposed to abnormal heat waves, which is serious, compared to the temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius. 61 million fewer people will be exposed to the heat wave.

Role of India

According to the report, India will play a vital role in the containment of greenhouse gases in the future, while millions are already suffering from extreme heat, drought and floods, so there is a need for large-scale climate adaptation. With most of the country’s infrastructure still under construction and future energy supplies in place, India has the opportunity to establish a low-carbon development paradigm for other developing countries.

Each year, NRDC publish an overview of India’s actions on climate change. Regarding the climate protection measures taken by India, the ratio of installed capacity from renewable energy sources increased to 26% in the month of August 2021.

To support the transition to clean energy, India is planning a hydrogen mission where existing hydrogen end users such as refineries and fertilizer plants will use green hydrogen as natural gas for CNG users and fuel for long-distance vehicles. As part of Phase II of the Faster Recruitment and Manufacturing Program for Fame (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles, India holds 100 billion rupees to promote electric mobility in public transport. According to the report, it provided charging infrastructure for fleets, four-wheeled vehicles, tricycles, dedicated two-wheeled vehicles and electric vehicles.

In the month of August 2021, India pledged to ratify the Kigali Amendment, a global agreement to phase out climate-harmful fluorocarbons commonly used in refrigerators and insulating foams. India continues to be a major international player in making great strides in its climate change efforts, building ambitions and building a low-carbon future.