Indian Initiatives to Combat the Effects of Climate Change

India and Climate Change

India, which accounts for 4.1 percent of global emissions and is the third largest carbon-emitting country in the world. India plays a very vital role in the international climate change negotiations.

Being a signatory to all the international environmental agreements and especially the recent Paris Climate Change Agreement, India has launched a number of initiatives at the national level to adhere to its targets and to adapt to climate change effects.

India’s INDC Targets

As per the INDC document deposited with UNFCCC, India is committed to engaging actively in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC in a positive, creative and forward-looking manner. The country’s objective is to establish an effective, cooperative and equitable global architecture based on climate justice and the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities, under the UNFCCC.

1. To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation.
2. To adopt a climate friendly and a cleaner path than the one followed hitherto by others at the corresponding level of economic development.
3. To reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level.
4. To achieve about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance including from Green Climate Fund (GCF).
5. To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent through the additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
6. To better adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly agriculture, water resources, Himalayan region, coastal regions, health and disaster management.
7. To mobilize domestic and new & additional funds from developed countries to implement the above mitigation and adaptation actions in view of the resource required and the resource gap.
8. To build capacities, create a domestic framework and international architecture for quick diffusion of cutting-edge climate technology in India and for joint collaborative R&D for such future technologies.