India unveils climate target to cut energy intensity

Minister Javadekar emphasized that the most important component of India’s climate commitment is the emissions intensity reduction target of 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level.

India made the pledge to cut emissions intensity – the amount of pollution per dollar of GDP – as part of its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs, in a document published on a United Nations website early Friday.

It has also pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40 per cent by 2030 while also agreeing to enhance its forest cover which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for global warming by 2030.

“India’s strong climate plan offers a comprehensive approach to curb the worst impacts of climate change”, said Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts on environment sustainability, the Union government on Friday unveiled its climate action plan for 2021-2030 setting new targets to reduce green house gas emissions and laying out a roadmap to tackle climate change.

India, the world’s third-largest polluter, submitted on Thursday the necessary documents that would detail their plan to reduce their carbon emission by as much as 35 percent.

India’s plan balances the need for a low-carbon future with the need to lift millions out of poverty and industrialise quickly, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

“India would like to do its part, but it is actually grappling with trying to find solutions”, renewable energy expert Jigar Shah said during a talk hosted by Climate Nexus last month.

India said its submission represented highest possible efforts as evident from multiple initiatives undertaken by the government and added that it reserves the right to make additional submissions on INDC as and when required.

With the world’s top three emissions producers – China, India and the USA – now committed to significant emissions cuts, the United Nations climate change summit in Paris looks set to succeed.

It says it aims to generate 40% of electricity from non-fossil fuel sources, mainly solar and wind.

India also called on industrialized nations to help the country finance its transition to clean energy, saying the move to renewable and other sources will cost at least $2.5 trillion by 2030.

“We want to walk our own sustainable development path”. “The report also projects the economic damage and losses in India from climate change to be around 1.8% of its GDP annually by 2050”.

Developed countries have argued that fast emerging economies like China and India will have to step up to the plate for a meaningful climate agreement.

Reuben Muni, a climate and energy campaigner for the Philippines from the environmental group Greenpeace, criticized the conditional nature of Manila’s offer and said the country could start by cutting its heavy reliance on coal for power generation.