By Kaushiki Singh
Climate change is the biggest challenge that all countries are facing today. In this race of rapid development and “modernity”, we are taking our environment for granted and its repercussions are clearly visible now. Poor air quality, water crisis, growing epidemics, loss of biodiversity, are just a few consequences of climate change, but their impact on humans and wildlife is tremendous.
However, experiencing its adverse impact, almost all nations advocate for global action to tackle climate change based on cooperation and sustainability. Countries are seeking global alliances to maximize their efforts for sustainable growth. India is no less behind.
INDIA AND AGENDA 2030
Being a developing nation, India has the dual responsibility of achieving its economic growth on one hand and ensuring the fulfillment of sustainable development goals on the other. Agenda 2030 for sustainable development goals, adopted in 2015 by all UN member states, points to the 17 SDGs, targeting 169 nations and providing a comprehensive framework for all the developmental policies to be formulated. India, being the second most populous nation, holds a lot of potential for contributing towards Agenda 2030, especially focusing on the issue of climate change (goal 13).
SDG 13 specifically aims to inculcate environment-friendly strategies into national policies. This includes advocating for green technology, cleaner fuels and ensuring behavioral change for sustainable consumption of natural resources.
When talking about India’s performance on climate change, Niti Ayog came up with the SDG India Index 2018 that serves as a single measurable index, its latest edition covering 16 out of 17 SDGs and evaluating progress in all these spheres. According to its fourth report (latest edition), India has shown considerable improvement in achieving its target of a composite score of 57 in 2018 to 71 in the year 2023-2024. This significant stride is more pronounced in poverty reduction, decent work and economic growth and climate change.
Moreover, India has shown a tremendous increase in forest cover and ranks third globally in average annual net grain in forest area (2010-2020). Now let’s deep dive into India’s current policies towards climate change along with balancing its economic growth.
INDIA’S STAND ON SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE COMMITMENTS
Before discussing the measures taken for sustainable growth, it’s important to talk about the governing body in India that makes laws pertaining to these issues and supervises its implementation and regulates emission targets. First and foremost is that the NITI aayog, together with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, work together to develop indicators reflecting SDG targets. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, setting mandates for various departments for implementing environmental quality standards, specifically works on Goal 13 (climate change). One example is the National Environment Policy 2006.
In the next decades, India will experience a profound increase in urbanization that will ultimately pose increased climate risk. To combat this problem, the nation calls for policies focusing on leveraging synergies between developmental activities and climate outcomes. The idea was first reflected in the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) of 2008, which was further reinforced under the 12th five-year Plan. The measures were taken to promote economic development along with reaping secondary climate benefits. Projects under NAPCC include the National Solar Mission, National Mission for enhanced energy efficiency, National Mission for green India, National Mission on sustainable habitat, National water mission, National Mission for sustainable agriculture, National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystems and National mission on strategic knowledge on climate change.
Now shifting our focus towards what all measures are being taken in order to promote this co-benefit framework of economic development with sustainability, the important theme pertains to renewable energy generation and fulfilling net-zero carbon target. The very first challenge for India is to transform its energy landscape through balancing its carbon emissions with growing energy demands of its population. According to statistics, there has been a five-fold increase in India’s renewable energy capacity from 24 GW in 2014-15 to 136 GW in 2024-25, Non-fossil fuel based capacity increased from 78 GW for the year 2014-15 to 199 GW in 2024-25. India is taking huge strides in fulfilling its 2030 targets by already meeting its 50% of non-fossil fuel goal, setting a target of 500 GW for non-fossil fuel based power capacity by 2030. Moreover India has been successful in reducing its emissions by 40% when compared with 2005 level.
For decarbonization, current initiatives focus on creating a systematic demand for energy transition. This is facilitated by smooth access to green power, imposing renewable purchase obligations on industries, instilling market-based emissions trading systems, and blending biofuels, along with providing fiscal assistance for developing new and cleaner technologies that include green hydrogen, offshore power etc. Additionally, India is also seeking nuclear energy to avail decarbonized base load power, with the aim of tripling the current capacity (22,480 MW) by 2031-32.
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, energy transition is evident by promoting electric vehicles, electrifying railways and promoting biofuels. Through the National Policy of Biofuels by the government, it instructs oil companies for 20% ethanol extracted from agricultural inputs, to be blended into petrol by 2030. Simultaneously, Indian railways are vigorously working to attain net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 by adopting technologies like head-on generation technology, LED lighting in coaches and focusing on afforestation.
The Government of India is actively promoting green hydrogen as an energy source for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and aims to make the nation a global hub for its production and usage. The need emerges from the fact that there exist many industries (hard-to-abate) having high carbon footprints like steel, cement, aviation and maritime. With the usage of green hydrogen, it would also reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation. The National Green hydrogen mission, launched with a total outlay of INR 19, 744 crore, formulates a comprehensive framework to develop the green hydrogen ecosystem. The major objective includes building the capacity to produce 5 MMT of GH per annum by 2030.
India’s performance in the energy transition deserves a special mention because it has surpassed its commitment made during the 21st Conference of the parties (Paris Summit) by generating 40% of its energy sources from non fossil fuel sources. India also has a significant geographical advantage in developing solar and wind power. It has emerged as a global player in the solar revolution by increasing solar capacity at a CAGR of 36.5% over 11 years. Under the Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega solar power projects of 2014, 10,237 GW of capacity of solar projects has already been developed. Remarkable progress is also evident in wind power where India stands fourth largest in the world (46.42 GW of installed capacity).
INDIA AND GLOBAL ALLIANCES
Not only in-house, but India has successfully emerged as a global player in combating climate risks by joining hands with other nations and working on the principle of joint efforts and cooperation. During India’s G20 presidency of 2023, the theme, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” , meaning one earth, one family, one future, itself is a testimony of advocating global solidarity for a sustainable and inclusive future. The G20 was also an important step for India in emerging as the voice for the Global South and its inclusion in the pursuit of a low-carbon resilient world. Within these discourses emerged India’s mission Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) to call for a global grassroots movement to shift from wasteful consumption to purposeful utilization and safeguarding the environment.
The bilateral ties between India and the United States cannot be ignored in the field of sustainability and how these nations, through their joint efforts, have been successful in reducing climate change risks. Both the United States and India have shared mutual agreements over clean energy priorities like Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral dialogue and I2U2. The Next major step can be seen between Washington and New Delhi by signing the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP), reflecting their joint commitment to clean energy. Through this, both nations have successfully created a burgeoning energy trade by which it reduced India’s dependence on fossil fuels and simultaneously fulfilled Washington’s interest. Recent expansion of SCEP could be seen in the signing of the US-India Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP), launched by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden. Its major aim would be to execute clean energy deployment programs that would be efficient for a large nation like India.
Another major global initiative includes the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 2019 United Nations Climate action summit. It’s a global partnership of 31 countries, six international organizations and two private sector institutions. CDRI aims to develop infrastructure with respect to the changing climatic scenarios including disasters and other major risks. The idea is that through effective governance, increased resilience of infrastructure can be helpful in safeguarding the gains made in poverty reduction, health and education, sanitation etc. IRIS (Infrastructure for Resilient Island states ) is an initiative under CDRI , launched by India, Fiji, Australia, Jamaica, United Kingdom and Mauritius, to provide technical assistance to small Island developing states in order to promote sustainable infrastructure in these regions.
Yet another important step towards sustainability is the International solar Alliance. India and France together launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) at the 21st Conference of the Parties in 2015. However in 2018, 40 countries joined the ISA treaty and currently the membership expanded to 116. The agreement works to develop human and institutional capacity in the member countries for smooth transition to solar power. India herself has invested in a Payment Guarantee Facility (PGF), financing many projects under ISA for African nations.
In order to promote Nature Based Solutions (NbS), India has implemented many initiatives like MGNREGS, Green India mission, National Afforestation Program, National Bamboo Mission and many more. Carbon offsets are emerging as a crucial tool in sustainable growth and India is one of the leading nations in producing and exporting carbon credits in the world. The government has further promoted carbon markets through initiatives like setting up of a domestic carbon market, under the Carbon Credit Trading scheme 2023.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, we see India, besides working for its economic development, contributes immensely in the protection of the environment. The major focus is development with sustainability that reduces the risks of climate change and simultaneously serves towards development goals. India has emerged as a major force in steering the world’s attention to address the cause of climate change and work on global cooperation for combating it. India, being successfully surpassing its climate commitments reflects its expertise and dedication towards the environment and its growing importance in global affairs. Even though a huge advancement is made on Indian Landscape to minimize its negative impact, there is still a long way ahead for sustainable growth that is just and equitable for all the sections of its population.
REFERENCE
- https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2032857
- Niti Ayog; “SDG India Index: Baseline report 2018”.
- Sami N. Singh C & Bazaz A.; “Climate change policy in India and goal 13”.
- https://www.indiawrites.org/india-and-the-world/indias-leadership-in-promoting-environmentally-responsible-and-sustainable-development/
- ReNew; “ India’s Global Leadership on Climate Change”.