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As developed nations trail, India a beacon of hope on climate change

Oct 28, 2023 01:37 PM IST

In a unique initiative, India launched the LiFE movement (Lifestyle for Environment) — a people-centric programme to combat climate change by promoting a healthy, consumption and sustainable lifestyle using a circular economy approach

The 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, which is the 28th Conference of Parties (COP), will be held in November/December 2023 in Dubai. With climate change impact exponentially increasing, there is much expectation, especially from those countries in the Global South, that developed countries will deliver on their promises under the UN Framework Convention (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The developed countries, on the other hand, do not want any impact on their economic growth or energy requirements and are using every opportunity to dilute their commitments under these agreements. They are seeking to pass their commitments on to major developing economies, thereby shirking their historical responsibilities.

The latest statistics are unanimous that no developed country in G20 is on course to meet their 2030 Paris commitments on mitigation (AP Photo)
The latest statistics are unanimous that no developed country in G20 is on course to meet their 2030 Paris commitments on mitigation (AP Photo)

Having participated in climate change negotiations in Geneva from 1993 and after seeing many COPs since, it amazes me how developed countries pay scant regard to their abysmal track record littered with broken promises and their inability to meet targets for mitigation, adaptation, financing or technology transfer.

COP28 in the UAE promises to be no different. The latest statistics are unanimous that no developed country in G20 is on course to meet their 2030 Paris commitments on mitigation. The latest to backtrack is the UK, saying that it imposes “unacceptable costs” on its people. But the unacceptable burden on the Global South seems acceptable to them. The non-fulfilment of a pledge to provide $100 billion per annum from 2020 onwards has only added to the woes. Money seems to be flowing to further fuel the Ukraine conflict rather than to save the planet. And financing for adaptation, which is crucial for small states, is also not forthcoming. Technology transfer is nowhere in sight.

Also Read: Cause and Effect | A controversial solution to climate change’s grand challenge

As against this scenario, India stands as a beacon of hope in combating climate change. This is not rhetoric. For one, India has set for itself robust targets for climate action. And on the ground, it is well on its way to meeting them, including its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets under the Paris Agreement. India’s climate action is acknowledged as fully compatible with Paris targets. Even more importantly, India has successfully continued decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC 6th report).

Thanks to proactive governmental and private sector response, India managed to achieve some of its targets well before 2030. This has enabled India to voluntarily revise some of its NDC targets upwards. Since India is achieving a reduction in emissions intensity of GDP by 33% to 35% well before 2030, it has upgraded its target to 45%. Similarly, in the non-fossil electrical installed capacity, since India has achieved 43.8% this year, exceeding the target of 40%, it has been enhanced to 50%.

In a unique initiative, India launched the LiFE movement (Lifestyle for Environment) — a people-centric programme to combat climate change by promoting a healthy, consumption and sustainable lifestyle using a circular economy approach. India has always called out “unsustainable production and consumption of the developed world that brings the entire planet to the threshold of the current climate and ecological crises”. However, the West is only seeking to perpetrate these unsustainable lifestyles, including through legitimising the use of fossil fuel for themselves through buying carbon credits or imposing a unilateral carbon tax on the Global South and making the latter pay for their excesses! The G20 endorsed LiFE in its recent summit.

India’s global efforts on climate action have been impactful. It has not only focused on global issues but also ensured domestic spinoffs such as lower costs and adoption of the latest technology. By locating the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Delhi, it was evident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only had the Global South in mind, for which India pledged lines of credit of $1.7 billion, but he also sought to make India a solar production hub. India’s private sector is stepping forward to reduce the cost of technology such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, green hydrogen, battery storage etc. In January 2023, India adopted the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of 19,744 crore to make the country a global hub for the production, usage and export of green hydrogen.

Further, responding to the global concern over loss and damage, especially due to infrastructure losses, India initiated the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in 2019 based in Delhi. It’s a partnership of national governments, UN agencies, MDBs, the private sector and others to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks.

Also Read: Failure to agree on Loss and Damage facility could risk progress at COP28

In a path-breaking effort, India launched the Global Biofuel Alliance during the G20 summit in Delhi in September 2023 with eight other countries, to expedite the uptake of biofuels globally through technology advancements and utilise sustainable biofuels. India has just achieved the blending of 12% ethanol with petrol.

The National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020, hydrogen fuel bus and car projects in Leh and Delhi, India’s first solar-powered ferry Aditya in Kerala and flying transport aircraft with blended bio-jet fuel vouch for India’s plans to turn from fossil fuel to green sources in the transport sector. Connecting science, technology and innovation with societal outcomes has driven our climate action across all sectors.

In February 2023, to enhance financial flows, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), strengthened the framework for green bonds by introducing “blue bonds” (ocean health) and yellow bonds (solar) and to avoid greenwashing of bonds by issuers.

Climate change negotiators have usually worked on the unwritten principle of “live and let live” to arrive at acceptable consensus global solutions. But the latest tactics of developed country negotiators seem to be along the lines of the title of the 1973 James Bond movie, Live and Let Die! India should stand firm to change this narrative.

TS Tirumurti was the ambassador, permanent representative of India to the UN (2021-22) and former climate change negotiator. The views expressed are personal.

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