India's Updated NDC

Table of Contents

India’s Updated NDC: Why in News?

India has formally updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to fight climate change.
India confirmed the same to the United Nations as well.
Earlier on August 31, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav while addressing the G20 Environmental & Climate ministerial meeting in Bali, shared that India increased its forest covers, allocated fianance for cliamte change and more.

India’s Updated NDC: Background

At COP26 held in Glasgow, UK, in Novemebr 2021, India strengthened its commitment to climate action by presenting to the world, the five nectar elements (Panchamrit).
This update to India’s existing NDC translates the ‘Panchamrit’ announced at COP26 into enhanced climate targets, after carefully considering national circumstances and the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

India’s Updated NDC: What is India’s Updated NDC?

India has pledged that it will reduce the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 45% from 2005 levels by the year 2030.
Also, it will have an installed capacity for non-fossil fuel-based power sources equivalent to the country’s 50% requirement by 2030.
Further, the updates NDC includes adoption of mass movement for ‘LIFE’– ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ and more in addition to its NDC submitted in 2015.

India’s Updated NDC: What is a NDC?

An NDC, or Nationally Determined Contribution, is a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts.
Each Party to the Paris Agreement is required to establish an NDC and update it every five years.
NDCs are where countries set targets for mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for causing climate change and for adapting to climate impacts.
It defines how to reach the targets, and elaborate systems to monitor and verify progress so it stays on track.
Since climate finance is key to implementing the plans, NDCs ideally also detail a financing strategy.
In accordance with Article 4, paragraph 12 of the Paris Agreement, NDCs communicated by Parties shall be recorded in a public registry maintained by the secretariat. This is called a Nationally Determined Contributions Registry.

India’s Updated NDC: Why update the NDC targets?

The Paris agreement requires countries to update their NDCs every five years.
However, the large gap between the emissions cuts required to limit global warming to 1.5°C and the emissions reductions currently planned, the Glasgow Climate Pact in November 2021 called on all countries to revisit and strengthen the targets in their NDCs in 2022.

India’s Updated NDC: India Updates its First Nationally Determined Contribution

India submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on October 2, 2015, which is now its first NDC under the Paris Agreement.
It has now officially communicated an update to its existing NDC for the period upto 2030.
India’s NDC do not bind it to any sector specific mitigation obligation or action. India’s goal is to reduce overall emission intensity and improve energy efficiency of its economy over time and at the same time protecting the vulnerable sectors of economy and segments of our society.

India’s Updated NDC: India’s existing + updated NDC

This update to India’s exisiting NDC is a step forward towards our long term goal of reaching net-zero by 2070. The updated communication for the period up to 2030, is as follows:

To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation, including through a mass movement for ‘LIFE’– ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ as a key to combating climate change [ UPDATED].
To adopt a climate friendly and a cleaner path than the one followed hitherto by others at corresponding level of economic development.
To reduce Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030, from 2005 level [UPDATED].
To achieve about 50% 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) [UPDATED].
To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
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.
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.
To build capacities, create 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.