On 1st November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2070, at the COP26 Glasgow Summit. Also announced the five-point climate 'panchamrit', or pledge.
Background
Scientists have said that in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the world needs to:1 halve global carbon emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
Net zero means:
The amount of carbon being emitted (from industries, automobiles, etc.) =The amount of carbon being sequestered (absorbed) by nature (like forests, wetlands).
Following the Paris Climate Agreement, nations set targets for reducing carbon emissions.The reductions are calculated as percentages of GDP compared to a base year (different for different nations).CO₂ Emissions in 2018 United States top the environmental polluting list with 10 billion tonnes after that China comes with 5.41 billion tonnes then India comes at 3rd spot with 2.65 billion tonnes.
India is currently the world's third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the US. India has the lowest per capita emissions of the world's major economies - emitting 5 percent of the total, despite accounting for 17 percent of the world's population.
India's logic so far, against "net zero"
It is more important, how much carbon you are going to put in the atmosphere before reaching net zero.The United States, Britain and the European Union have set a target date of 2050 to reach net zero. During this time, the United States will release 92 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere and the EU 62 gigatons.
China and Saudi Arabia have both set targets of 2060, but these largely meaningless without tangible action now.China would have added a staggering 450 gigatons by its net zero target date.
Net zero targets assume that:
all the carbon that is already circulating in the atmosphere all the carbon that will be emitted by fossil fuels= can be safely and effectively sequestered.
Critics ask, even if you assume that carbon can be sequestered-where is the land? Hence, India held that the current pathway to reducing emissions and access to climate finance was more important.
Then why did India shift to net zero now?
Under the Paris Agreement, countries that submitted carbon cutting plans under the 2015 treaty were to provide updates five years later, by the end of 2020. India is the only major economy not to have not done
India had committed to cutting the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33% to 35% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
PM Modi's net zero announcement now is likely to be formalised in a revised plan.
India's pledge now
The net-zero by 2070 commitment was supported with four near-term targets (to be achieved by 2030):
1. India would increase its non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 GW.
2. Increase the share of renewables in the energy mix to 50%.
3. Reduce the emissions intensity of its economy by 45%.
4. Reduce emissions by one billion tonnes of CO₂.
PM Modi called for a new financial target of $1 trillion, money that the developed countries would provide the developing countries.Thus, India gave support to the Africa Group's demand for $1 trillion in climate finance.
Developed countries have historically emitted the most carbon during the industrial revolution, hence it is their moral responsibility to provide climate finance.
Continued India's traditional diplomatic support for 0th developing nations.
The way ahead
•India's renewable energy capacity is fourth in the world.
• 25% increase in renewable energy capacity in the last four years.
• India's railway system has promised to reach net zero by 2030.
• This alone will reduce 60 million tonnes of emissions.
• India also has launched institutional solutions at the global level: 150, CDRI.
The PM (along with UK and Australia PMs) will launch the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) initiative aimed at island nations and developing countries.Will also witness the launch of the global Green Grids Initiative.
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