19.10 ndian onom
(v) To create an additional carbon sink of
Indcs 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent
The INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined through additional forest and tree cover
Contributions) are plans by governments by 2030.
communicated to the UNFCCC regarding the (vi) To better adapt to climate change by
steps they will take to address climate change enhancing investments in development
domestically. As per the COP 19 decision (Warsaw programmes in sectors vulnerable to
2013), all Parties were requested to prepare their climate change, particularly agriculture,
INDCs, without prejudice to the legal nature of water resources, the Himalayan region,
the contributions towards achieving the objectives coastal regions, health and disaster
of the Convention and communicate well in management.
advance of COP 21. (vii) To mobilize domestic and new and
India’s INDC: India submitted its INDC to additional funds from developed
the UNFCCC by early October 2015. It is countries for implementing these
comprehensive and covers all elements, i.e. mitigation and adaptation actions in view
adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology and of the resources required and the resource
capacity building. India’s goal is to reduce the gap.
overall emission intensity and improve the energy (viii) To build capacities, create a domestic
efficiency of its economy over time. It also covers framework and an international
concerns to protect the vulnerable sectors and architecture for quick diffusion of
segments of its society. The highlights of India’s cutting-edge climate technology in India
INDC are as given below8: and for joint collaborative R&D for such
future technologies.
(i) To put forward and further propagate a
healthy and sustainable way of living based India’s Challenges and Efforts: India houses 30
on traditions and values of conservation per cent of the global poor, 24 per cent of global
and moderation. population without access to electricity, and 92
(ii) To adopt a climate friendly and cleaner million people without access to safe drinking
path than the one hitherto followed water. Coupled with its vulnerability in terms of
by others at a corresponding level of the impact of climate change, this entails that India
economic development. faces formidable and complex challenges in terms
of balancing the sustainable development agenda.
(iii) To reduce the emissions intensity of its
Given the challenges it faces, it has prepared an
GDP by 33 to 35 per cent of the 2005
ambitious plan in terms of clean energy, energy
level by 2030.
efficiency and lower emission intensity while
(iv) To achieve about 40 per cent cumulative addressing the critical issue of poverty and food
electric power installed capacity from security9—
non-fossil fuel- based energy resources (i) India’s INDC sets ambitious renewable
by 2030 with the help of transfer of energy targets mainly in terms of solar and
technology and low cost international wind energy. With a potential of more
finance including from the Green Climate
Fund (GCF). 9. Economic Survey 2016-17, Vol. 1 and Economic
Survey 2015-16, Vol. 2, Government of India, Ministry
8. Ibid., pp. 183–84. of Finance, N. Delhi.