India submits new climate action pledges to UN agency, sets out conditions for fulfilling them

India committed in its submission that “with the help of technology transfer and low-cost international financing”, by 2035, 60% of its cumulative installed electricity capacity will come from non-fossil fuel energy; by 2035, the emission intensity (emissions per unit of GDP) will be reduced by 47% compared with 2005; by 2035, through forest and tree cover, create a carbon sink of 3.5 to 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent based on 2005.In addition to these three quantified goals, India has proposed five other points in the document submitted on April 24, including efforts to mobilize domestic funds as well as new and additional funds from developed countries to implement adaptation and mitigation actions; spread healthy and sustainable lifestyles; build capacity; align with the vision of “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) 2047; strengthen investment in development projects in sectors vulnerable to climate change, especially agriculture, water resources, Himalayas, coastal areas, health and disaster management, to better adapt to climate change.In its submission, India pointed out the conditions for fulfilling its climate commitments and said: “Developing countries’ nationally determined contributions largely depend on the availability of adequate means of implementation, particularly finance, technology transfer and capacity building.“Without adequate funding, technical cooperation and capacity-building, these conditional commitments cannot be delivered, leading to ambition gaps and undermining the collective goals of the Paris Agreement.”India also clarified in its document that the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution does not commit the country to any specific emission reduction obligations across sectors, including agriculture. “The goal is to reduce the overall emissions intensity of the economy, including by promoting the deployment of clean energy and improving energy efficiency, while protecting vulnerable sectors and communities,” the report said.India also tried to remind rich countries to fulfill their obligations, saying that developed countries have obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement to provide financial, technological and capacity-building support to address climate change.“In turn, India needs an equitable share of these resources and support to advance its climate goals. Effective implementation of India’s Nationally Determined Contributions depends on additional support from developed countries, such as financial resources, technology transfer and capacity building, in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement,” the document said.Countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions are non-binding voluntary climate action commitments submitted every five years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. India submitted its first Nationally Determined Contribution against the 2030 target in 2015 and subsequently updated it in 2022.India on both occasions put forward the necessary conditions to remind the UN body of developed countries’ commitment to support developing countries, including India, in achieving their climate action goals. However, the country has fulfilled some of its commitments and is expected to meet the rest through domestic financing.As of February 28, India’s non-fossil fuel electricity capacity accounted for more than 52.5% of total installed capacity, while its GDP emissions intensity fell by 36% between 2005 and 2020.“India is also expected to create additional carbon sinks of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 through forests and tree cover. Between 2005 and 2021, an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent was created,” India said in its submission.Highlighting the country’s priorities, the document said, “India aims to achieve its ambitious goals of universal access to services such as water, sanitation, waste management, affordable housing, electricity, etc., in line with short- and medium-term goals set by the government’s current initiatives, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”