India to focus on tech transfer, climate financing at next global meet: Dave

Environment Minister says only $2 bn is currently available within the $10 bn committed to Green Climate Fund

Technology transfer and climate financing will be India’s focus areas of discussion when the global community meets in Marrakesh, Morocco, next month, to discuss the progress of the landmark Paris Treaty, which sets targets for reducing carbon emissions.

It is in the interest of all developing nations that India must demand these measures, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said on Saturday. He added that only $2 billion is currently available of the $10 billion that has been committed to the Green Climate Fund. The fund proposes to channelise an ambitious $100 billion in annual climate financing by the developed economies. These funds will help nations work on fulfilling their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), which aim to reduce carbon emissions through a host of solutions. However, Dave said India has already completed 12 per cent of all pre- 2020 INDC targets. As part of its INDC plans, India had promised to bring down its emissions intensity, or emissions per unit of gross domestic product, by at least 33 per cent by the year 2030, as compared to 2005 levels. It had also said that at least 40 per cent of its electricity generated in 2030 would come from non-fossil fuel sources. Another promise India made was to create an additional carbon sink of about 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes by creating more forest and tree cover.

Now, the country is set to focus on climate justice and sustainable lifestyles to reduce the effects of climate change at the 22nd Conference of Parties set to be held between 7-18 November in Marrakesh.

Dave said these will help take the climate change agenda forward from Paris where countries committed to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions to keep the rise in global temperatures below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

India will formally submit its ratification papers to the United Nations on Saturday after the Cabinet approved it earlier this week. Also on Saturday, Environment ministers from European Union nations approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement. The decision is expected to be formally adopted by the European Parliament in the coming week.

While the country had earlier argued that operational difficulties such as changing environmental rules would not permit it to ratify the Paris deal by the end of 2016, Dave said that no laws needed to be changed.

So far, 61 countries, accounting for almost 48 per cent of global emissions have ratified the deal. The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, representing at least 55 per cent of global emissions have ratified it.

Regarding another global deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by the aviation sector, currently under discussion in Montreal, Dave said India was sticking to its stance of allowing developing nations to be exempted till 2028 or 2030.

The International Civil Aviation Organization, an agency of the United Nations, has come up with a draft proposal that aims to cap emissions from international flights at 2020 levels.

The government had said earlier this week that it is unfair to exempt developing economies like India only till 2024 as the potential of aviation growth is currently on the cusp of real growth.