Sustainable transport to find way into national climate action plan

In a move aimed at formalising its efforts to decarbonise the highly polluting transport sectors, the Centre will add a mission for “sustainable transport” in its National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC), it is learnt. 

This will be the first inclusion of a new mission in the NAPCC in over a decade. And with this, India will join the European Union, a few developed nations, and African nations, which have similar programmes.

  The new mission would address vehicular emissions and develop green policies in the transport sector to achieve net-zero targets, said three officials who did not wish to be named. The plan, being prepared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Morth) as the nodal body, would be divided into various sub-sectors like road transport, railways, ports, shipping, and civil aviation.

  “Morth has been working on the mission for two years. The document was not approved so far. It is now updating the document with the latest data for 2030 and beyond,” said one of the officials cited earlier. Sectoral allocations regarding the contributions of the transport sector will be determined by the apex committee.

  “The framework will allow greener transport solutions to offset emissions from legacy polluting sectors like road transport, enabling the country to meet its broader targets,” added another official. The road transport sector’s strategy will focus on emission standards and reductions, including new standards like BS-VII, besides higher proliferation of alternative fuels and electric vehicles (EVs).

  Road transport is the largest contributor to pollution in the country, accounting for 12 per cent of India’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and contributing significantly to urban air pollution. Among all transportation modes in India, road transport is expected to take the longest to become carbon-neutral. 

At present, there is no internationally agreed net-zero plan for this sector. 

  “For other transport sectors, the plan will broadly align with existing international standards — like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for aviation. For shipping, the International Maritime Organization has already agreed on a net-zero framework, guiding the ports ministry's efforts in the area,” one of the officials said.

  Under current frameworks, the international shipping and aviation sectors aim to transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. The ICAO intends to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5 per cent by 2030 through use of cleaner energy. It is also exploring the Carbon Offsetting and Mitigation Scheme for International Aviation, a market-based measure for offsetting any increase in carbon dioxide emissions beyond a baseline level. The shipping industry plans to impose the first global carbon levy on vessels. 

Shifting the movement of people and goods from road transport to greener modes like railways will also be part of this mission.  The Ministry of Railways has set a target to become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030, mainly through the electrification of  operations and adding renewable energy to its core power source.

  Queries sent to the secretaries and spokespersons of Morth and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) remained unanswered till press time.

  Launched in 2008, the NAPCC outlines eight national missions to mitigate and adapt to adverse effects of climate change, covering areas like solar energy, water management, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, and sustainable agriculture. 

The draft action plan on transport has been circulated to the line ministries and comments are currently awaited. A meeting was held last week to ensure feedback from all relevant departments, said an official. The plan would be submitted to the MoEFCC for review, where it will be examined for alignment with expectations. The final document will serve as a broader guideline for future green policies in the transport sector, the official added.   

THE CONTOURS 

- The mission aims to decarbonise the transport sector, targeting net-zero emissions

 

- The plan, being prepared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, will be divided into various sub-sectors like road transport, railways, ports, shipping, and civil aviation

  - The final plan will be reviewed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change