India likely to miss Feb 10 deadline for NDC submission under Paris pact

These climate plans detail actions that countries intend to undertake every 5 years

India is expected to miss the February 10 deadline for submitting its third round of climate action plans under the Paris Agreement, and it is unlikely to significantly upgrade targets, according to sources. 

 

These climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), detail climate actions that countries intend to undertake every five years as mandated by the Paris Agreement. The upcoming round of NDCs is for the period 2030-2035. 

 

The Paris Agreement Implementation and Compliance Committee, following a meeting last year, requested nations to submit their 2035 NDCs by February 10. This is around nine months before the next annual global climate conference scheduled in Belem, Brazil.

 

So far, the UK, Brazil, the US, Switzerland, New Zealand, the UAE, and Uruguay — accounting for 16 per cent of global emissions — have submitted their complete plans among 198 member countries. 

 

Although the UN deadline is set for February 10, delays in NDC submissions are common.

 

In the previous NDC round, due in February 2020, only 48 countries had submitted plans by the end of the year. Most had submitted them by the Conference of the Parties 26 (COP26) in late 2021.--It's fine

 

Similarly, this time, India appears to be taking a cautious approach to developing its 2035 action plan. This became evident after the Baku COP failed to meet the expectations of developing nations regarding climate finance. There are no legal penalties for late submissions. According to sources, the submission is expected to occur in the second half of this year, before COP30.

 

Queries sent to the secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change went unanswered by the time of going to press.

 

COP29, which took place in Baku last December, mobilised a $300 billion climate finance commitment by 2035, which fell significantly short of the $1.3 trillion demanded by developing nations.

 

One source said, “Unfortunately, after the funding decisions made at the Baku COP last December, there may not be sufficient political momentum pushing for increased ambition. This suggests that while targets may exceed the current levels, they are unlikely to be very aggressive.” 

 

At the same time, the US’ withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty may cause ripples across global climate financing.

 

The source noted that having adequate financing is crucial to support and accelerate the transition. Without such financial support, nations will rely on their domestic resources, making it unreasonable to expect more ambitious targets.

 

Discussions are ongoing among concerned ministries regarding the inclusion of additional sectors to enhance the green transition and achieve net-zero targets by 2070. 

 

In its last NDC submission, India set goals to reduce emission intensity by 45 per cent from 2005 levels, ensuring that at least 50 per cent of its electricity generation comes from non-fossil fuels.

 

Increased forest cover is set to absorb an additional 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030. India is on track to meet these targets ahead of the deadline.

 

Adaptation finance may get focus 

 

An official said that there may be some mention of adaptation as in the previous NDC, but specific targets may be absent.

 

The Economic Survey called for a robust adaptation strategy for climate change.

 

According to the Survey, India spent 5.6 per cent of its GDP on climate adaptation in FY22. Experts emphasise that India should focus more on adaptation and increase investment in this area.

 

“In addition to setting targets for hydrogen and electric vehicles, India should elaborate on adaptation and highlight the financing aspects. NDCs should also encompass adaptation strategies related to agriculture, extreme weather events, urban adaptation, and heat waves,” said Chandra Bhushan, chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability, and Technology (iFOREST).

 

Aruna Sharma, a former Union steel secretary, said, “In India, regardless of the NDCs, the government is committed to a clean energy growth pathway. However, an updated NDC presents India with an opportunity to assert global climate leadership. This comes at a time when the US has stepped back and the European Union is in a state of political turmoil.” 

Climate pledges

 

> Reducing emission intensity by 45% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels

> Raising capacity of non-fossil fuel-based power generation to 500 Gw by 2030 

> Achieving net-zero emissions by 2070  

> Increasing investment in development programmes for sectors vulnerable to climate change