UPSC EDITORIAL ANALYSIS – The shape of a five-year climate agenda for India
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: The Hindu
• Prelims: Current events of international importance, COP, IPCC, G20 etc
• Mains GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional and global grouping and agreements involving India or affecting India’s interests, Important international institutions etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
• In K. Ranjitsinh and Ors. vs Union of India & Ors., the Supreme Court has upheld the right to ‘be free from the adverse effects of climate change’, identifying both the right to life and the right to equality as its sources.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
Supreme Court judgment on climate change:
India’s transformation
#### ● It has laid the foundation for global institutions such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
#### ● It shaped the Green Development Pact under its G-20 presidency last year.
#### ● India has started talking about bolder and more ambitious emission mitigation targets.
#### ○ The 2070 net-zero target and ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) are milestones.
#### ○ The net-zero goal has changed the debate domestically with various actors, policymakers and the private sector.
#### ● Sustainability-linked domestic economic policies: The creation of an Indian emissions carbon trading scheme, an institution that should operate for at least 30-40 years.
#### What steps need to be taken?
• Go higher: It is related to India’s global leadership. The country could host important international climate summits. To host the United Nations Conference of Parties in 2028, it would need to be as successful as the G-20 Presidency.
• The country could host important international climate summits.
• To host the United Nations Conference of Parties in 2028, it would need to be as successful as the G-20 Presidency.
• In global negotiations: India needs ‘the world to agree to no new investment in oil and gas after 2030’ as part of the decision text
• India needs big commitment on adaptation finance so that developing countries can shield themselves against increasing heat waves, storms, floods and droughts.
• Socializing across countries to stitch alliances and allay concerns must start right away.
• India should continue doubling down on the narrative of equity in international forums, and create leadership space for itself in global institutions that can deliver climate finance.
• ‘Go wider’: India has to adopt and strongly communicate sectoral emission reduction targets that go beyond the power sector.
• India has achieved significant progress in the power sector and will continue to do so to keep pace with its international non-fossil share-related and domestic renewable energy capacity targets.
• Broaden the target to other sectors: It could be related to the private mobility space, giving a clear target for zero-carbon two- and four-wheelers. It will help rural India become mobile, drive jobs in clean energy and sustainability, and promote economic growth.
• It will help rural India become mobile, drive jobs in clean energy and sustainability, and promote economic growth.
• Credible policy goals have been powerful signals and forced relevant industries and stakeholders to act. The NDC for 2035, due to be submitted next year, can be an opportunity for going wider with India’s energy transition targets.
• The NDC for 2035, due to be submitted next year, can be an opportunity for going wider with India’s energy transition targets.
Way Forward
• The government must accelerate and show the world that economic development can be sustainable, too.
• India should follow the mantra of ‘go higher, go wider, go deeper’ to align its climate leadership with economic prowess.
• Going deeper: sub-national climate action and resilience must come to the fore in this term of the government. The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is working across many States in India to support their net-zero plans through long-term climate and energy modeling.
• The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is working across many States in India to support their net-zero plans through long-term climate and energy modeling.
• The government should think about creating a Centre-State coordination group, incentivising State-level climate actions through the Sixteenth Finance Commission promoting a deeper integration of scientific modeling capabilities in policymaking facilitating a unified data measurement, reporting, verification (MRV) architecture at the State level.
• promoting a deeper integration of scientific modeling capabilities in policymaking
• facilitating a unified data measurement, reporting, verification (MRV) architecture at the State level.
• Given India’s federal structure the climate actions should not be centralizing but ensuring that State-level actions are better coordinated without compromising their autonomy.
• Government should aim to take India’s global climate leadership to the next level in its new term. It should look ahead for at least the next four to five years, and not just a year at a time.
• It should look ahead for at least the next four to five years, and not just a year at a time.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
• Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by the India conference? (UPSC 2021)
(200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
Editorial Analysis – 6 July 2024 [PDF]