India’s likely agenda at COP 27

topic:	Climate action
located:	India
editor:	Bindu Gopal Rao

This year’s COP 27, hosted in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt between 6 and 18 November, will be especially important as several parts of the world have seen the tangible impact of climate change with floods, droughts and intense heat waves among a host of other issues. A look back at the pledges and progress made by key players like India could reveal this year's priorities.

Some of the promises made by India in COP 26 include a proposed transition to renewable energy and carbon neutrality by 2070. This transition largely depends on financing, which has not yet been received from developed nations, leaving India's climate actions to be financed from domestic resources. India requires about $2.5 trillion through 2030 for the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and, considering that the country is most vulnerable to climate change, resources and timing are key. For this reason, Climate Financing is likely to be a hotly debated topic this year.

In August 2022, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved India’s updated NDC for submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The NDC states that India is committed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 percent and achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power-installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.

The role of lifestyle in climate change is being pushed as a 'One Word Movement.' The word LIFE which stands for ‘Lifestyle For Environment’ is also part of the updated NDC in an effort to focus on a citizen-centric approach to combat climate change. The transition to cleaner energy for the period 2021-2030 includes tax concessions and incentives, like the Production Linked Incentive scheme for promoting the manufacturing and adoption of renewable energy. In fact, Indian Railways will lead a reduction of emissions by 60 million tonnes annually while the country’s massive LED bulb campaign is reducing emissions by 40 million tonnes annually.

The key word for most developing countries is climate finance and India is expected to make a strong case for its advancement. India will also push its blend of fossil fuel production and low-carbon energy sources for economic growth.

The Union Minister for Environment, Bhupender Yadav, will lead an 18-member Indian delegation at COP 27 and is expected to bring up the Paris Agreement promise of providing $100 billion annually for climate finance.

COP 27 is an opportunity to speak about and channel sources of climate financing, which places the ball in the court of the developed countries. And with the rise in global emissions by six percent in 2021, and the slew of environmental catastrophes from the past year, COP 27 must certainly advance a detailed agenda to prevent a much more worrying climate scenario.

Photo by Varshesh Joshi

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