India’s Paris Agreement Targets: A Step towards a Sustainable Future
The Paris Agreement on climate change was adopted by 195 countries in December 2015, with the aim of limiting global temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. India, as one of the key signatories to the agreement, has set ambitious targets to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Let’s take a closer look at India’s Paris Agreement targets and its progress towards meeting them.
India’s Paris Agreement Targets
India submitted its nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2015. Its NDC includes three major targets:
1. Reduce the emissions intensity of its economy by 33-35% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. This means that India aims to reduce the amount of GHG emitted per unit of GDP.
2. Achieve 40% of India`s total installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. This includes solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear energy.
3. Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 by increasing forest and tree cover by 2030.
India’s Progress towards Meeting its Targets
India has been making significant progress towards meeting its Paris Agreement targets. Let’s look at some of the key achievements:
1. Increase in renewable energy capacity: India’s renewable energy capacity has increased significantly in recent years. As of June 2021, India had a total installed renewable energy capacity of 96.95 GW, which is about 24% of its total installed capacity. The government has set a target of achieving 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.
2. Reduction in emissions intensity: India has made significant progress in reducing the emissions intensity of its economy. As of 2019, India had already achieved a 21% reduction in emissions intensity, compared to 2005 levels.
3. Increase in forest cover: India has been consistently increasing its forest cover in recent years. According to the India State of Forest Report 2019, the country’s forest cover had increased by 3,976 square km in the last two years.
Conclusion
India’s Paris Agreement targets demonstrate its commitment towards building a sustainable future. The country has made significant progress towards achieving these targets and is on track to meet them by 2030. India’s efforts towards increasing renewable energy capacity, reducing emissions intensity, and increasing forest cover are commendable. However, there is still a long way to go, and India needs to continue its efforts to build a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.
