Editorial: Shift in climate policy

A massive initiative to transition to clean energy is required for India to meet the ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2070. The timeline, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations climate change conference—COP26 (Conference of the Parties) — at Scotland’s Glasgow, came as a surprise to many because India […]

A massive initiative to transition to clean energy is required for India to meet the ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2070. The timeline, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations climate change conference—COP26 (Conference of the Parties) — at Scotland’s Glasgow, came as a surprise to many because India has been rejecting the calls for setting deadlines for bringing down the carbon emissions to zero level. Now that a commitment has been made, India needs to put in place a clearly-defined policy framework, specific programmes and actions to phase out fossil fuels and step up renewable energy production. This would pose a big challenge because India is among the countries which are still dependent on coal for meeting their energy requirements. To switch to clean energy, the country must invest heavily in R&D and chalk out clear plans that are environmentally friendly for sectors like infrastructure, transport, industrial production and forestry. The Glasgow summit saw India make a clear shift in its climate policy. The Prime Minister accepted global demands to agree to a net zero emissions target. He also significantly increased India’s previous climate targets, mentioned in the promises made during the Paris Agreement. The target for installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 has been enhanced from 450 GW to 500 GW. At the same time, the share of renewable energy in the total electricity generation has been increased to 50% by 2030 instead of 40% earlier.

In addition, the country’s emissions intensity, or emissions per unit GDP, will be reduced by at least 45% by 2030 from the 2005 levels. In its existing target, India had promised to reduce its emissions intensity by 33% to 35% by that date. This new emission trajectory is loaded with implications, amounting to a big shift in India’s climate policy. This is the first time after signing the Paris Agreement that India has made an unconditional commitment to emission reduction. According to the 2018 report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the world would have to reach net zero emissions of carbon by 2050 if it is to limit the temperature rise to 1.5°C and avoid catastrophic impacts of climate change. Sweden has made its 2045 net zero targets into law, while the UK has legislated that it will reach net zero by 2050. China has committed carbon neutrality before 2060. Before India’s announcement, 49 countries and the European Union had pledged a net zero target, covering more than 50% of the global GDP and a third of the population. However, the success depends on how these countries translate their pledges into measurable action plans. On its part, India needs to explore ways to secure finances and technologies to fund its massive transition to clean energy.