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India’sINDCs ReferenceQuestions&Answers [1] The following document summarises India’s position on questions surrounding the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) that the nation submitted to UNFCCC, and on the associatedissuesontheclimatechangediscussion. A. INDIA’SINDCS..........................................................................................................................................4 Question1. WhatarethekeyelementsandfocusareasofIndia’sINDCs?..............................................4 Question2. HowwilltherevisedrenewableenergymixaffectIndia’sresidentsandcitizens?..............4 Question3. WillIndia’sINDCsaffectthepoor?.........................................................................................5 Question4. WhyhasIndianotspecifiedanytargetsfortheagriculturesectorinitsINDCs?.................5 Question5. HowareIndia’sINDCsdifferentfromothercountries’?........................................................5 Question6. WhydidIndiachoosetoreleaseitsINDCsonGandhiJayanti?.............................................5 B. INDIA’SCAPABILITIESFORACHIEVINGINDCS&CLIMATECHANGETARGETS...........................................................6 Question7. AreIndia’sINDCsambitiousenough?....................................................................................6 Question8. AreIndia’sINDCsachievable?................................................................................................6 Question9. WhatwillitcostIndiatoimplementtheINDCSinitstotality?DoesIndiahavethe resourcestoimplementitsINDCs?HowdoesIndiaplantomobilisenecessaryresources?...........................6 Question10. WillIndia’sINDCsbeimplementedonlybythegovernment?...............................................7 Question11. WhatistheroleoftheStatemachineryinimplementingtheINDC?....................................7 Question12. WhatistheinstitutionalarrangementforimplementingINDCs?.........................................7 Question13. HowdoesIndiaplantoachieveitstargetforachievingitsrenewableenergycapacity?....8 C. INDIA’SOVERALLAPPROACHANDTARGETSFORCLIMATECHANGEACTION............................................................9 Question14. WhatareIndia’splansforclimatechangemitigation?.........................................................9 Question15. WhatareIndia’splansforadaptingtoclimatechange?.......................................................9 Question16. WhyhasIndianotindicateditspeakingyearforGHGemissions?.....................................10 Question17. emissions? WhyhasIndiaestablisheditstargetsforreducingemissionsintensity,butnotits 10 Question18. WhatroledoesIndiaenvisageforitselfintheglobalclimatechangeeffort?...................11 Question19. WhataretheMRVmechanismsforIndia’sINDCs?Isthereanynewregulatorymechanism inadditiontotheEnvironmentalProtectionAct?..........................................................................................11 Question20. objectives? WouldIndiaadoptadomesticcapandtrademechanismformeetingmitigation 11 Question21. WhatarethelifestylechangesthatIndiawouldbeadvocating?Arethereanyincentives forlow-carbon/carbon-friendlylifestyles?.....................................................................................................12 Question22. Indiaplanstorampupitsuseofcoalinthecomingdecade.IsIndiaconcernedthatthis willexasperateanalreadyseriousproblemofairpollutioninitsmajorcities?...........................................12 Question23. Despiteitsmajorandambitioustargetfornon-fossilfuels,whyisIndia’sfutureelectricity requirementlinkedtocoal?............................................................................................................................12 D. INDIA’SPERSPECTIVEONCLIMATEJUSTICE....................................................................................................13 Question24. WhyisIndiatalkingaboutclimatejustice?.........................................................................13 [2] Question25. Whatistherolerequiredofdevelopednationstowardsclimatechangeaction?.............14 Question26. WhatroleistheinternationalcommunityexpectedtoplayinachievingIndia’sclimate changegoals? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………14 E. INDIA’SPERSPECTIVEONTHEPARISTALKSANDAGLOBALAPPROACHTOCLIMATECHANGE.....................................15 Question27. WhatisIndia’sviewonapossibleagreementinParisduringCOP21?...............................15 [3] A. INDIA’SINDCS Question1. WhatarethekeyelementsandfocusareasofIndia’sINDCs? India’sINDCscentrearoundthecountry’spoliciesandprogrammesfor: a. SustainableLifestyles b. CleanerEconomicDevelopment c. ReducingEmissionintensityofGrossDomesticProduct(GDP) d. IncreasingtheShareofNonFossilFuelBasedElectricity e. EnhancingCarbonSink(Forests) f. Adaptation g. MobilizingFinance h. TechnologyTransferandCapacityBuilding The INDCs also capture citizens’ and private sector’s contributions to combatting climate change.Accordingly,IndiahasdevelopedacomprehensiveandbalancedsetofactionsforitsINDCs fortheperiodof2021-2030tocomprehensivelyaddressmitigationaswellasadaptationcomponents. Theseinclude: a. ReducingcarbonintensityofitsGDPby33to35percentfrom2005levelsby2030 b. Increasingtheshareofnonfossilfuelbasedelectricityto40%by2030 c. Acceleratingaforestationeffortstocreateadditionalcarbonsinksof2.5to3billiontonnesof CO2equivalent d. Making concerted efforts toward adapting to climate change by enhancing investments in development programmes in various vulnerable sectors, including agriculture, water resources,forestry,healthanddisastermanagement e. Buildingcapacitieswhileadoptinganddeployingnewenergyefficienttechnology,andother technologiestoreducecarbonemissions f. Mobiliseresourcestoexecuteourplansforcombattingclimatechangeacrosssectors g. Adoptandpromotelowcarbon-intensivelifestylesonamassscalethroughsustainableliving basedontraditionsandvaluesofconservationandmoderation Question2. HowwilltherevisedrenewableenergymixaffectIndia’sresidentsandcitizens? TherevisedrenewableenergymixwillbenefitIndia’sresidents.Indiaisworkingtoensurethateach Indianhouseholdhasaccesstoelectricityby2030. India'sclimatechangeactionswillnotimpedeitsoveralldevelopmentambitions,butwillenablethe individualgrowthaspirationsofitscitizens.Renewableenergywillplayacentralroleinbridgingthe supplyanddemandgapsinitscurrentenergylandscape. Weareevenworkingtowardsachievingeconomiesofscaleinrenewableenergyproductiontothis effect.Thesuccessoftheseeffortsareevidentinthenear100%reductionincostsforproducingsolar energyovertime. [4] Question3. WillIndia’sINDCsaffectthepoor? India’sactionstowardsaddressingclimatechangewillhaveastrongdevelopmentimpact.Webelieve that efforts towards enabling the growth of the poor out of poverty trap is an important part of tackling climate change, and the opportunities for the two efforts to complement each other are significant. Tothateffect,alltheeffortsoutlinedinourINDCs-increasingcleanenergyproductionandaccess, deploying new energy efficient technologies, and adapting to low carbon-intensive lifestyles - are targetedatcreatingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods,andsustainabledevelopmentforthe poorthroughoutIndia. Question4. WhyhasIndianotspecifiedanytargetsfortheagriculturesectorinitsINDCs? India’s INDCs do not bind it to any sector-specific mitigation obligations or actions. However, specificallyfortheagriculturesector,India’sINDCsaimtotransformthissectorintoanecologicallysustainableclimate-resilientproductionsystemthatisabletoovercomeissuesoffoodsecuritywhile harnessingitsfullestpotential.TheNationalMissiononSustainableAgriculture,whichispartofour National Action Plan on Climate Change, will focus on developing rainfed areas, enhance efficient waterconsumptiononfarms,promotesustainablesoilhealthmanagement,anddisseminateclimatechange related monitoring and modelling information and knowledge to the country’s agricultural producers. Developinganecosystemforsustainableagricultureisacorepartoftheadaptationeffortsincluded intheINDCs. Question5. HowareIndia’sINDCsdifferentfromothercountries’? India’sINDCshaveastrongfocusonclimatechangeadaptation.Ofthe8missionsoutlinedinIndia’s National Action Plan on Climate Change, 4 efforts are focused on adaptation efforts –sustainable agriculture, increasing water use efficiency, sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem and creating sustainablehabitats.Noothercountryhasbeenabletodedicatethesameleveloffocusandefforton adaptationonaslargeascaleasIndia. Furthermore,Indiahasalsooutlinedthefinancialimplicationsoftheclimatechangegoals,inaddition tooutliningitsplanfordevelopingandenablingtechnologytransferstofacilitateINDCachievement. Question6. WhydidIndiachoosetoreleaseitsINDCsonGandhiJayanti? India’s approach to INDCs has been anchored in the vision of equity inspired by the Father of our NationMahatmaGandhi'sfamousexhortation,“Earthhasenoughresourcestomeetpeople’sneeds, butwillneverhaveenoughtosatisfypeople'sgreed,”ThereleaseofIndia’sINDCsonhisbirthdate commemorates not only his vision for India’s development, but also his principles for sustainable living.FormulatedundertheleadershipandguidanceofHon’blePrimeMinister,ShriNarendraModi, India’sINDCsencapsulatetheimportanceofsustainableliving. [5] B. INDIA’SCAPABILITIESFORACHIEVINGINDCS&CLIMATECHANGETARGETS Question7. AreIndia’sINDCsambitiousenough? India has significantly scaled up its emissions reductions targets to 33-35% by 2030, amongst the highestacrossdevelopingcountries.Indiaisrunningoneofthelargestrenewablecapacityexpansion programsintheworld. The shareofnon-fossilfuelsinIndia’stotalinstalledcapacityisprojectedto increase from 30% in 2015 to about 40% by 2030. Additionally, the ratio of India’s per capita greenhousegasemissionstoGDPwillbesignificantlysmallerthanothernations’. India’sINDCsaresynchronisedwithitsdevelopmentgoalsandsimultaneouslyreflectitsboldvision for combatting climate change.India’s contribution also helps in meeting its commitment towards conserving nature, and to the imperatives of meeting competing demands for the sustainable development goals for its 1.2 billion people. These goals include poverty eradication, food and nutrition security, universal access to education and health, gender equality and women empowerment,waterandsanitation,energy,employment,andsustainablehabitats. The INDCs are indicative of our foremost composite efforts, given the resources and capacities towardsthisendeavourInthefaceofclimatechange. Question8. AreIndia’sINDCsachievable? Hon’blePrimeMinisterModihasagalvanisingvisionthatprovidesarobustforceforachievingIndia’s INDCs. India will showcase its leadership and resolve in combating climate change through the achievementofitspast,present,andfutureambitionsinthisarena. IndiahasdevelopeditsINDCsinaccordancewithitsexistingresourcesandcapabilitiesandexpedite internationalsupport.India’splansforachievingtheseINDCstakeintoaccountthedecreasingcosts ofrenewableenergyandenhancedaction.Internationaltechnologypartnershipsandsupportfrom theUNFCCCfinancialmechanismsarealsoimportantpillarsinthiseffort. Question9. WhatwillitcostIndiatoimplementtheINDCSinitstotality?DoesIndiahavethe resourcestoimplementitsINDCs?HowdoesIndiaplantomobilisenecessary resources? PreliminaryassessmentindicatesthefundrequirementforimplementingINDC’stobeapproximately USD2.5trillionbetween2015and2030.ThecostsforachievingIndia’sINDCsisdifficulttoestimate atthisjuncture,andeveneminentthinktankshavegivensignificantlylargerangesforcostsofIndia’s mitigation and adaptation needs. Nonetheless, India’s INDCs have been developed based on its existingresourceandcapacitybase,andwithdueconsiderationtoitsgrowthanddevelopmentplans. Indiaplanstomobilisenecessaryresourcesthroughvariousdomesticbudgetary,private,institutional andinternationalsources.ThemajorityoftheshareofIndia'scurrentclimatefinancecomesfrom budgetarysources,asmostoftheresourcesforadaptationandmitigationarebuiltintotheongoing sectoral programmes. The availability of funds for climate change actions is largely guided by the overallresourcesavailablewithandtherequirementsofdifferentsectors. Additionally, India is experimenting with a careful mix of market mechanisms, together with fiscal instrumentsandregulatoryinterventionstomobilisefinanceforclimatechange.TheGovernmentof Indiahassetuptwodedicatedfundsatthenationallevel–NationalCleanEnvironmentFundfinanced byacarbontaxequivalentcessofINR200(USD3.2)oneachtonneofcoal,andaNationalAdaptation FundonClimateChange.TheNationalCleanEnvironmentFund,withacollectionofINR170.84billion [6] (USD2.7billion)isbeingusedfor46cleanenergyprojectsworthINR165.11billion(USD2.6billion), while the National Adaptation Fund is being used to address adaptation needs in sectors like agriculture,water,forestryetc.,withaninitialallocationofINR3,500million(USD55.6million). Indiahasallocatedsignificantresourcestothecauseofclimatechangeinspiteofitscompetingneeds. In its quest for development, India will not pursue the developmental paradigm followed by the developed countries in the past which is resource and energy intensive. India is willing to consider adoptingmodelsofdevelopmentalternativetothese-tothebestofitscapabilities-intheinterest oftheglobalmovementofclimatechangeaction.However,India’stransitionshouldalsobeviewed andadequatelysupportedasacollectiveenterprisebyothernations. SubstantialscalingupofIndia’splansforclimatechangeactionwouldalsorequiremoreresources. DevelopingcountrieslikeIndiaareresource-constrainedandarealreadyspendingenormousamounts onclimatechange.Implementingclimatechangeactionswouldrequiredevelopedcountriestofulfill their pledges and obligations in view of existing resource gaps. The international community must fulfill their commitment of collectively contributing USD 100 billion annually by 2020 towards the GreenClimateFundandthensuitablyscaleitupbeyond2020 Question10. WillIndia’sINDCsbeimplementedonlybythegovernment? AwidevarietyofstakeholdersneedtocontributetowardsachievementofIndia’svoluntarypledge. Indiancitizensandindustrywillplayacentralrolebyadoptinglesscarbon-intensivelifestyles,and energyefficienttechnologiesandpractices.Anenablingpolicyenvironmentandleadershipfromthe energyindustrywillhelpfurtherincreasetheshareofrenewablesintheenergymix,andmobilizenew andadditionalresourcesforcombattingclimatechange. WehopethateachindividualinIndiawillpartnerwiththegovernmenttowardsreducingourcarbon intensity,andtolimitingourcarbonfootprint,inoureffortstowardsholisticsustainabledevelopment andgrowth. Question11. WhatistheroleoftheStatemachineryinimplementingtheINDC? The broad policy initiatives of the Central government are supplemented by actions of the State Governments, Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), initiatives of the private sector and other stakeholders.TheCentrehasconsistentlyencouragedthestategovernmentstodevelopandsubmit individualStateActionPlans-32StatesandUnionTerritorieshaveputinplacetheStateActionPlan on Climate Change (SAPCC) to mainstream climate change concerns in their planning process. A competitive environment and guidelines for advancing mitigation and adaptation efforts have also beenintroducedandsuppliedtothestategovernments. Even though India has not indicated any subnational targets, we encourage the states to initiate independentaction,withtheCentralgovernmentprovidingprecedentconditionsforprogrammes.A collective effort from all corners of the country will enable States to become players in not only a national,butatrulyglobalefforttowardscombattingclimatechange. Question12. WhatistheinstitutionalarrangementforimplementingINDCs? Aseriesofmeasureshavebeenundertakenbythegovernmenttodrivedomesticactiononclimate changeincludingreconstitutionofthePrimeMinister’sCouncilonClimateChange(PMCCC).Taking intoaccounttheneedofthehour,PMCCCdecidedtoenhancetheambitionofallnationalmissions underNAPCCwithrespecttoadaptation,mitigationandcapacitybuilding.AnExecutiveCouncilon Climate Change has also been set to support PMCCC. In addition, the government has set-up a [7] NationalSteeringCommitteeforClimateChangeAdaptationProgramme.Differentdepartmentshave establishedtheirownmechanismsforimplementingandmonitoringclimatechangeaction. To augment the availability of assured targeted resources, Government of India has set up two dedicated funds at the national level for mobilising financing for mitigation and adaptation respectively viz. National Clean Environment Fund and the National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change. Multilateral institutions like the World Bank, ADB etc will also play a prominent role in implementationofIndia’sINDCs. Question13. HowdoesIndiaplantoachieveitstargetforachievingitsrenewableenergy capacity? Renewableenergysourcesareastrategicnationalresource.HarnessingthesesourceswillputIndia onthepathtoacleanerenvironment,energyindependence,andastrongereconomy.Therenewable energy technologies contribute to better air quality, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, curb global warming, add jobs to the economy and, protect environmental values such as habitat and water quality. Over the years, India has successfully created a positive outlook necessary to promote investmentin,demandfor,andsupplyof,renewableenergy.India’sstrategyonrenewableenergyis driven by the objectives of achieving energy security, increasing energy access and reducing the carbonfootprintofthenationalenergysystems.Ithasevolvedovertheyearsthroughincreasingly strongercommitmentatfederallevel. Theinstitutionalarrangementforofftakeofrenewableenergypowerwillbefurtherstrengthenedby RenewablePurchaseObligationsandRenewableGenerationObligations. India’sshareofnon-fossilfuelinthetotalinstalledcapacityisprojectedtoincreasefrom30%in2015 toabout40%by2030.Indiaisrunningoneofthelargestrenewablecapacityexpansionprogrammes intheworld.Between2002and2015,theshareofrenewablegridcapacityhasincreasedbyover6 times-from2%(3.9GW)toaround13%(36GW)-fromamixofsourcesincludingWindPower,Small HydroPower,BiomassPower/Cogeneration,WastetoPowerandSolarPower.Innormativeterms, theCO2emissionabatementachievedfromtherenewablepowerinstalledcapacitywas84.92million tonsCO2equivalentperyearasof30June2015. Toacceleratedevelopmentanddeploymentofrenewableenergyinthecountry,theGovernmentis takinganumberofinitiativeslikeup-scalingoftargetsforrenewableenergycapacityadditionfrom 30GWby2016-17to175GWby2021-22.Therenewablepowertargetof175GWby2022willresult in abatement of 326.22 million tons of CO2 equivalent per year. The ambitious solar expansion programme seeks to enhance the capacity to 100 GW by 2022, which is expected to be scaled up furtherthereafter.Effortswillincludescalingupeffortstoincreasetheshareofnon-fossilfuelbased energyresourcesintotalelectricitymixincludingwindpower,solar,hydropower,biomass,wasteto energyandnuclearpower. • • • • • Windpowerinstalledcapacityto60-GWby2022 Solarpowerinstalledcapacityto100-GWby2022 Biomassinstalledcapacityto10-GWby2022 Harnesshydropowerpotentialofover100-GW Nuclearpowerinstalledcapacityto63-GWby2032 India has also decided to anchor a global solar alliance, International Agency for Solar Policy & Application(InSPA),ofallcountrieslocatedbetweenTropicofCancerandTropicofCapricorn.Solar powerinIndiaispoisedtogrowsignificantlywithSolarMissionasamajorinitiativeoftheGovernment ofIndia.Aschemefordeveloping25SolarParks,UltraMegaSolarPowerProjects,canaltopsolar [8] projectsandonehundredthousandsolarpumpsforfarmersisatdifferentstagesofimplementation. TheGovernment’sgoalof‘ElectricityforAll’issoughttobeachievedbytheaboveprograms,which would require huge investments, infusion of new technology, availability of nuclear fuel and internationalsupport. C. INDIA’SOVERALLAPPROACHANDTARGETSFORCLIMATECHANGEACTION Question14. WhatareIndia’splansforclimatechangemitigation? India plans to reduce its emissions intensity by 33-35% between 2005 and 2030. However, India ‘actions towards climate change mitigation have a strong development impact. To this effect, it is focusingonacceleratingtheuseofcleanandrenewableenergyby40%by2030,andonpromoting efficientuseofenergy.By2030,wealsointendtoincreaseourcarbonsinksbycreatinganadditional capacityequivalentto2.5to3billiontonnesofCO2throughsignificantaforestationefforts. Toachieveitstargetsforincreasingrelianceonrenewableenergy,Indiaisrunningoneofthelargest renewablecapacityexpansionprogramsinworld.Theeffortsfeatureestablishmentofsolarparksand powerprojects,anchoringaglobalsolaralliance(InSPA),creationofGreenEnergyCorridorstoensure evacuationfromrenewableenergyplants,implementationoftheNationalSmartGridMissionalong withnewprogrammesforincreasingenergycapacitiesfromwindandwasteconversion. Indiaisbuildingitscapacitytodeveloptechnologythatwilleffectivelycombatclimatechange.India ispromotingenergyefficienttechnologies,aswellastechnologiesdrivenbyrenewableandhybrid energy. Along with the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, India’s Zero Defect, Zero Effectpolicyalsoaimstoenhanceenergyandresourceefficiency. IndiaisalsoadvocatingforIPRregimesthatwillenableglobalR&Dcollaborationsfordevelopment andtransferofcleantechnologies.Indiaisalsolookingtodeveloptechnologiestoenablelowcarbon growthwithspecialfocusontechnologiesforcleangenerationfromfossilfuels,energymanagement andstoragesystemsforrenewableenergy. Indiaisclearthatmitigationeffortsshouldnotinhibitgrowthaspirations.Indiaisfocusingonbending theemissionstrajectorywithoutcompromisingtheenergyrequirementsthatwillenablethenation’s collectiveandholisticgrowth. Question15. WhatareIndia’splansforadaptingtoclimatechange? AdaptationmeasuresfeatureprominentlyinIndia’sframeworkforclimatechangeaction,andarea partofIndianlifestyles.India’sheritageembracesnature,andenvironmentalconsciousnessisdeeply rootedinitstraditions.Peopleherehavelearnttoliveinharmonywithnature.Indiahasmadelifestyle changes an integral part of its solution to climate change in cognisance with its population and economicgrowth. Furthermore,Indiaisoneofthenationstohaveimplementedmeasurestoadapttoclimatechange on a large scale. Already,32 of India’s 29 states and 7 union territories have submitted respective State Action Plans on Climate Change, which complement India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). In its NAPCC, the nation has focused 4 of its 8 missions on adaptation efforts, including: a) sustainable habitats; b) optimising water use efficiency; c) creating ecologically sustainable climate resilient agricultural production systems; and, d) safeguarding the Himalayan glaciersandmountainecosystem. India’s adaptation efforts include initiatives in agriculture, water, health, coastal region & islands, [9] disastermanagement,biodiversityandecosystemprotection,andsecuringrurallivelihoods.Indiais implementingnationalschemestopromoteorganicfarming,efficientirrigationsystems,watershed management, improving soil health and climate resilient agriculture. India has set up the National AdaptationFundwithacorpusofINR350Crores(USD55.6million)toenabletheseefforts. Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi recently stated, “We can achieve the same level of development, prosperityandwellbeingwithoutnecessarilygoingdownthepathofrecklessconsumption.Itdoesn't meanthateconomieswillsuffer;itwillmeanthatoureconomieswilltakeonadifferentcharacter.It isnotaboutexercisebuttodiscoverthesenseofonenesswithyourself,theworldandthenature.By changingourlifestyleandcreatingconsciousness,itcanhelpusdealwithclimatechange.” Question16. WhyhasIndianotindicateditspeakingyearforGHGemissions? Amongdevelopingnations,onlyChinahasbeenabletogiveapeakingyearforitsemissions,because ithasachievedastageofdevelopmentthatisconduciveformakingsuchacommitment.Ontheother hand, many developing nations, including India, are still in various phases of acceleration in their respectivetrajectoriesforeconomicdevelopment,andhencenotinanoptimalstageofdevelopment toformalizeapeakingyearforcarbonemissions. Additionally,Indiaalsoneedstobalanceitsdevelopmentneedswithclimatechangeactions.Indiahas pledgedtocurtailemissionsintensityasperitsexistingresources,capabilitiesandpolicies.Developing nationslikeIndianeedtoindustrializeanddeveloptomeetthegrowthaspirationsofitspeople. As Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi stated in his recent address to the UN General Assembly, “Each countrymust,ofcourse,takeitsownnationalmeasures;eachgovernmentmustfulfilitsresponsibility tosupportgrowthanddevelopment.Whenwethinkofthescaleofneedsintheworld-2.5billion peoplewithoutaccesstobasicsanitation;1.3billionpeoplewithoutaccesstoelectricity;or1.1billion people without access to drinking water, we need a more comprehensive and concerted direct internationalaction.InIndia,themostimportantaspectsofmydevelopmentagendaarepreciselyto focusontheseissues.TheeradicationofpovertymustremainatthecoreoftheDevelopmentAgenda andcommandourfullestattention.” Question17. WhyhasIndiaestablisheditstargetsforreducingemissionsintensity,butnotits emissions? Indiaaccountsfor2.4%oftheworldsurfacearea,butsupportsaround17.5%oftheworldpopulation. Ithousesthelargestproportionofglobalpoor(30%),nearlyaquarteroftheglobalpopulationthat lacks access to electricity (304 million), and about a third of the global population relying on solid biomassforcooking.Over90millionofitspopulationlacksaccesstosafedrinkingwater. Furthemore,itisexpectedthatabout40%ofIndia’spopulationin2030wouldbeurban,asagainst 30%currently.Aspopulationexpandsandincomesgrow,thisshiftwilllikelyberealisedalongside demographic changes that will exponentially increase the demand for urban amenities like housing,energy,transport,water,wastedisposal.ItisestimatedthatmorethanhalfofIndiaof 2030isyettobebuilt. India’sdevelopmentprocessishencedoublychallenging,asitnotonlyhastocompletethecurrent unfinished development agenda, but also strategise for future pressures that may increase the magnitudeofthisdevelopmentgap.Indiawillneedtocontinueincreasingitsenergyconsumptionto address these development needs. Thus, given its development pressures, India cannot target emissionsreductionsinabsoluteterms,butasproportionstoitspopulationandeconomicgrowth. [10] However, India’s economic growth is guided by a key concern for balancing overall holistic development withsustainability. TheaverageannualenergyconsumptioninIndiain2011wasonly 0.6tonnesofoilequivalent(toe)percapitaascomparedtoglobalaverageof1.88toepercapita.It mayalsobenotedthatnocountryintheworldhasbeenabletoachieveaHumanDevelopmentIndex of0.9ormorewithoutanannualenergyavailabilityofatleast4toepercapita.WithaHDIof0.586 andglobalrankof135,Indiahasalottodotoprovideadignifiedlifetoitspopulationandmeettheir rightfulaspirations. Furthermore,evenwithoutitstargetsforemissionsreduction,India’spercapitaemissionsin2030, estimatedtobebetween4-5.2metrictonnesofCO2equivalent,willstillbelowerthanthecurrent globalaveragesofdevelopednations,estimatedtobe8.98metrictonnesofCO2equivalent. Question18. WhatroledoesIndiaenvisageforitselfintheglobalclimatechangeeffort? Indiahasbeenaddressingclimatechangeasoneofitskeynationalpriorities,andhasvoluntarilytaken responsibilitytorespondtothischallenge.Indiaisreducingitsemissionsintensitythroughvoluntary domestic mitigation and adaptation efforts. Along with stronger commitments to increasing the composition of non fossil fuel in the total installed capacity to 40% by 2030, enhancing energy efficiency and through its 8 missions against climate change, the country has also introduced mechanismsformonitoringairqualityandpollutiongrowth.Inadditiontotheeightmissionsofthe NAPCC,thegovernmentisalsosettingupnewmissionstointhelightofnewscientificevidenceand technological advances on Wind Energy, Health, Waste-to -Energy conversion and Coastal management. Asaresultofallofitsefforts,theemissionintensityofourGDPhasdecreasedby12%between2005 and2010.Theenergyintensityoftheeconomyhasdecreasedfrom18.16goe(gramsofoilequivalent) perRupeeofGDPin2005to15.02goeperRupeeGDPin2012atanannualrateofover2.5%.Inits EmissionGapReport2014,theUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)hashencerecognised Indiaamongstthecountriesontracktoachieveitsvoluntarypledgesforemissionreduction. Question19. WhataretheMRVmechanismsforIndia’sINDCs?Isthereanynewregulatory mechanisminadditiontotheEnvironmentalProtectionAct? IndiaispartoftheMRVframeworkdevelopedbytheUNFCCC.Reportingfordevelopingcountriesis implementedthroughnationalcommunications(NATCOMs)andbiennialupdatereports(BURs).India submitteditsInitialNATCOMtotheUNFCCCin2004.India’ssecondNATCOMtotheUNFCCCwas submittedin2012.IndiaisgoingtosubmititsfirstBiennialUpdateReport(BUR)toUNFCCCin2015. BURs provide an update of the information presented in NATCOMs, in particular on national GHG inventories, mitigation actions, constraints and gaps, including support needed and received.Verification of reports is addressed at the international level through the process of international consultation and analysis of BURs. This is to increase the transparency of mitigation actionsandtheireffectsaswellassupportneededandreceived. Question20. WouldIndiaadoptadomesticcapandtrademechanismformeetingmitigation objectives? UnderitsNationalMissionforEnhancedEnergyEfficiency,Indiacompletedthefirstphaseofamarketbased system, Perform Achieve Trade (PAT), to enhance energy efficiency in energy intensive industries. Industries that surpass their Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) targets that qualify for tradableearningEnergySavingCertificates(eSCert).Througheffortsbetween2012and2015alone, 4.05%reductioninaverageSECorsavingsof6.7Mtoeperyearareexpected. [11] Additionally,IndiahasbeenaforerunnerintheinternationalCleanDevelopmentMechanism(CDM), andhasachievedsignificantprogressintheinitialphaseofimplementation.AsofApril2015,India hasregistered1,564oftotal7,629projectswiththeCDMExecutiveBoard,sofarthesecondhighest intheworld.Nearly14%ofthetotalCertifiedEmissionReductionsgloballyhavebeenaccordedto Indianprojectsinthesectorsofenergyefficiency,fuelswitching,industrialprocesses,municipalsolid waste,renewableenergyandforestry. EveninvestorshaverecognisedsuchpotentialinIndia,asthecountry’sCDMprojectshaveattracted privatesectorinvestmentsofaboutRs.579,306crores(US$87.77billion),constituting90-95%ofall CDMprojectsinthecountry. Question21. WhatarethelifestylechangesthatIndiawouldbeadvocating?Arethereany incentivesforlow-carbon/carbon-friendlylifestyles? India wishes to propagate a sustainable lifestyle which is based on the principle of ‘needs based consumption’. Environmental sustainability, which involves both intra-generational and intergenerational equity, has been the approach of Indians for very long. Indian traditional lifestyle discouragesextravagantandwastefulconsumption.Indiaadvocatesthatastheworldputstogether itsactiontomaintainandlimittheriseinglobaltemperature,thereisanequallypressingneedto addresstheissuesofglobaltemperamentsothatmankindcanmovetowardsalifeofmoderationand respectfornaturalresources. AthisrecentaddresstotheUNGeneralAssembly,Hon’blePrimeMinisterModistatedthat,“wemust lookforchangesinourlifestylesthatwouldmakeuslessdependentonenergyandmoresustainable inourconsumption.”Inlinewithhisstatement,Indiaisencouragingsustainablelivingasaconcept andapracticeattheheartofitsclimatechangeefforts.Indiaisemphasisingexperimentationwith civilsocietyatamicrolevel,andfacilitatinginstitutionalstrengtheningatmacrolevel,tomotivatea sharingeconomyandothercollaborativeconsumptionmodels.Indiansocietyalreadydemonstrates severalexamplesofsustainablemodelsoflivingatthelocallevel. Question22. Indiaplanstorampupitsuseofcoalinthecomingdecade.IsIndiaconcernedthat thiswillexasperateanalreadyseriousproblemofairpollutioninitsmajorcities? Inordertoachieveitsdevelopmentgoals,Indiawillneedtosecurereliable,adequateandaffordable supplyofelectricity.Coalwillcontinuetofeatureprominentlyintheenergymix,asIndiahopesto achieveitsdevelopmentgoalsthroughitsample,inherentresourcebase. However,Indiarecognisestheneedtoeffectivelycombattheissueofairpollution.Governmentof Indiahasalreadytakenseveralinitiativestoimprovetheefficiencyofcoalbasedpowerplantsandto reduceitscarbonfootprint.Allnew,largecoal-basedgeneratingstationshavebeenmandatedtouse thehighlyefficientsupercriticaltechnology.RenovationandModernisation(R&M)andLifeExtension (LE)ofexistingoldpowerstationsisbeingundertakeninaphasedmanner.About144oldthermal stationshavebeenassignedmandatorytargetsforimprovingenergyefficiency. Additionally, coal beneficiation has been made mandatory. Introduction of ultra-supercritical technology,asandwhencommerciallyavailable,ispartoffuturepolicy.Stringentemissionstandards arealsobeingcontemplatedforthermalplantstosignificantlyreduceemissions. Question23. Despiteitsmajorandambitioustargetfornon-fossilfuels,whyisIndia’sfuture electricityrequirementlinkedtocoal? While electricity has been a driving force for modern industrial growth in developed countries, it [12] continues to drive the engine of economic growth in developing countries; access to electricity is hencealsoametricformeasuringtheholisticdevelopmentofanation.However,theworldhasnot yetcreatedamodelofpercapitaeconomicgrowththatisindependentofelectricitygrowth. Given its growth aspirations, India’s electricity consumption is expected to accelerate. Electricity growth has been generated predominantly through fossil fuels by developed countries, and will continuetobegeneratedthroughthermalenergysourcesbydevelopedanddevelopingcountries, likeIndia,inthecurrentmodelforeconomicdevelopment.Thecapabilitiesofrenewableenergyin addressing the world’s energy needs are still limited, and the reduced technical and resource capabilitiesofdevelopingcountriestotransfertonon-fossilfuelconsumptionfurtherinhibitefforts toreduceglobalfossilfuelreliance.Developedcountrieshenceneedtoacceleraterenewableenergy generation,notonlybecauseoftheirhistoricaluseofcarbonspace,butalsobecausetheyareina muchstrongerpositiontodosothantheirdevelopingcounterparts. On its part, India is looking to reduce the impact of its continued reliance on fossil fuels through development and adoption of technologies that will minimise emissions. India is hence advocating globalpartnershipsforresearchanddevelopmentofsuchtechnologiestoaccompanyitsdevelopment trajectory. D. INDIA’SPERSPECTIVEONCLIMATEJUSTICE Question24. WhyisIndiatalkingaboutclimatejustice? Withasignificantproportionofitspopulationstillbelowthepovertyline,Indiaiswell-positionedto understandandbalancethisdemography’sneedsforupliftmentwiththeglobalagendaforclimate changeaction.Indiaaccountsfor2.4%oftheworldsurfacearea,butsupportsaround17.5%ofthe worldpopulation.Ithousesthelargestproportionofglobalpoor(30%,363millionpeople),around 24% of the global population without access to electricity (304 million), about 30% of the global population relying on solid biomass for cooking and 92 million without access to safe drinking water.These,geographicalandothersocio-economicfactorsmakeIndiahighlyvulnerabletoclimate changeimpacts. TheaverageannualenergyconsumptioninIndiain2011wasonly0.6tonnesofoilequivalent(toe) percapitaascomparedtoglobalaverageof1.88toepercapita.Additionally,Indiahasbeenableto achieveanHumanDevelopmentIndexof0.586withthissignificantlyloweraverageannualenergy consumption.NocountryintheworldhasbeenabletoachieveaHDIof0.9ormorewithoutanenergy availabilityof4toepercapita. Indiahasalottodotoprovideadignifiedlifetoitspopulationandtomeettheirrightfulaspirations. Given the development agenda in a democratic polity, the infrastructure deficit represented by different indicators, the pressures of urbanisation and industrialisation and the imperative of sustainablegrowth,Indiafacesaformidableandcomplexchallengeinworkingforeconomicprogress towardsasecurefutureforitscitizens. Givenitsexperiencesineffectivelyimplementingclimatechangeactions,Indiaalsoknowsthatcurrent adaptation efforts are not affordable or practical on a universal scale. Current climate change resolutioneffortsputtheburdenontheeconomicallydisadvantagedofsocietywithoutaccounting fortheirgrowthanddevelopmentaspirations.Asaresponsibleglobalcitizen,Indiaiswillingtolead inadaptationseffortsthatwillmakeliftingthepooracrosstheworldoutofpovertycentraltoclimate changeaction. [13] Question25. Whatistherolerequiredofdevelopednationstowardsclimatechangeaction? The issue of climate change has resulted from the model of economic growth and extravagant consumption by developed countries, who have established a precedent model for economic developmentwhichisunsustainable. Thus,asdevelopednationshavedonemorehistoricalharmto the environment, they have a greater historical responsibility to mitigate climate change, and to supportdevelopingcountriesinmitigationandadaptationefforts,especiallyastheyaretofollowa differentmodelofeconomicgrowth Furthermore, developed nations have significantly greater capabilities to address climate change actionthandevelopingcountries.Ifmeasurableandmeaningfulprogressistobemade,developed countriesneedtoextendsupporttodevelopingcountries.TheIndianPrimeMinisterrecentlystated that, “We must seek a more habitable and sustainable world. This also means that the developed countriesmustfulfilltheircommitmentsforfundingandtechnologytransfer.Second,nationalaction isimperative.Technologyhasmademanythingspossible.Weneedimaginationandcommitment. Indiaispreparedtoshareitstechnologyandcapabilities,justaswehaveannouncedafreesatellite fortheSAARCcountries.” Similarly,whiledevelopednationsshouldbesubjectedtopre-2020emissionreductiontargets,they shouldalsoextendfinancialsupporttodevelopingnations,andfacilitatetechnologyexchangesand incentivestoprotectthepoorindevelopingcountriesfrombearingthecostsofclimatechangeaction. ConduciveglobalIPRregimeswillenabledevelopingcountriestoeffectivelycombatclimatechange, andtoaccelerateacrosstheirgrowthtrajectorieswithgreenereconomies. Itisalsoimportantforrichnationstoensurethattheworld’spoordonotsufferdisproportionate burdensofclimateinjustice.Pooracrosstheworldaretheworsteffectedbyclimatechange,andthe principlesofequalopportunitydictatethattheworldlooksaftertheirneeds.Developednationsneed tobecognisantandawareofthisresponsibility,andhelprelievethepoorofthisunfairburden. FormerPresidentofIreland,andcurrentU.N.SpecialEnvoyforClimateChange,MaryRobinsonhas also echoed these sentiments, stating that, “The human rights dimensions, and in particular, the injusticeinthefactthattheclimateimpactsarebeingfeltbythepoorestcountriesandthepoorest communities.Thoseinthepoorestpartsofthecountryareleastresponsiblebecausetheyhaven’t beenusingtheoil,gasandcoal.Theyhavenotbeenomitting,andyet,theyareonthefrontline.Itis verymuchahumanrightsissue;itisagenderissue;itisamoralissue;itisapoliticalissueanditisa developmentissue.” Question26. WhatroleistheinternationalcommunityexpectedtoplayinachievingIndia’s climatechangegoals? The successful implementation of INDCs is contingent upon an ambitious global agreement that details the additional means of implementation to be provided by developed country parties, includingtechnologytransferandcapacitybuildingfollowingArticles3.1and4.7oftheConvention. Adetailedandfullscaleassessmentofinternationalclimatefinanceneedswillbefinalisedatalater stageandwoulddependonthegapbetweenactualcostofimplementationofIndia’splansandwhat can be made available from domestic sources. While this would evolve over time, a preliminary estimatesuggeststhatatleastUSD2.5trillion(at2014-15prices)willberequiredformeetingIndia's climatechangeactionsbetweennowand2030. Transferandgroundingoftechnologiesandtheirknowhowwouldbekeytoenhancingadaptation andmitigationmeasuresindevelopingcountries.Italsocallsformeaningfulandadequatefinancing [14] for the required cutting edge technologies. It is in this context that India has advocated global collaborationsinResearch&Development(R&D)andanenablingIPRregimetofacilitatetechnology accessandtransfers. India’seffortswillalsorequirepropertrainingandupgradingofskillsacrosssectors.Whilenofirm assessmentshavebeenmade,itisevidentthatsubstantialresourceswillberequiredtoimplement capacitybuildingprogrammes-bothatnationalandsub-nationallevels-toaddressclimatechange challenges.Welookforwardtoaninternationalmechanismwillenablesuchinitiatives. E. INDIA’SPERSPECTIVEONTHEPARISTALKSANDAGLOBALAPPROACHTO CLIMATECHANGE Question27. WhatisIndia’sviewonapossibleagreementinParisduringCOP21? India recognises that global commitments and concerted efforts are necessary towards global emissions reduction and reduction of vulnerability arising out of climate change. A durable, comprehensive,balanced,equitable,andpragmaticagreementthatencouragescountriestocommit toclimatechangeaction,andtomaintainincreasinglyambitioustargetstowardsemissionsreduction, isnecessaryandwillbekeytoachievableandsustainableprogress.Indiaisreadytoofferitssupport toachieveconsensusonthisglobalissue.Suchan agreementshouldaddressnecessaryelements, includingadaptation,mitigation,finance,technologytransfer,capacitybuildingandtransparency inactionandsupport. Thus, India is committed to engaging actively in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC in a positive,creativeandforward-lookingmanner.Ourobjectiveistoestablishaneffective,cooperative andequitableglobalarchitecturebasedonclimatejusticeandtheprinciplesofEquityandCommon ButDifferentiatedResponsibilitiesandRespectiveCapabilities,undertheUNFCCC. Atthesametime,thegenuinerequirementsofdevelopingcountrieslikeIndiaforanequitablecarbon anddevelopmentspacetoachievesustainabledevelopmentanderadicationofpovertyneedstobe safeguarded. OurkeyexpectationsfromCOP21areasfollows: • Abalancedagreementwithallcomponents-mitigation,adaptation,technology,financeand capacitybuilding-consistentwiththeprinciplesandprovisionsoftheConvention • New, additional and predictable finances from developed to developing countries for mitigation,adaptation,technologytransferandcapacitybuilding • Provisionoftechnologydevelopment,transferanddiffusion • Paris Agreement must incorporate loss and damage, and make the Warsaw International Mechanismoperational *** [15]