It has been clearly evident by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in India and replacing the energy through renewable energy for issues related to climate change there.
It took a very large space in climate change space for India. In addition to this, it also built up a great capacity in terms of renewable energy, and as such, has successfully garnered gigantic reductions in terms of greenhouse gases. As a measure by the country in its fight to control climate change, India submitted the 4th Biennial Update Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It talks of reduction in emissions but also speaks about how forests help in sequestration of carbon and encourages the use of renewable sources.
Control of Greenhouse Gases
Its record to curb emissions is unmatched, and aggregate greenhouse gas emissions are reported to have declined by 7.93 percent in the year 2020 as compared to the previous year. The sectors that emit much would include energy, agriculture, industrial processes, and waste management.
The energy sector takes the first position that accounts for 75.66% share in terms of total emissions of India during the calendar year 2020. Agriculture is next to energy because the emission level of the agriculture sector stands at 13.72%. Industrial process and product use stands third in this context at 8.06%. Waste management has a percentage share of 2.56%.
Focus Area: Reduce Emission Intensity
In the real world, the country performed well by reducing the emission intensity. Emission intensity refers to the amount of emissions a per unit of its economic output produces. This brought the emission intensity down to 36% during that period from 2005 to 2020. That actually meant such kind of reduction would depict how the country could have grown its economy without increasing the carbon footprint it was leaving and that was indeed a big thing for a country like India, extremely populated too.
As this report continues to note, “India is transitionally moving more toward clean sources of energy-thus establishing a big challenge to achieve virtually half of the country’s non-fossil-based energy by 2030.” Renewable energies will advance sharply from as low as 2014 gave less than 35 GWs to reach approximately 156.25 GW about close to this year by the end of October 2024, which, as such will make up a capacity power-generated amount as close to 46.52%.
Role of Forests in Carbon Sequestration
Forests and tree cover hold prime importance in the climate policy of India. In the year 2020, forests and tree cover become a natural carbon sink. Thus, it captured nearly 522 million tonnes of CO2 in this period. Overall, there is a 22% reduction in CO2 emissions in the country. Resulting from the forests and tree cover of India between 2005 and 2021, this additional carbon sink amounts to 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2, which again reflects the importance of these ecosystems toward mitigating climate change. In 2021, forests and tree cover accounted for 25.17 percent of India’s land area.
It’s going to increase the already existing forest cover and preserve those forests already existing in a bid to increase its forest cover toward achieving climate objectives. All these go along with overall climate strategy undertaken by the country, including expanding tree cover and sustainable forest management. It will further contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint of the nation.
Energy Transition and Technological Advancements
India is turning to an unprecedented shift in the sources of energy in the country. Along with the increasing thrust on wind, solar, and others, comes the shift in India’s energy sector. Renewable energy, excluding large hydropower, adds to an aggregate 156.25 GW, in contrast to 35 GW as of 2014. Among other measures for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and further curtailing carbon emission in the energy sector were adopted by 2024.
Not to mention, it is also making progress in the application of clean technologies in transport and industry. The growth of investment in renewable energy technologies, energy storage systems, and energy efficiency in India will probably increase the speed of moving into a low-carbon economy.
Climate Action and the Road Ahead
That marks out the active approach of the country toward an answer in each element on climate change issues. Efforts toward climate changes but with a growth in their economy are excellently put up by tremendous cuts of emission intensities, expanded renewable energy capability, and the carbon sinks into the forest.
Challenges abound. High economy side growth combined with the need to reduce emission still makes India vulnerable to such a challenge as it has extremely large population still developing many of its infrastructures and industries; therefore, with opportunities for future emission reduction are also accompanied with challenges. Another challenge is an increase in India’s energy demand while working to use cleaner energy sources since fossil fuel still represents a considerable proportion of the energy mix.
Conclusion:Therefore, such an investment from India would have to collaborate with the global climate players in terms of cooperation but stay tough in clean technology as well as clean infrastructure that should enable it and make it possible to be supported by enabling energy transitions possible from every financial and technology standpoint. The core of further moving at a climate progress rate is the buildup of further action that stays active toward building more capability, and the scaling up of green finance to the needed level. In that way, the efforts over climate proves India to be an authentic campaigner for a sustainable growth rate. It remains in motion but reduces the carbon footprints when greenhouse gases keep lowering the rates, renewables cover its energy scope and forest areas still expand at their best speeds for the battle to lead into climate efforts’ frontiers worldwide. India ensures being ahead; till India increases in its campaigns, it manages challenges for developing sound long-run climate goals.
Source: PIB