NDCs are climate action plans submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement (2015) of UNFCCC, outlining their targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapting to climate impacts, and it is not legally binding targets.

India’s NDCs

  • First NDC (2015)
    • Reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33–35% from 2005 levels by 2030.
    • Achieve 40% cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
    • Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover.
  • Updated NDC (2022):
    • 45% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP by 2030 (from 2005 level).
    • 50% cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030.
    • Reaffirmation of forest carbon sink goal.
    • Alignment with Panchamrit announced at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021):
      • Net zero by 2070.
      • 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.
      • 1 billion tonnes reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
      • 50% energy from renewables by 2030.
      • Reduction of carbon intensity of economy by 45% by 2030.
  • India’s 2035 NDC Targets
      • Expansion of non-fossil energy capacity
        • Target: 60% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2035.
        • Current status: India already achieved about 52% (2025). Target was to achieve 50% by 2030.
      • Reduction in emissions intensity
        • Target: 47% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP (from 2005 levels) by 2035.
        • Current progress: 36% reduction achieved (2005–2020) and the 2030 target is 45% reduction.
      • Enhancement of carbon sink
        • Target: 3.5–4 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent carbon sink.
        • Current progress: About 2.3 billion tonnes achieved by 2021 (2.5–3 bn tonnes to be achieved by 2030)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

  • It is an international treaty formed in the Rio Earth Summit ( 1992) to coordinate the global response to climate change with its headquarters at Bonn, Germany.
  • The primary role of UNFCCC is to provide a framework for negotiating specific international treaties, known as “protocols.”
  • UNFCCC itself sets no binding limits but aims to stabilize greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level preventing dangerous consequences.

 

Source: The Hindu

 

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