Why in News?

• India has unveiled its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2035 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in line with its obligations under the Paris Agreement.
• These targets reflect a progression over earlier commitments and aim to reconcile climate ambition with developmental priorities and energy security.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Key Highlights of India’s 2035 NDC Targets
• Understanding NDCs and Climate Governance
• Significance of India’s Climate Strategy
• Main Pillars of India’s Climate Strategy
• Challenges and Concerns
• Way Forward
• Conclusion

Key Highlights of 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.
  • Sources include: Solar, wind, hydro, biomass, nuclear.
  • Indication: Early achievement of 2030 target (50%), showcasing rapid renewable expansion.
• 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.
  • This reflects continued emphasis on energy efficiency and low-carbon growth.
• 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).
  • Focus on afforestation, reforestation, and ecosystem restoration.

Understanding NDCs and Climate Governance:

• What are NDCs? These are voluntary climate action plans under the Paris framework, updated every 5 years with increasing ambition, reflecting national circumstances and capabilities.
• India’s NDC evolution: Demonstrates incremental progression principle.
  • 2015: First NDC (targeting 2025)
  • 2022: Updated NDC (targets for 2030)
  • 2026: Third NDC (targets for 2035)
• Global stocktake (GST) influence: Based on findings of the Global Stocktake (GST) (initiated 2021), it was held that the world is not on track for the 1.5°C goal.
• India’s targets: These are shaped by equity and CBDR-RC principle (Common But Differentiated Responsibilities), developmental needs and energy security. India is on track or ahead in several parameters.

Significance of India’s Climate Strategy:

• Leadership of Global South: India positioned as a climate leader among developing countries. This signals commitment despite the historical responsibility of developed nations.
• Balancing growth with sustainability: Focus on energy access, industrial growth, and climate mitigation, and reflecting “climate justice” approach.
• Strategic autonomy in climate policy: NDCs are self-determined, not externally imposed, aligning with domestic priorities like energy security and affordable power.

Main Pillars of India’s Climate Strategy:

• India’s NDC is operationalized through the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and its nine national missions, as well as the State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC).
• India’s climate action is being implemented at local level through various schemes and programme such as:
  • Jal Jeevan Mission,
  • National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Habitat,
  • MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes),
  • National Disaster Management Plan,
  • Soil Health Card and
  • Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), etc.
• People-centric approach:
  • India’s climate efforts are centered around the principle of “Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE),” which is transforming sustainable living into a mass movement.
  • The initiatives like ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Nam’ transformed tree plantation into a people-driven climate action.

Challenges and Concerns:

• Modest ambition: Critics argue that targets do not match India’s current progress. For example, 60% non-fossil capacity is seen as under-ambitious.
• Gap between capacity and generation: Though 52% capacity is non-fossil, only ~25% actual generation due to intermittency of renewables.
• Land and infrastructure constraints: Renewable expansion faces land acquisition issues, and transmission bottlenecks.
• Forest cover limitations: Current forest and tree cover (~24.6%) is lower than the target of 33% (National Forest Policy).
• Global inequities: Developed countries allegedly rolling back climate commitments, and imposing unilateral trade measures (e.g., carbon border taxes).

Way Forward:

• Enhancing renewable energy ecosystem: Invest in grid infrastructure, energy storage technologies, and green hydrogen.
• Bridging capacity-generation gap: Improve efficiency and reliability of renewables. Promote hybrid systems (solar + wind + storage).
• Strengthening carbon sink: Expand agroforestry, urban forestry, and community-led conservation.
• Climate finance mobilisation: Push for international climate finance, technology transfer, and leverage initiatives like green bonds.
• Policy and institutional reforms: Streamline approvals for renewable projects. Strengthen climate governance frameworks.

Conclusion:

• India’s updated 2035 NDCs reflect a measured yet pragmatic escalation in climate ambition, rooted in equity and developmental realities.
• While the country is on track to meet or exceed several existing targets, concerns remain about the adequacy of ambition in the face of the global climate crisis.
• Going forward, India’s role will be crucial in shaping a just, inclusive, and sustainable global climate order, particularly as a voice of the Global South.