India tells CoP30 it has exceeded its climate commitments, to submit update on time

New Delhi: India will submit an expanded set of climate commitments, its revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through 2035, along with its first Biennial Transparency Report on schedule next month, environment minister Bhupender Yadav said in Belém, Brazil, on Monday.

“India’s emissions intensity has declined by over 36% since 2005, and non-fossil sources now account for more than half of our total electric power installed capacity (currently around 256 GW), an NDC target achieved five years ahead of our 2030 goal,” the minister said at the 30th edition of the Conference of Parties (CoP30).

The announcement reinforces India’s alignment with the Paris Agreement at a time when countries are under pressure to scale up their climate ambitions.

NDCs are climate action plans submitted by countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under the Paris Agreement. The document outlines each country’s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change, and it must be updated every five years with more ambitious goals.

India had in 2022 declared its first NDC—of achieving an emission intensity of its GDP (gross domestic product) by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 levels. Emissions intensity of GDP refers to the amount of carbon dioxide emission produced per unit of GDP—a measure to evaluate how efficiently an economy uses carbon-based resources to generate economic output.

“It is heartening to know that India will soon release its revised NDCs. This announcement puts to rest unnecessary speculation about India’s commitment to the Paris Agreement. India has already achieved its previous NDC targets five years ahead of schedule, and I am confident that its new pledges will further strengthen its position as a global leader in climate action,” said Dr Chandra Bhushan, chief executive officer, iFOREST, an independent non-profit research and innovation organization working on pressing environmental-development challenges in India.

‘Honour commitments’

In his statement, the minister urged developed countries to demonstrate greater climate ambitions and honour their commitments. “Developed countries must reach net zero far earlier than current target dates and deliver new, additional, and concessional climate finance at a scale of trillions, not billions,” he said. He stressed the need for affordable, accessible climate technology and stated that climate technology must be free from restrictive intellectual property barriers.

Yadav noted that India’s global leadership has been demonstrated through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuel Alliance, and also underscored the momentum created by the Nuclear Mission and Green Hydrogen Mission in advancing India’s path to net zero by 2070.

Earlier, addressing the LeadIT Industry Leaders’ Roundtable at Belém, the minister said: “India firmly believes that global partnerships are indispensable and LeadIT, launched jointly by India and Sweden in 2019, stands as a model for such collaboration.”

Since its launch, LeadIT has grown to 18 member countries and 27 companies, successfully elevating industrial transition on the global climate agenda, supporting transition roadmaps, improving transparency in global decarbonization efforts and building platforms for knowledge exchange, the minister said.

He also noted the progress made under the Industry Transition Platform (ITP), set up through joint funding from India and Sweden and said 18 industries and research institutions from India and Sweden will soon initiate projects involving value-creation from industrial by-products and gases, carbon capture and utilization, artificial intelligence for process optimization, electrification, and hydrogen-based industrial heating.

The minister also highlighted the LeadIT-facilitated cooperation between Tata Motors and the Volvo Group to decarbonize heavy-duty transport.

“Considering the high level of India’s performance with regard to the current NDCs, it reinforces India’s position as a global leader in climate actions,” said R.R. Rashmi, distinguished fellow at Teri. “India’s new NDC is expected to raise the targets further. This will act as a positive signal to domestic and international investors who are looking to make clean energy investments in India.”