India's updated NDC under Paris Agreement will be communicated to UNFCCC: Centre to HC

All businesses in India will have to adjust their practices, and make necessary changes anticipating the shift.

The Centre on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that it has approved India's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and it will be communicated to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved India's updated NDC, incorporating two of the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Glasgow conference -- reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, and achieving about 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by that year.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was informed about the development during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking constitution of an expert committee for the realisation of the promises made by India at the UNFCCC.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Centre, said the Cabinet has approved the updated NDC on Wednesday itself.

Taking note of the submissions, the bench allowed petitioner lawyer Rohit Madan, who was represented through advocate Akshay R, to withdraw the petition.

According to the updated NDC, India now stands committed to reducing emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030, from 2005 level, and achieving about 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.

NDC means national plans and pledges made by a country to meet the goal of maintaining global temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while aiming for 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The petitioner had asserted that it was the Indian government's duty to honour its international commitments.

In the petition, the petitioner has said that like several other countries, India made certain commitments during the 2021 UNFCCC in Glasgow also known as COP26, which included reaching 500GW non-fossil capacity by 2030, fulfilling 50 per cent of energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030, etc and the same must be fulfilled.

''These commitments were made before a formal international forum of which India is also a member and a signatory. These commitments involve a shift to renewable and green energy from current coal-based energy. All businesses in India will have to adjust their practices, and make necessary changes anticipating the shift. The State is bound by the promises it made and must deliver on the same,'' the petition said.

The updated NDC will be implemented over the 2021-2030 period through programmes and schemes of relevant ministries and departments and with support from states and union territories.

At the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UNFCCC last November, Modi had announced that India's non-fossil energy capacity will reach 500 gigawatt by 2030.

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