INDIA STANDS ON NET-ZERO BY 2070

sree nivas February 8, 2023 Environmental Issues, GS3 Leave a comment 222 Views

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav today addressed the Ministerial Session on ‘Adapting to an Uncertain Future: Reshaping of Global Partnerships’ at India Energy Week in Bengaluru.
To reshape the global partnership, India has adopted a “whole-of-society” approach with governments engaging at national, sub-national and local governments levels, including the private sector, civil society organizations, local communities, and people in vulnerable situations.
India is one of the fastest growing emerging market economies with a young population and burgeoning innovation and business ecosystem.
With Nominal GDP for 2023/24, estimated to grow 10.5% year-on-year to 301.75 trillion rupees (USD 3.69 trillion) in 2023/24, India strives to become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025.
Noting that India is at the centre of the energy transition, combining economic and energy demand growth with rapid decarbonisation, India stands committed to reduce emissions intensity of our GDP by 45% by 2030 and subsequently reach to net-zero by 2070.
In this context he also said that India’s commitment to the sustainable and carbon neutral future is being guided by its enhanced National Determined Contribution (NDC) and Long-Term Low Carbon Development Strategy which call for clean and efficient energy systems, disaster resilient infrastructure, and planned eco-restoration.
India’s net zero goal entails a five-decade long journey and India’s strategy must therefore be evolutionary and flexible, accommodating new developments in technology, the global economy and international cooperation.
Shri Yadav also said that India’s long-term low-carbon development strategy to reach net-zero by 2070 notes, inter-alia, that alongside the imperative of development,
And need to ensure the country’s energy security, based both on the expansion of non-fossil fuel sources for power generation and rational utilization of fossil fuel resources.
India’s long-term low-carbon development strategy therefore rests on seven key transitions to low-carbon development pathways.
In the context of energy security, the Strategy calls for low-carbon development of electricity systems consistent with development; development of an integrated, efficient and inclusive transport system;
promotion of energy and material efficiency in buildings, and sustainable urbanization; and economy-wide decoupling of growth from emissions and development of an efficient, innovative low-emission industrial system.
India has launched, and is nurturing many programs for green fuel, green energy, green mobility, green buildings, and green equipment, and policies for efficient use of energy across various economic sectors.
Ethanol blending with petrol, the National Green Hydrogen mission, promotion of electric vehicles and tremendous push on the renewable energy front are some of the significant initiatives that India is pursuing towards a clean and green energy future.
These initiatives are playing important role in India’s Energy transitions and to provide for large-scale green job opportunities.
Highlighting the primary characteristics of Union Budget 2023-24, Shri Yadav said that, it reflects the Government’s nonstop commitment towards India’s Energy Transition. Some of the important initiatives of the Union Budget are:
Energy Transition: This Budget provides ` 35,000 crore for priority capital investments towards energy transition and net zero objectives, and energy security by Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of ` 19,700 crores, is to facilitate energy transition and reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports
Energy Storage Projects: To steer the economy on the sustainable development path, Battery Energy Storage Systems with capacity of 4,000 MWH will be supported with Viability Gap Funding.
Renewable Energy Evacuation: The Inter-state transmission system for evacuation and grid integration of 13 GW renewable energy from Ladakh is be constructed with investment of ` 20,700 crore including central support of ` 8,300 crore.
GOBARdhan scheme: 500 new ‘waste to wealth’ plants under GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) scheme will be established for promoting circular economy.