New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has voiced concern over the United States’ withdrawal from its $100 billion commitment to global climate financing under the Paris agreement and has called upon India to step forward as a responsible global actor in addressing climate change challenges.
In its report tabled recently in Rajya Sabha, the standing committee on environment, forest and climate change, headed by MP Bhubaneswar Kalita, observed that the Trump-led US administration’s decision to renege on climate funding commitments poses a setback to global climate action. It also noted waning engagement from international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The committee notes that the new US administration’s withdrawal from climate funding is a matter of concern, as they had committed to contributing $100 billion to the climate fund under the Paris Agreement. Not only have they backed out, but even the international organizations, like, the WHO has shown its reservations,” it said.
Under these circumstances, India, being a large country and being a major player in climate change mitigation, must take responsibility and work towards achieving its goals, it said. As a major developing economy and key stakeholder in the climate negotiations, India must demonstrate leadership in pursuing the goals of the Paris agreement, asserted the panel.
In response, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change enlisted the government’s range of policy interventions and sustainable development strategies to combat global warming.
It told the panel that India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted in August 2022 reflect its intention to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030, relative to 2005 levels. The country also aims to achieve 50% of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
The Ministry said these targets represent a clear commitment to decouple economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions, a critical step in achieving long term climate resilience. Additionally, in November 2022, India submitted its long-term low carbon development strategy to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), outlining a national vision for a sustainable low carbon future that integrates developmental priorities with environmental responsibility.
India’s climate policy is anchored by the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which comprises nine national missions spanning areas such as solar energy, sustainable agriculture, energy efficiency, Himalayan ecosystems, and public health.
These missions have been updated in alignment with the revised NDCs and emerging scientific knowledge, it said adding that the Green India Mission, overseen by the Environment Ministry, is among the flagship programs targeting afforestation and ecosystem restoration.
At the sub-national level, many states and union territories have prepared their Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs). India also submitted its Initial Adaptation Communication to the UNFCCC in 2023, highlighting national strategies to address climate vulnerability, improve adaptive capacities, and integrate climate resilience into development programs.
The document underlines India’s proactive approach in mainstreaming adaptation despite developmental challenges. The Ministry also highlighted key initiatives supporting the transition to a greener economy such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission that aims to promote clean hydrogen as a renewable alternative for hard to abate sectors, Green Sovereign Bonds are being leveraged to finance environmentally sustainable infrastructure.
It also shared with the parliamentary panel its Nuclear Energy Mission that focuses on expanding nuclear power generation as part of the clean energy mix. “India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030 and aims to reduce projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by the same year. Notably, India has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, a commitment reaffirmed in international climate forums,” it said.
To foster behavioural change and public engagement, the government has launched the “Lifestyle for Environment” (LiFE) initiative. Other significant efforts include “electrification and decarbonisation of the railway network, initiatives to protect himalayan glaciers and critical ecosystems, a national policy push for electric vehicles (EVs), with a focus on infrastructure, financial incentives, and market readiness among others.”
