NEW DELHI: A month after the Union cabinet approved India’s climate action goals, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), for the 2031-35 period, the country has formally submitted its pledges to the United Nations climate agency. In its submission, India emphasized that commitments from developing countries “cannot be fulfilled” without adequate “finance” and “technology transfer.”
India aims to achieve 60% cumulative installed capacity of its electric power from non-fossil fuel sources by 2035, contingent upon the transfer of technology and access to low-cost international finance. The country also pledged to reduce emissions intensity by 47% by 2035 compared to 2005 levels and to create a carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2035, based on 2005 stock.
Alongside these quantitative targets, India made five additional commitments in its submission on April 24. These include mobilizing domestic finance, as well as new and additional finance from developed countries, to support adaptation and mitigation strategies; promoting a sustainable lifestyle; building capacities; aligning with the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047; and enhancing investment in development programs in climate-vulnerable sectors, particularly agriculture, water resources, the Himalayan region, coastal regions, health, and disaster management.
In addressing the conditions necessary to fulfill these climate commitments, India stated, “A significant share of developing countries’ NDCs is conditional upon the availability of adequate means of implementation, particularly finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.” The document warns that “without sufficient funding, technology cooperation, and capacity-building, these conditional commitments cannot be fulfilled, resulting in an ambition gap that weakens the collective objectives of the Paris Agreement.”
India clarified that its NDC does not impose any specific emission reduction obligations on individual sectors, including agriculture. The focus is on reducing the overall emissions intensity of the economy by promoting clean energy and improving energy efficiency, while also protecting vulnerable sectors and communities.
The document also reiterated the responsibilities of developed nations. India highlighted that these countries, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, must provide necessary finance, technology, and capacity-building support for addressing climate change. The submission stated, “India, in turn, will require its fair share of these resources and support to advance its climate goals.”
NDCs are non-binding, voluntary commitments made by countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change, submitted every five years. India first submitted its NDC in 2015, targeting 2030, and updated it in 2022, both times reiterating the need for support from developed countries to implement its climate strategies.
Despite the challenges, India has made progress on certain commitments with domestic financing. As of February 28, India’s non-fossil fuel-based electric power capacity exceeded 52.5% of total installed capacity, and emissions intensity of the GDP fell by 36% between 2005 and 2020. The country is also on target to establish an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030, with 2.29 billion tonnes created from 2005 to 2021.
Emphasizing its priorities, the document asserts that “India aims to deliver on its ambitious targets for universal access to services like water, sanitation, waste management, affordable housing, and electric power in alignment with the short- and medium-term goals set by current government initiatives, including the achievement of sustainable development goals.”
