SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT/HDI/CLIMATE/ENVIRONMENT

India is the 3rd largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) after China and the US.

In its NDC, India has sought to

 reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent below 2005 levels by the
year 2030;
 achieve 40 per cent of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel
sources by 2030
 Enhance forest and tree cover to create additional carbon sink equivalent to 2.5 to 3
billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2030.

Panchamrita:5 POINTS PLEDGE

 target of net zero by the year 2070
 reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by the year 2030;
 achieve 50 per cent of energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030
 increase non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030
 Reduce the total projected carbon emissions by 01 billion tonnes from now till 2030.

The main aim of the Paris Agreement,2015 is to hold the increase in the global average temperature
well below 2oC above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase
even further to 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels.

SDG

These goals are multi-dimensional and integrate various social, economic and environmental
dimensions.

With increasing demand for resources to cater to the different developmental needs, policies need to
nudge economic agents towards achieving the maximum output from the available resources.
Developing countries like India need to endeavor to do the best possible within their own domestic
resources, keeping in mind the sustainable development imperatives. It is time for the global
community to exhibit the requisite momentum to act upon their responsibilities on establishing the
enabling environment for sustainable development and climate actions.

However, the current investment in developing countries is around US$1.4 trillion leading to a
shortfall of US$2.5 trillion per year (UNCTAD, 2014). Global action of this scale requires strong
coordination between different governments, development institutions, private sector and financial
institutions for the effective financing and implementation across the globe.

 Sustainable consumption and production

 Green Bonds / Social impact bonds
 Green / Clean Technology
 Investment in R&D
The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)-2008, encompasses a range of
measures. It focuses on eight missions, which are as follows:
1. National Solar Mission: The NAPCC aims to promote the development and use of solar
energy for power generation and other uses, with the ultimate objective of making solar
competitive with fossil-based energy options. It also includes the establishment of a solar
research center, increased international collaboration on technology development,
strengthening of domestic manufacturing capacity, and increased government funding
and international support.
Achieve 100 GW of solar power in 7 years starting from 2014-15
As of 31st December 2021, solar power capacity of 49.35 GW has been installed in the
country.

2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency: The NAPCC recommends mandating
specific energy consumption decreases in large energy-consuming industries, with a
system for companies to trade energy-saving certificates, financing for public–private
partnerships to reduce energy consumption through demand-side management programs
in the municipal, buildings, and agricultural sectors, and energy incentives, including
reduced taxes on energy-efficient appliances.

3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat: The NAPCC also aims at promoting energy
efficiency as a core component of urban planning by extending the existing Energy
Conservation Building Code, strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel economy
standards, and using pricing measures to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles and
incentives for the use of public transportation. The NAPCC also emphasizes on waste
management and recycling.

4. National Water Mission: The NAPCC sets a goal of a 20% improvement in water use
efficiency through pricing and other measures to deal with water scarcity as a result of
climate change.

5. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem: This particular mission sets
the goal to prevent melting of the Himalayan glaciers and to protect biodiversity in the
Himalayan region.
 6. Green India Mission: The NAPCC also aims at afforestation of 6 million hectares of
degraded forest lands and expanding forest cover from 23 to 33% of India's territory.

7. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture: The NAPCC aims to support climate
adaptation in agriculture through the development of climate-resilient crops, expansion of
weather insurance mechanisms, and agricultural practices.

8. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change: To gain a better

understanding of climate science, impacts, and challenges, the plan envisions a new
Climate Science Research Fund, improved climate modeling, and increased international
collaboration. It also encourages private sector initiatives to develop adaptation and
mitigation technologies through venture capital funds.

National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC)

It is a Central Sector Scheme which was set up in the year 2015-16.
The overall aim of NAFCC is to support concrete adaptation activities which mitigate the
adverse effects of climate change.
The activities under this scheme are implemented in a project mode. The projects related to
adaptation in sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forestry, tourism etc. are
eligible for funding under NAFCC.
NABARD is the National Implementing Entity (NIE).

Objectives

 Funding concrete adaptation projects/programmes aligned with the relevant Missions

under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and the State Action on
Climate Change (SAPCCs) in agriculture, horticulture, agro-forestry, environment, allied
activities, water, forestry, urban, coastal and low-lying system, disaster management,
human health, marine system, tourism, habitat sector and other rural livelihood sectors to
address climate change related issues.
 Preparing and updating climate scenario, assessing vulnerability and climate impact
assessment
 Capacity building of various stakeholders on climate change adaptation and project cycle
management and developing knowledge network
 Mainstreaming the approaches/ learnings from project/programme implementation
through knowledge Management
Climate Change Action program (CCAP) is a central sector scheme, initially launched in 2014, with a
total outlay of ` 290 crores for duration of five years. The scheme has now been extended upto 2025-26,
and consists of eight broad sub-components including the National Action Plan on Climate Change
(NAPCC) coordination, State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC), National Institute on Climate
Change Studies & Actions, National Carbonaceous Aerosols Programme (NCAP), Long Term Ecological
Observations (LTEO), International negotiations and capacity building.

India has announced the National Hydrogen Mission for generating hydrogen from green energy
sources. Through technological advancements, hydrogen is being blended with CNG for use as
transportation fuel as well as an industrial input to refineries.

20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025.

Benefits - saving USD 4 billion foreign exchange per year in imports, enhancing energy security, lowering
carbon emissions, improving air quality, promoting productive use of damaged food grains and waste,
increasing farmers’ incomes, creating employment and investment opportunities.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme to provide energy
and water security, de-dieselize the farm sector and generate additional income for farmers by
producing solar power. The scheme aims to add 30.8 GW of solar capacity with central financial support
of over ` 34,000 Crore.

It has 3 components –

(a) Installation of Sustainable Development and Climate Change 227 - 10,000 MW of decentralized grid
connected solar power plants each of capacity up to 2 MW,

(b) Setting up of 20 lakh standalone solar powered agriculture pumps, and

(c) solarisation of 15 Lakh existing grid-connected agriculture pumps.

RBI has included these components under Priority Sector Lending Guidelines for easing availability of
finance.
COP-26:

The “Glasgow Climate Pact” emphasizes adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology transfer,
capacity-building, loss and damage.
The decision urges the developed country Parties to fully deliver on the USD 100 billion
mobilization goal urgently and through till 2025, and emphasizes the importance of
transparency in the implementation of their pledges.
It urges developed countries to at least double adaptation finance to developing countries from
2019 levels by 2025.

Methane Pledge:
o The European Union (EU) and the US have launched a landmark pledge to slash
emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas methane, a commitment that could prevent
0.2 degrees Celsius of global warming.
o The alliance's members will seek to lower global emissions of methane - the second-
largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide - by 30% below 2020
levels by 2030.
o Besides the EU and the US, more than 103 countries have signed up so far, including
major methane emitters like Nigeria and Pakistan.

 The Global Methane Pledge (US), first announced in September 2021, now
covers emissions from two-thirds of the global economy.
 China, Russia and India - have not signed up, while Australia has said it will
not back the pledge.

 Deforestation Pledge:
o More than 100 national leaders pledged to halt and reverse deforestation and land
degradation by the end of the decade, underpinned by USD 19 billion in public and
private funds to invest in protecting and restoring forests.

 Call for Climate Finance:

o India noted that climate finance cannot continue at the levels decided in 2009 (100
billion USD), and emphasised that it should be at least USD 1 trillion to meet the
goals of addressing climate change.
o India underlined the unity and strength of Like-Minded Developing Countries
(LMDC) as fundamental in the UNFCCC negotiations.
 To preserve the interest of the Global South in the fight against climate
change, India highlighted that recognition of the current challenges being
 faced by developing countries required intensified multilateral cooperation, not
intensified global economic and geopolitical competition and trade wars.
o India requested the LMDC members to join hands with India to support the global
initiatives it has pioneered, including the International Solar Alliance
(ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Leadership
Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT).

 Infrastructure for Resilient Island States: IRIS

o India launched this initiative as a part of the CDRI that would focus on building
capacity, having pilot projects, especially in small island developing states.
o Small Island Developing States or SIDS face the biggest threat from climate change,
India’s space agency ISRO will build a special data window for them to provide them
timely information about cyclones, coral-reef monitoring, coast-line monitoring etc.
through satellite.
 One Sun One World One Grid Group (OSOWOG) Launched:
o It is an initiative by India and the United Kingdom to tap solar energy and have it
travel seamlessly across borders.
o It includes a group of governments called the Green Grids Initiative (GGI) - One
Sun One World One Grid group.
 The aim of GGI is to help achieve the pace and scale of reforms to infrastructure
and market structures needed to underpin the global energy transition.
o It has the potential to be a modern engineering marvel, and a catalyst for greatly
expanding renewable electricity generation, and effectively mitigating climate
change in the next decade.

 Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda: A potentially important development which emerged out

of COP26 (but outside the COP process) is the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda endorsed by
42 countries (including India).
o This is a cooperative effort to accelerate the development and deployment of clean
technologies and sustainable solutions in areas such as clean power, road transport,
steel, agriculture and hydrogen. The main key is the successful implementation of
technology transfer from developed countries to developing countries.
 Phasing-Down Coal Consumption: Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels and an early phasing
out of coal is clearly desirable. European countries have pushed hard for its phase out;
however, developing countries have resisted this.
o A middle path, as suggested by India, was referred to at the COP26 calling for
a “phase-down" of coal-based power.
 Best Case Scenario: An early assessment by Climate Action Tracker (CAT), an
independent organization, suggests that the targets declared, if fully achieved, could limit
global warming to around +1.8°C.
o However, it also warns that the targets for 2030 are insufficiently ambitious. Unless
significantly tightened, the world is more likely to end up seeing global temperatures
rise by 2.1°C to 2.4°C.

Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE) ‘mindful and deliberate utilization’ instead of ‘mindless and
destructive consumption.
This movement calls for coming together with collective participation, to take lifestyle for
environment forward as a campaign and as a mass movement for environmentally conscious life
style in a manner that revolutionizes many sectors and diverse areas such as fishing, agriculture,
wellness, dietary choices, packaging, housing, hospitality, tourism, clothing, fashion, water
management and energy.

Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT Group)

LeadIT was launched by India and Sweden, with the support of the World Economic Forum at the UN
Climate Action Summit in New York in September 2019, as one of the nine action tracks identified by
the UN Secretary-General to boost climate ambitions and actions to implement the Paris Agreement.
In November 2021, the Joint Ministerial Statement released at the Leadership Summit called
countries and companies to come out with roadmaps for deep reductions in emissions across all
heavy industries and value chains in the coming decade.

The COP26 of Glasgow is a promising start on emissions reduction, however, on the

part of global largest emitters, much more is expected to be done.
In India’s context, it needs to work out a detailed plan of action with reference to
phasing-down coal-based power generation and encouraging electric vehicles.

IPCC 6th Assessment Report:

1.5 C temp.rise is likely to be achieved before 2040 itself
45% of global population is living in areas vulnerable to climate change
Indian cities face risks of flooding, sea level rise, heat waves
Vector borne and water borne diseases are increasing
Even limiting temp to 1.5 C will have “irreversible impacts”.
Q What is Sustainable development? Explain its core elements. What are the
challenges India is facing in achieving the sustainable development Goals by
2030? Suggest Measures to achieve the SDGs.
Ans:
Sustainable Development (SD) is the development which meets the need of the current
generation without harming the ability of the future generations to satisfy their needs.

In other words, it is maximum utilization of the available resources with minimum effect on the
environment. Moreover, as said by Mahatama Gandhi, "Earth has everything to satisfy
everybody's needs but not enough to satisfy anybody's greed".

United Nations (UN) adopted "Agenda 2030" in 2015 and provided pathway to achieve
sustainable development, by achieving targets and goals as defined in 17 number of sustainable
development goals (SDG).

Core Elements:

o Economic Growth
o Environmental Sustainability
o Social Inclusion
o Well-being for all

1. NO Poverty: Reducing poverty is the very first SDG, which focuses on removing extreme
poverty in all its forms everywhere.

2. Reduced Inequalities: Inequalities should be reduced and subsequently eliminated, as

defined in SDG-5 and 10, to achieve inclusive SD.

3. Climate Change & Clean Energy: Development processes should be sensitive to the
environment. Renewable sources of the energy must be adopted, as given in SGD-7 and 13.

4. Focus on Health & Education: Both these elements are the key enablers of SD. Therefore,
adequate healthcare and educational infrastructure must be built as given in SDG-3 & 4.

5. Zero Hunger & Food Security: Food security must be achieved for all so that nobody goes to
sleep hungry stomach, as defined in SDG-2.

Challenges for India:

 1. High Poverty Rate: As per UNDP Multi-dimensional Poverty Index, around 22% of the Indians
are poor. So, poverty reduction must be given top priority to reduce poverty level by half, as
demanded in SDG-1.

2. Prevailing Inequality: As suggested by various inequality related reports, India is one of the
"very high unequal" country. Therefore, steps must be taken to reduce inequality (Both
economic and Gender inequality) to achieve SDG-5.

3. Jobless Growth: SDG-8 requires us to provide decent work opportunities for all, however, our
LFPR is only around 53% and high unemployment rate persists in the country.

4. Unsustainable Cities: Indian cities are top rankers in pollution related reports. Therefore,
focus should be on making habitable cities.

Way ahead:

1. Enhance expenditure on education and health infrastructure so that various malnutrition and
educational related indicators could be improved.

2. Skill development: Skilled and trained labour is more likely to get a job, therefore, people
must be skilled, re-skilled and up-skilled. PMKVY is a right step in this direction.

3. Women Empowerment: Bring more women into the labour force by offering various
incentives. Creche Scheme, maternity leave, etc. are the right steps.

There are few major challenges that hinder India from achieving SDGs. They are,
1. Financing Sustainable Development Goals: A new study estimates that implementing
SDGs in India by 2030 will cost around US$14.4 billion. According to the available statistics,
India has only 5% of the required funding to implement SDGs. Further, India’s budgetary
spending is also less in essential sectors. India spends around 1.5% on health and around
4% on education. This is far below the required levels to see improvement
2. High growth and redistribution of wealth alone is not enough to achieve SDG. For
example, According to the United Nations MDG 2014 report, despite high economic growth,
in 2010, one-third of the world’s 1.2 billion extreme poor lived in India alone.
3. Resource consumption and behavioural change: Achieving SDGs also require behavioural
change among individual. For example, using water effectively, reducing food wastage and
sharing the remaining food with others, etc.
4. Increasing population: The United Nations estimates that India’s population will reach 1.7
billion by 2050. In that case, the country is likely to face a widening ecological deficit even
if its current per-capita levels of resource consumption remain the same.
5. Pandemic induced impacts: Many research studies have pointed out that India’s progress
in essential sectors was reduced during the pandemic. For example, Oxfam
International released a report that highlighted increasing inequalities in India during the
time of the Covid pandemic.

1. What is sustainable development? What should be done to achieve it?

2.Elaborate the issues related to 'global warming and climate changes in the context of
measures required for sustainable development

3. Comment on the new theme of Rio+20 conference: ‘Green economy path to

sustainable development.’

4.Discuss India’s commitment to climate change in light of socio-economic, health & developmental projects.-
2021
5. What do you mean by Human Development Index (HDI)? Explain its composite indices and
comment on the appropriateness of HDI as an indicator of welfare.

6. Human resource development has not received the significance it deserves in India.” Do you
agree with this view?

7. (a)Human development level in India is low because of inadequate spending on education

and health. ‘Comment.
(b) State measures adopted by the Government to promote human development in India.

8. Why the focus of discussion on human development has shifted from quantity of
growth to quality of growth?