In new 2035 climate roadmap, India aims 60% clean power, lower emissions

India achieved its previous 2030 target of 50% non-fossil fuel capacity five years ahead of schedule, prompting New Delhi to revise the targets

India has decided to upgrade its nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement for 2031-2035, and announced three key climate pledges.

FILE PHOTO: A man rides a motorcycle along the solar panels in Gujarat Solar Park also called Charanka Solar Park at Patan district in Gujarat (Reuters)

The three new goals are ensuring a 47% reduction in emissions intensity; ensuring that 60% of India’s total electricity capacity comes from non-fossil sources by 2035; and creating a 3.5 to 4 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent carbon sink, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said after the cabinet cleared the new national climate action plans.

These targets are more ambitious than India’s goals for the 2030 period. The three key goals for the 2030 period were to reduce emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level, achieve 50% cumulative electricity installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030 and to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

As reported by HT on July 16 last year, India has already achieved its previous 2030 target of 50% non-fossil fuel capacity five years ahead of schedule, prompting the government to raise the bar for the next decade.

India’s other goals for 2035 include a climate-friendly and cleaner path of economic development; resilient infrastructure, especially adaptation to climate change, disaster management and fragile ecosystems; Lifestyle For Environment–mass movement for a healthy and sustainable way of living; mobilising low-cost finance and capacity building in cutting-edge climate technologies.