As the conference at Glasgow is heading near, more and more profound voices but with different opinions are being heard.
Though Indian leadership may have attained clarity of its own targets there, Indian diplomacy may know how to present its own case, Indian public and Climate Scientists find their own concerns. What lies ahead for India at COP26?
India’s stand, at an upcoming world’s biggest consultation platform for Earth’s decadent future, finds resonance among the policy makers of the world.
It asserts that India can not be expected to call out a national deadline for turning its carbon emissions to net zero, especially when there is no assurance of funds for such transition.
Funds and grants for adaptation and mitigation, which are essential to limit the future impacts of climate change, even remained underutilized in the wake of Pandemic worldwide.
With ever increasing emissions the end seems near. What have the countries proposed?
Just like an annual financial budget, for carbon, it can be perceived as balancing CO2 in the atmosphere as an “account”, that quantifies and balances inputs (sources) and outputs (sinks).
When it comes to the carbon budgets of respective countries, the assessment team assumes that the national emissions estimate provided to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are truly accurate.
It is to note that global total emissions equate to the sum of national emissions (territorial) and the ones coming from international shipping and aviation occurring outside its territories.
Additional emissions can be linked to human-driven land use changes like deforestation, afforestation, shifting cultivation, agricultural or commercial cultivation and simply, even regrowth of forests after it was exploited for timber.
This budget suggests futuristic volume of emissions those can be allowed under the Paris Agreement to maintain the global average temperature rise within agreed limits i.e., 2 or 1.5 degree Celsius.
Most of the chunk in this Carbon budget is taken by the biggest polluters like US, China etc.
This leaves meagre per-capita emissions, energy deficiency and allied underdevelopment under India’s ambit and several other countries with similarity of fate. This in particular makes up most of the India’s narrative to stick with no date for decline.
Does this leave India to just do whatever it has been doing for long and not what it can?
This minimalist approach is not even good for ourselves, we can rather choose to reassert climate emergency.
When the world did not help us in past, we broke free from the shackles of inability. Even now, when we consider ourselves a big regional power, how can it be our imperative to be a sitting duck without funds.
India has emerged as a player and a leader for climate diplomacy and hence can seek convergence within the world with diverse motives to devise green growth pathways, formulate future investment policies, adopting the renewable energy and green mobility in depth and simply averting fossil fuel dependence derived crisis at least in energy generation.
Can India’s current narrative be more acceptable to the world?
India’s stand may be right at its own place but it may not be the same for any other country. However, there is one thing which is common to all the countries in participation: Climate change and the need to address it wisely.
India’s case can surely be strengthened if it chalks out a clear plan for Climate action needed and a multi-sectoral, multi-pronged energy transition to implement the same.
The governments can create apt technological, socio-economic, and economic policies to reach the target of 1.5 degree C global temperature rise.
The revision of policies is needed because with the current rate of emissions at 42 GtCO2eq, the capping for global carbon emissions will be overflown in just upcoming 12 years.
In order to maintain the global temperature rise well within 1.5, as per the above consumption rate, the carbon neutrality shall be achieved by 2039. Undoubtedly, this target is not achievable in any way.
Just like an economic partnership like RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) offered to India, COP26 can serve as an effective partnership pertaining to all ecological causes between Nations of all regions.
It cannot just be confined to regions or alliance members. It can not be derailed on mere terms of rivalry between two contrasting nations.
India must seize the moment today when it has the chance and take the world into confidence through its convincing for climate justice.
I wonder how will the future governments and a string of failed conventions fare when the floods strike, cyclones torment the souls, sea level rise submerges frail livelihoods, pandemics invade human bodies and when the Earth loses its glory.