India is not part of problem but solution to climate change: Ashwini Kumar Choubey

New Delhi:  India is not part of the problem but a solution and has done far more than its fair share in addressing climate change said. the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

“India has always emphasized that climate change is a global collective action problem and requires international cooperation for its solution” the Minister said while replying to a question in Rajya Sabha

The Minister said, reports from various sources including Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlight that the challenges faced due to global warming are mainly due to cumulative historical and current greenhouse gas emissions of the developed countries. 

“India with more than 17 % of the global population has contributed only about 4% of the global cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 1850 and 2019” he said.

Recounting the various initiative of government to mitigate the impact of climate change, Choubey said, “India stands committed to combating climate change through its several programmes and schemes including the National Action Plan on Climate Change(NAPCC) which comprises missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water, sustainable agriculture, health, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green India, and strategic knowledge for climate change. 

“The NAPCC provides an overarching framework forall climate actions” he said, adding that thirty-four States  and Union Territories  have prepared their State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) in line with NAPCC taking into account the State specific issues relating to climate change.  

The Minister said, “Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) are determined by countries themselves and communicated to the UNFCCC.”

In keeping with this, India has submitted its updated NDCs on 26thAugust 2022 and its long-term low carbon development strategy on 14thNovember 2022.

“India has also proactively taken a lead in promoting international collaborations through International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and has undertaken various programmes and activities through these arrangements” he said.