India and Japan sign MoC on Climate action under the Paris Agreement

New Delhi: In a significant step toward advancing international climate cooperation, India has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Japan on the implementation of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). 

The partnership falls under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The MoC, signed earlier this month, is part of an important area of Indo-Japan Cooperation – ‘Green Energy Focus for a Better Future’ that was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his ongoing visit to Japan.

“The development demonstrates India’s firm commitment to Climate Action and marks yet another milestone in the implementation of the Paris Agreement” Environment Ministry said in a statement.

“The current MoC aims to bolster the partnership between India and Japan on Climate Change Mitigation” said MOEFCC statement.

 The low-carbon technologies approved by the National Designated Agency for Implementation of Article 6 of Paris Agreement (NDAIAPA), under Article 6.2, form an important component of India’s long-term low carbon development strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2070.

Officials said the agreement underscores India’s unwavering commitment to climate action and further strengthens its role in the global transition toward a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

“This collaboration with Japan will not only accelerate climate action but also promote innovation and clean technology transfer between the two countries,” said a senior official from MoEFCC. “It marks another important milestone in India’s proactive approach to implementing the Paris Agreement.”

Presently, this strategy is cost intensive and requires viability gap funding. The JCM will encourage the flow of investment, technology assistance, including technology transfer and capacity building support for the implementation of projects involving these low carbon technologies.

 It will also develop domestic ecosystem and partnerships to localise low carbon technologies and associated high technology interventions related to equipment, machinery, products, systems and infrastructure, paving the way for their large-scale deployment.

The Memorandum of Cooperation would further facilitate the implementation of projects contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction or removal and sustainable development in India.

It will also enable the international trading of carbon credits generated from such projects under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement with Japan and other countries on similar lines, without adversely impacting India’s NDC commitments.

The MoEFCC has also received authorisation from the Union Cabinet to finalize the Rules of Implementation (RoI) and for signing agreements with other countries on similar lines under Article 6.2 of Paris Agreement, in consultation with the concerned Ministries of Government of India and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).