Low carbon development. India releases long-term low emission development strategy document at COP27

India released its ‘long term low carbon emission development strategy (LT-LEDS) document at the COP27 climate conference currently underway at the Egyptian city of Sharm el Sheikh.

The document outlines the actions India proposes to take towards low carbon development. It document takes stock of the existing policies and speaks about what the government would like to do, under each of the following heads: 1) electricity; 2) transportation; 3) adaptation in urban design, energy and material efficiency in buildings and sustainable urbanization; 4) decoupling of growth and emissions in industry; 5) carbon dioxide removal and related engineering solutions; 6) increasing forest cover and vegetation; and 7) economic and financial aspects of low carbon transition.

Under Article 4.19 of the Paris Agreement, an international climate agreement that was signed in 2015 to which India is a signatory, all countries are to “strive to formulate” long term low emission strategies. The LT-LEDS released today flows out of that agreement.

In August 2022, India announced its updated ‘nationally determined contributions’ (voluntary commitments to the world)—it said it would reduce emission intensity of its GDP to 45 per cent below 2005 levels, achieve 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030 and put forward a propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living (Lifestyle for Environment, or LiFE). The LT-LEDS “articulates India’s vision and action plan for achieving its NDC goals.”

Releasing the document, the Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, said that the document had been prepared after extensive consultations within the government and with the state governments.

The Minister noted that India has provided long term vision of its transition in all sectors of the economy. “Our document makes it clear that this effort would require huge financial resources.”

Will surprise the world

Stressing that “mere numbers are not the goal”, Yadav said that India would “surprise the world” with actions.

The Minister used the opportunity to once again express India’s dismay at the developed nations not doing their part, including mobilizing the promised annual $100 b to developing countries towards the green transition. “We cannot have a situation where the energy security of developing countries is ignored in the name of urgent mitigation, while developed nations put their energy security above their duty to increase their ambition to mitigation through practical action,” he said.

Pointers

The LT-LEDS has several pointers that indicate the Indian government’s thinking. For example, under electricity, it speaks of introduction of ‘Energy Storage Obligations’ to promote storage, Hydro Purchase Obligations to promote hydro power, and tripling of installed nuclear capacity by 2032 (from 6,780 MW now).

Under CO2 removal, the document says that retrofitting existing coal based power plants with ‘carbon capture and sequestration’ technologies is “not a viable option” unless finance and technology is provided.

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