In Short : India’s climate goals are gaining attention, and it’s crucial to emphasize the often overlooked importance of carbon removal strategies. Beyond emission reductions, a comprehensive approach includes investing in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, afforestation, and sustainable land-use practices to effectively combat climate change.
In Detail : As the world grapples with the climate crisis, India, too, faces its share of challenges. Although the South Asian giant has made international commitments to reach net zero emissions by 2070, and has been actively pushing for carbon goals on the global stage, the focus has predominantly been on reducing carbon emissions, with carbon capture strategies largely overlooked. The recent extreme weather events, such as the Chennai floods, serve as stark reminders of the perils posed by climate change.
India’s Climate Commitments
India has taken significant measures to combat climate change, including hosting the UN climate conference in 2028, launching the ‘Green Credit Initiative’ to create carbon sinks, and reducing GDP emission intensity by 33 percent between 2005 and 2019. Apart from these initiatives, India has also increased its tiger population and launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to conserve big cats. Despite these efforts, the Forest Conservation Amendment Act, which removes protection for a large portion of land, has been met with sharp criticism from several state governments, policy experts, and conservationists.
The Need for Carbon Removal
The article emphasizes the need for mechanisms that act as carbon sinks in order to reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions. It underscores the potential for soil carbon storage and the importance of sustainable management of agricultural land to minimize the negative effects of climate change on soil resources and land degradation. It also discusses various agricultural farming technologies that can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the potential for carbon sequestration under different ecological conditions for the sustainability of soil resources.
India’s Policies and Achievements
India has made commendable strides in its fight against climate change. The country exceeded its targets of reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% by 2030 and achieving 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources. The Indian Carbon Market (ICM) was proposed with the aim to minimize mitigation costs through a market for carbon credits involving obligated entities. India’s renewable energy capacity has crossed the 179.5 GW mark, making it the 4th largest player globally in both wind and solar power. The government has set a target of 500 GW of non-fossil energy by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
The Road Ahead
While India has made significant strides in its fight against climate change, the country still has a long way to go. Carbon capture has not received adequate attention and the potential of carbon removal technologies remains largely untapped. As India pushes forward with its climate goals, it is essential that carbon removal strategies are given equal emphasis. Without it, India’s climate goals may remain unfulfilled.