Modi govt@4: Environment concerns — On paper, in reality

On the issue of climate change, India has projected itself as a serious player. However, the high promises and lofty statements made at the international level has unfortunately neither amounted to India as a prominent actor at global climate negotiations nor has it resulted in mainstreaming climate change domestically. It is a tough task ahead for India to achieve a sustainable development pathway, which can also intertwine with its urgent development requirements.

The year of 2014 was important for global climate negotiations as it was the year leading to the adoption of the crucial Paris Agreement (in 2015) to limit global average temperatures within safe levels. This presented India with a unique opportunity to stake its claim as a significant actor, not just as a huge country with established climate vulnerability of its communities, but more importantly, to represent the voice of the developing countries and lead the way towards the formation of equitable and fair Paris climate Agreement.

The initial success of Indian delegation at Paris Agreement claiming credit for inking words of climate justice, sustainable lifestyle and equity in the Paris Agreement, soon faded away as India could not offer the implementation of these concepts. Further, the fact the India was heavily marginalised by developed countries in favour of China and island states spoke largely of India's decreasing clout in climate change globally.

After the adoption of Paris Agreement, India joined the international momentum in timely ratifying the Paris Agreement, which drew global attention, and became part of the first few countries to do so. As Trump announced to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in June 2017, there were speculations of India's role and next steps. Amidst rumours, Indian leadership affirmed its commitment to the goals of Paris Agreement and urged developed countries to raise ambition and provide support to developing countries as part of their obligations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated abiding by the Paris Agreement "with or without Trump", during his visit to UK, Russia and also in G-20 forum. which was held soon after the US announcement of withdrawal.

However, the intentions have so far failed to match the ground reality. As during the adoption of Paris Agreement, India lacks solid action plan on implementation of Paris Agreement for which countries are currently negotiating the rule book, mandated to come in place by December 2018. A country reeling under agrarian crises with news of farmers' suicides doing the rounds, it is ironical that India does not have a stance on issues of agriculture, adaptation and loss and damage, which are critical other developing countries as well. Often there is under-representation and intervention on such issues by India, pointing to its under-preparedness and lack of interest while it continues to harp on market related issues and equity across a range of issues, failing, nevertheless, to gain consensus on its application.

On the domestic front, India submitted its fairly ambitious climate action plan under the Paris Agreement with targets for its GDP's emission-intensity, renewable energy targets and increasing forest cover, demanding massive financial requirement of $2.5 trillion. Obtaining the money from foreign sources seems next to impossible considering crunched climate finance scenario which necessitates a strategy to mobilise funds from domestic and regional sources.

India's National and State Action Plans on Climate Change, developed in 2009, have failed to take off and achieve the desired goal of increasing resilience and adaptive capacity to climate impacts. Of the missions, the solar mission and energy efficiency missions have received considerable government's attention, partly because they draw private sector investments. The government's move to increase the solar installed capacity from 20 MW to 100 GW by 2022 is applaudable but the tall promise needs corresponding political will for implementation. The state of other components which are adaptation centric, are in shambles due to lack/or in absence of action plan, sustainable finance, technical expertise and inter-ministerial coordination. Steps, including rain water harvesting, climate smart agriculture, alternate cropping patterns have taken place in few villages under state action plan on climate change, but nothing significant.

Few initiatives such as Smart City Initiative, Swachhch Bharat Abhiyan, Heritage Mission, Ujjawala Scheme (for subsidised cooking gas) are steps in the right direction but it needs transparency and accountability in addition to an assessment of number of actual beneficiaries.

Considering its lack-lustre performance in climate change, NDA government is far from being a pro-climate government in action. Domestically, India needs to revisit its strategy to address and cope with climate change which can mainstream climate change in development plans. Considering that is a long term process, the immediate focus can be to push for fair and robust rulebook by 2018 and forging strong interventions on adaptation, loss and damage and agriculture which can serve to project India as a global voice of global south.

ON DOMESTIC FRONT

• India submitted its fairly ambitious climate action plan under the Paris Agreement with targets for its GDP’s emission-intensity, renewable energy targets and increasing forest cover, demanding massive financial requirement of $2.5 tn
   
• Initiatives like Smart City, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Heritage Mission & Ujjawala Scheme are steps in the right direction

(Dr Vijeta Rattani is a Programme Manager at the Climate Change Division of Centre for Science and Environment)