John Kerry, the US President's special climate envoy, met with different ministers in India last week. Climate change and the use of energy sources were discussed during these meetings.
There have been talks on climate change and the use of clean energy sources, but there is still no clarity on how India plans to achieve its zero-emissions goal.
John Kerry is meeting with major emitting countries to achieve the ambitious goal of cutting carbon emissions. However, China has rejected his talk of keeping the issue of climate separate from other issues.
According to reports, Wang Yi told John Kerry that Sino-US climate change cooperation cannot be separated from the overall atmosphere of Sino-US relations.
India and the US have started the 'Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue' (CAFMD) under the Indo-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership, which India has expressed happiness about.
Its main objective is to help India achieve its 450 gigawatts (GW) renewable energy target.
But there is no clarity on what India is trying to bring down its carbon emissions to the required level and what its plans are.
net zero and countries
Net-zero means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible.
Net-zero can also be understood in such a way that the total carbon emission of a country becomes zero. That is, whatever human-caused carbon emissions are happening, it should be synced.
In this way, the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere will be zero. By which the threat of global warming can be dealt with. To achieve this goal, measures like increasing the use of clean energy and tree plantation will have to be adopted.
China is the largest carbon emitter country in the world. China has already announced that it will be carbon neutral by 2060.
China has also said that its emissions will reach their peak before 2030. However, China also raises objections to the construction of new coal plants.
The US, the second-largest carbon emitter, has set a target of reaching net-zero by 2050. The US says that it will decarbonize its power sector by 2035.
But India, the world's third-largest carbon emitter, has neither set a net-zero target year for itself nor has it submitted a proposed plan to the United Nations so far. Whereas under the Paris Agreement it is required to be given every five years.
However, the United Nations says that out of 191 participating countries, only 113 countries have come up with better plans and policies.
goals set in the Paris Agreement
The Paris climate agreement aims to limit the global average temperature rise to below two degrees.
An analysis of the climate plans presented so far shows that carbon emissions are set to increase by 16% by 2030, leading to a temperature increase of 2.7 centigrade compared to pre-Industrial Revolution temperatures.
Scientists say that the world has already warmed by 1.1 degrees since then and there is a need to cut global carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 if the target set in the Paris Agreement is to be achieved.
A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has even warned that some of Earth's climate systems are already dangerously unbalanced due to rising temperatures.
Ahead of the upcoming major climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow, countries that have not yet given details of their plans are expected to submit. These are known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In such a situation, now the eyes of the world are on India.
During his visit to Delhi last week, John Kerry did not specifically emphasize the issue, but he did emphasize the Net Zero agenda.
During the launch of CAFMD, he said, "We need to develop and enhance the emerging technology which will be important for Net Zero transition. This should be emphasized."
During the same event, India's climate change minister Bhupendra Yadav neither commented on net-zero nor on any target to reduce carbon emissions.
Instead, he defended India's current climate plan.
In its first NDC, India committed to reduce its 2005 carbon emissions level by 33-35 percent by 2030. Indian officials claim that they will achieve this goal.
But scientists say that there is a big difference between the promises made by different countries in the earlier NDCs and the necessary conditions to fulfill the Paris Agreement.
In such a situation, there is a need to increase the commitment to carbon reduction further.
expect from India
But India has been arguing that it should not be expected to carbon-cut like developed countries because it is still a developing country and fighting poverty. At the same time, its dependence on fossil fuels is also very high.
After meeting John Kerry last week, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted, "Great to see @ClimateEnvoy John Kerry. Our discussions on Climate Action and Climate Justice continue."
At the end of his visit, John Kerry praised India's track record on renewable energy but did not comment on its commitment to net-zero and emissions reductions.
He said that I am hoping that India will announce some such plan before going to the COP (26), which we have not heard from any other country so far.
Indian newspapers have been quoted as saying that if India does what John Kerry expects, then India's move could help the US gain leadership in global climate governance, especially when the US is on the climate front. But also faces China.
But what if India doesn't do this... and if China continues its current position?
Or will both the developed countries come together on this issue keeping all other issues separate?
There is no simple answer to these questions.
But whatever India and China do will have a huge impact on global climate action.
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