How does India taken a leadership role in tackling climate change?
Climate change is really a difficult phenomenon affecting the entire world. And with a rising population, vehicles, industries and human activities around the globe, it is going to worsen more.
It is a necessity to tackle the increasing incidents of climate-induced phenomena, otherwise the world will face severe outcomes. The world has seen a lot of difficulties with respect to rising global temperature, pollution caused by glacier melting, air pollution and a resource crunch.
Therefore, in the coming days, if this phase of climate change and global warming continues, the world will be severely affected and India, being the second most populous country, will face dangerous implications. Governments and NGOs are working to limit the expansion of climate change. India has been a leader in controlling and limiting the bad effects of climate change through its continuous climate agreements and initiatives.
Almost 1 decade ago, it was not a matter of concern. But now looking at the implications and impacts on our day-to-day lives, everyone is talking about it.
According to a report by WION, if no proper steps were taken, climate change would take almost 80 million lives in 80 years. India has been instrumental in controlling and managing climate change, affecting the entire world.
Being the second most populous country, India is at the tipping point of global warming-induced natural disasters.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many initiatives have been taken.
For example,
1. International solar Alliance (ISA)
A solar power development project in collaboration with France. Launched in 2015, it’s an alliance of the “sunshine countries” with an objective of efficient utilization of solar energy. The alliance was formed with the vision of reducing the dependence on non renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels.
2. One sun, one world, one grid project along with the United Kingdom
OSOWOG is based on the vision of building and scaling inter-regional energy grids to share solar energy across the globe. It can be the solution to most of our global problems in the energy sector.
3. Swachh Bharat mission
The all-encompassing programme emphasized cleaning India and its cities and villages by providing toilets for every household.
4. COP26 Glasgow summit:
the biggest and most important move by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of India committed;
A. To take India’s non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030.
B. To bring down the carbon intensity of India by more than 45% by 2030.
C. India will achieve the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
These are all examples that India is doing a great job in the direction of the development of the country and the entire world.
My contribution towards a sustainable world by reducing climate
change:
I, Aman Singh, will try to contribute my part in controlling global warming by working at the individual level. I’ll start from my home, workplace and neighbourhood by trying some innovative methods.
To decrease the impact of climate change by pledging not to take private vehicles and encouraging the use of public transport. Using more and more environmentally friendly products like jute bags and reusable utensils. Through the use of social media campaigns, I’ll try to make people aware of the impacts of climate change and encourage them not to throw litter on the roads and in the ocean. With the help of my friends and family members, I will organise tree plantation drives in my society.
Climate change is a reality and it’s high time everyone started talking about it.
2) Climate change is the long term shift in temperature and weather pattern naturally or due to human actions. Consequences of climate change are hazardous and experienced in diverse ways. Presently, the greenhouse gas emissions, which is the primary reason for climate change, have been at their highest levels in 2 million years. Fighting climate change is one of the most important struggles because there is no future for humanity if the consequences get extreme.
India as a country has been identifying measures that promote development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively since 2008. The National Action Plan on Climate Change or NAPCC for the same was formally launched on 30th June, 2008 for the same. India has been relying on this action plan since then to bring about a change in the situation. NAPCC has eight core national missions that focus on promoting understanding of climate change, adaptation and mitigation, energy efficiency and natural resource conservation.
The eight missions are:
National Solar Mission
National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
National Water Mission
National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
National Mission for a Green India
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
These missions tackle core issues leading to climate change and help to keep the scenario in check. However, since the Narendra Modi Government came to power, there has been a positive raise in implementation of the action plan and positive changes have been observed. Day by day weather forecasting and checking in risk areas and taking adequate measures for the expected climatic disasters is one of the important changes found. India’s new climate targets announced at the 26th Conference of Parties by the Honorable Prime Minister holds proof for the above statement.
The five-fold strategy is called the panchamrita and five points that aims achieve success are:
1.India will get its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatt (GW) by 2030
2. India will meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030
3.India will reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now
onwards till 2030
4.By 2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 per cent
5.By the year 2070, India will achieve the target of Net Zero.
We have accepted the need for a massive transformation of our energy systems, which will be designed for the future and compliant with the new climate change goals with the announcement.Let us not be worried but work for the change as we need the earth to survive and to handover it to our future generations.
According to what I observed, even when we are having the huge challenge of drastic climate change, we do have many solutions. Switching energy systems from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, checking the use of our energy use, choosing sustainable
options over harmful options in day to day life and many more.
Another dimension to fighting climate change is the adaptation to the current situation parallelly while fighting it in other ways.
In a nutshell, we’ve been fighting climate change in various ways and since 2014 we have a great leader leading us through various programs, schemes and reforms like Swatch Baarath.
Let’s hope to fight climate change with might and achieve the the goals soon
3) March 2022 has been recorded as the hottest month in India in the last one hundred twenty two years. India is the third largest carbon emitter in the world and is also one of the five countries, which has faced high exposure to heat in the last five years.
Due to increase in temperature, both flaura and fauna get affected. Many trees dried due to lack of humidity in the soil and aquatic life also suffers, since increase in temperature affect the metabolism of aquatic life and also decreases their growth in their ecosystem. Due to increase in temperature, animals migrate to the land which favours their growth and the animals which are unable to migrate are getting extinct day by day. Many consumable species like morel mushrooms, which we find at higher altitudes are getting extinct due to rise in temperature and climate change. Natural calamities like floods, hurricane, forest fires, and droughts are taking place due to imbalance in the cycle of nature caused by human acts and interference.
To control climate change and the rise in temperature, the Indian government has taken many initiatives and steps for the environment conservation. India has taken the oath to cut down its emissions to carbon neutral by 2070.The National Clean Air Programme was launched in the year 2019 by The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to reduce the quantity of Particulate matters in the range of PM2.5 and PM 10 particle concentrations in the atmosphere. The ministry also launched Green Skill Development Programme to develop green skills among people and also to provide employment to the youngsters in the environment and forest sector.
Modi government has committed to get fifty percent of its energy from renewable resources and to reduce total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by the year 2030. The government also launched global movement ‘Lifestyle for the Environment’ with a view to ensure sustainable development of Environment. The movement aims to live the life which is in favour of the environment and does not harm the ecosystem and the living beings. Faster Adoption and manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric vehicles in India scheme has been launched in the year 2015 to promote use of electric vehicles in order to decrease the consumption of coal, which is already implemented by fourteen states of our country. The Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati Programme, an initiative to promote natural farming is already adopted by Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. Airshed Management techniques has been implemented by
states like uttar Pradesh to increase the quality of air.
As a citizen of India, we can take many steps. We can commit ourselves to make maximum use, consumption and operation of environment friendly products. We can grow maximum number of trees to increase the green cover in our areas, streets, districts or states, which will help to reduce the rise in temperature, which we know by the name of Global warming. By planting more trees, we get more oxygen and the amount of carbon dioxide also reduces from the atmosphere, which is one of the gases present in the atmosphere responsible for greenhouse effect. We
can maximize the use of cow dung and cow urine as a means of fertilizers for agriculture and farming purpose, which is also called as Natural Farming.
Instead of plastic bag tags, we should promote the use of ecofriendly bag tags given to passengers on airports. We should maximize the use of Kullad tea cups, which are made of mud instead of paper or plastic cups, burning of which causes air pollution. During Diwali festival, we should maximize the use of mud diyas and minimize the use of fire crackers, which causes too much pollution in the atmosphere and the amount of air pollutants increases which in further affect the climate and causes increase in temperature. We should promote the use of electric motor vehicles, which runs on electricity instead of fuel. Use of electric vehicles reduce the air pollution and also reduces the consumption of coal.
(These are 3 different blogs collated as a single blog written by our MyGov Interns Aman Singh, Aishwarya Bose and Aayush Negi respectively).
