India lays long-term low-emission development strategy at COP27

UNFCCC COP27 climate conference reviews the progress made by countries in the fight against climate change and the implementation of decisions taken in earlier COPs.

During the ongoing event, UN Climate Conference (COP27), the seven-point agenda, was submitted by the Indian government for the first time, which includes the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LDES) at the Conference of Parties (COP27) in Egypt. The agenda emphasises low-carbon transportation and electrical systems, energy-efficient urban infrastructure, low-emission industrial systems, carbon mitigation technologies, increased forest cover, and economic and financial aspects of low-carbon development.

The transition to a low-carbon development pathway should involve several expenditures related to developing new technologies, new infrastructure, and other transaction costs, according to the Indian government’s statement and policy. Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav who represented India at COP27 at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, said “pre- 2030 ambition must be measured in terms of whether countries are staying within their fair share of the carbon budget, taking note of both the historical period and in the future.” 

Leena Nandan, secretary of, ministry of environment, forest and climate change, highlighted the need for adaptation. Noting that adaptation must be at the forefront of development interventions, Nandan said, “The institutional arrangement, the action plan and resource mobilisation have to walk hand-in-hand and see the macro picture through the same lens.” 

India intervened at the high-level ministerial roundtable on pre-2030 ambition, urging rich countries to do more, claiming that some developed countries must achieve net zero emissions even before 2030 and that net zero goals for 2050 are insufficient. However, U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry remarked, at the event, few countries have resisted mentioning a global goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C in the official text of the COP-27 summit in Egypt.