India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Japanese government, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have announced a new initiative to accelerate climate action in ten Indian states and union territories. During 2022-23, the project will be implemented in Bihar, Delhi-NCR, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
Japan has extended a climate grant of $5.16 million to UNDP India for the project. This is part of Japan's global assistance to 23 countries via UNDP's 'Climate Promise-From Pledge to Impact' programme.
India pledged at the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021 to reduce the country's total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030; install 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030; reduce carbon intensity by less than 45 percent by the end of the decade; and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
The collaborative initiative will aid Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in their efforts to achieve net-zero emissions and ensure climate-resilient development. It will be implemented in collaboration with the IMD and the Ministries of Earth Sciences and New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
"The launch comes just a week after the Cabinet approved India's updated NDCs for submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change," an official spokesman said. UNDP will collaborate with IMD to promote climate resilience, and the MNRE will collaborate to promote climate mitigation.
Clean energy infrastructure and low-emission technologies will be deployed in critical sectors such as transportation, health, small and medium-sized businesses, and agriculture. Solarizing 150 healthcare facilities, 20 micro-enterprises, and installing 85 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and 30 solar cold storage systems across ten states are all part of the plan.
Climate information flow systems for 30 Gram Panchayats will demonstrate resilient climate planning at the grassroots level. By providing skilling and training to over 2,000 people, the initiative hopes to create green jobs and green entrepreneurship in sectors such as renewable energy.
According to HokugoKyoko, Minister (Economic and Development) at the Japanese Embassy in India, the common goal of decarbonization and sustainable development will necessitate deeper climate partnerships. "We are convinced that sectors such as transportation, health, industry, and agriculture are critical components that must be addressed." The project is expected to benefit not only the fight against climate change, but also various actors in India, resulting in sustainable development," HokugoKyoko added.
According to Shoko Noda, UNDP India's Resident Representative, there is a need to accelerate the adoption of clean energy for effective climate action. This process should be inclusive and just, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and energy access for all while leaving no one behind.
IMD Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that the national weather forecasting agency aims to demonstrate how its climate forecasts can be used to guide development planning.
"IMD supports project activities in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, and Gyalshing and Soreng, Sikkim, with climate forecasts and weather advisories to improve disaster preparedness in some of the most high-risk geographies, as well as technical expertise during gramme panchayat planning to develop climate-informed plans," Mohapatra added.
