Projects worth $ 5.16 million will leverage the NDC to achieve net-zero emissions, climate-resilient development, and post-COVID green recovery in India in partnership with the ministry of new and renewable energy. NEW DELHI: A week after the cabinet approval of the country’s updated ‘climate action plans’ – called Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the India Meteorological Department (IMD), government of Japan, andUnited Nations Development Programme(UNDP) on Thursday announced a new initiative to accelerate climate action and climate-resilient development in 10 states/UT across the country.
Projects worth $ 5.16 million will leverage the NDC to achieve net-zero emissions, climate-resilient development, and post-COVID green recovery in India in partnership with the ministry of new and renewable energy. The project will be rolled out in Delhi-NCR, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh in the current financial year.
Under the initiative supported by Japan in terms of extending grant to UNDP India, all the agencies will jointly deploy clean energy infrastructure and low-emission technologies in key sectors including transport, health, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and agriculture. This includes solarizing 150 healthcare facilities, 20 micro-enterprises, and installing 85 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations and 30 solar cold storage systems across the 10 states/UT.
“Our common goal of decarbonisation and sustainable development will require deeper climate partnerships in near future, and we are convinced that sectors which fall under the ambit of this UNDP project, such as transport, health, industries, and agriculture, are indispensable components that require interventions,” said Hokugo Kyoko, minister (economic and development), Embassy of Japan in India.
Such support is in sync with India’s plan to go ahead with its updated climate commitments with the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance. The country had on August 3 pledged to achieve about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 and to reduce emissions intensity (emission per unit of GDP) by 45% by 2030 from 2005 level as part of its larger long-term goal to reach ‘net-zero’ emission by 2070.
Citing specific examples, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD said the Met department supports the project activities in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, Gyalshing and Soreng in Sikkim which include climate forecasts and weather advisories to improve disaster preparedness in some of the most high-risk geographies and technical expertise during gram panchayat planning to develop climate-informed plans.
“IMD has consistently led the charge on climate action and in this project, we aim to demonstrate how IMD’s climate forecasts can be utilized to guide development planning,” he said.
Demonstrating resilient climate planning at the grassroots through climate information flow systems for 30 gram panchayats, and promoting green jobs and green entrepreneurship in sectors like renewable energy by providing skilling and training to over 2000 people are other components of the Indo-Japan projects.
