Solution

In 2008, India launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), establishing eight National Missions, covering several initiatives and a slew of measures in the area of solar, water, energy efficiency, forests, sustainable habitat, sustainable agriculture, sustaining Himalayan ecosystem, capacity building and research and development (R&D). National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), a central sector scheme, was initiated in 2015-16 to support adaptation activities in the States and Union Territories (UTs) of India that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. NAFCC is implemented in project mode, and to date, 30 projects have been sanctioned in 27 States and UTs with a total project cost of ₹847.5 crore. The new NDC with enhanced targets translates the vision of the Hon’ble PM expressed through the “Panchamrit” at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow in November 2021. The Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) estimates the carbon stock of forests to be about 7,204 million tonnes in 2019, which is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes of carbon stock as compared to the estimates of the previous assessment for 2017. This translates into carbon emissions sequestrated through forest and tree cover to be 30.1 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. While the target was to achieve 40 per cent of the installed electric capacity from nonfossil fuel sources by 2030 in the initial NDC submitted in 2015, the target has already been achieved. India is now striving to achieve the target of 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, in line with updated NDCs. With a vision to make India an energy-independent nation, and to de-carbonise critical sectors, the Government approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission on January 4, 2023 with an initial outlay of ₹19,744 crore. The Mission will facilitate demand creation, production, utilisation and export of Green Hydrogen and mobilisation of over ₹8 lakh crore of investment by 2030.