Environment Ministry forms body to oversee India’s Paris climate goals

Senior officials from 14 Ministries will serve as members of the committee

Picture for representation. File

The Union Environment Ministry has constituted a high-level inter-ministerial Apex Committee for Implementation of Paris Agreement (AIPA) under the chairmanship of Secretary, MoEFCC to ensure that India was “on track” towards meeting its

obligations under the Paris Agreement including its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

India submitted its NDC in 2015 for implementation of the Paris Agreement in the post-2020 period. The NDC has eight goals including three quantitative goals namely a reduction in the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 33 to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level; achieving about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030; and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

“Senior officials from 14 Ministries will serve as Members to AIPA who will oversee the progress in implementation of the NDC and receive periodic information updates to monitor, review and revisit climate goals to fulfil the requirements of the Paris Agreement,” the Ministry said in a statement. A gazette notification details the Ministries represented.

Another key function of the AIPA would be to operate as a National Authority to regulate carbon markets in India under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, formulate guidelines for consideration of projects or activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, issue guidelines on carbon pricing, market mechanism, and other similar instruments that have a bearing on climate change and NDCs. It will take note of the contributions of the private sector and multi-/bi-lateral agencies in the field of climate change and provide guidance for aligning their climate actions with national priorities, the Ministry said.