Central Ministries Warn Govt Over Committing To 500 GW Renewable Energy Target In Updated NDCs: Report

Key central ministries have cautioned the government against mentioning the 500 GW renewable energy target in the updated climate targets.

They have also warned against explicitly stating the plans for reduction of one billion tonnes of cumulative emissions by 2030.

India risks losing flexibility on its climate goals by binding itself to the absolute global commitments of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The central government will soon take a proposal to the Union Cabinet over updating India's National Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The process is expected to be completed prior to the COP-27 meet that will be held in Egypt this December.

India has over-achieved on its 2015 NDCs but hasn't submitted its new and updated NDCs for 2030 yet.

The 500 GW commitment will bind India to the absolute target irrespective of the overall demand for electricity not growing proportionately by 2030.

Moreover, the one billion tonne reduction in India's cumulative emissions in this decade will require massive decarbonisation drives.

It will also mandate a switch to clean fuel though the technologies for such a large-scale shift are untested yet.

The concerned ministries reportedly believe that an absolute commitment to NDCs will attract severe global scrutiny when India is at a critical stage of its development, Economic Times reports.