India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement are ambitious but achievable. Examine the key features of India’s Panchamrit pledge and critically analyze the efforts taken so far to achieve these targets.

Answer: Model Answer approach

Discuss the goal of the Paris Climate Accord at the beginning of your response, and then move on to the major body of your response. The primary focus of the question is India’s green energy ambitions.

Overview: Draw attention to the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal and how India fits into it.

• The Paris Climate Agreement, to which India is a party, aspires to keep global warming well below 2° Celsius and, ideally, to 1.5° Celsius over pre-industrial levels. India has made significant efforts to move toward a more ecologically friendly and sustainable energy system in order to achieve this.

Body: Describe India’s renewable energy projects.

India’s climate action has five major aspects (Panchamrit):

• By 2030, to achieve 500GW of non-fossil energy capacity.
• To guarantee that by 2030, 50% of its energy needs will come from renewable sources.
• A one-billion-ton reduction in the overall anticipated carbon emissions between now and 2030.
• A 45% decrease in the economy’s carbon intensity by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
• Reaching the 2070 net-zero emissions goal.

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Conclusion: We can talk about the need for additional actions or striking a balance between environmental concerns and growth.

• Despite the importance of India’s green energy programs, the nation still confronts obstacles like funding, grid integration, and meeting the energy demands of its expanding population. India’s will to support international efforts to mitigate climate change must therefore be carefully balanced with its objectives for energy security and prosperity.

Practice Question

Question:India’s green energy transition is a cornerstone of its sustainable development agenda. Evaluate the role of solar and wind energy in achieving India’s Paris Agreement targets. What are the associated challenges in scaling these renewable sources?

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