Expecting NDCs of India, China, EU by end of month: COP30 CEO

HT reported on Wednesday that the United Nations climate chief has invited heads of states and governments to showcase their NDCs –– climate action plans created by countries under the Paris Agreement –– at the UN Secretary General’s high-level special event on climate action, in New York on September 24. In a letter to 196 parties to the Paris Agreement and observer organisations and states, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), called on all parties to announce their NDCs by the end of September.

“We only have 29 NDCs at the moment and we would hope to have many more by COP. So, we are expecting them at the General Assembly –– either before, during or after the General Assembly. From now to COP30, we are expecting many announcements on NDCs from the European Union, China, India, Latin American countries, Mexico, and several other countries. We are discussing with many of these countries and we feel that they are all very engaged and working hard to deliver the NDCs. So, yes, we are expecting to see announcements very soon,” Ana Toni said in an interview to HT.

Toni and COP30 president André Aranha Corrêa do Lago met several Indian officials over past couple of days. “We met several government officials from the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC), the Prime Minister’s Office, and Niti Aayog. It was excellent, the meetings. It was good to hear the expectations about COP30, to see areas that Brazil and India could work… clarifying some of the topics that are on agenda,” Toni said. “These specific topics, for example, how we work towards climate finance together, adaptation. We were able to understand the type of scenarios that you run into for your own energy sector. We were able to present the Brazilian NDC for your officials.”

When asked whether the US’s withdrawal from Paris Agreement had put industries on the back foot, Toni said: “Obviously, the US is a huge player –– historically the largest emitter, now the second biggest emitter –– is one of the richest countries in the world. So, obviously, not having the US at the table is a big loss for everybody, because climate change is a topic that we need to work through multilateralism,” Toni said.

“Having all the players on the table, especially a big player like the US, it is absolutely vital. Having said that, the US is more than just the federal government. So, we are continuously working with the US governors.”

She added that the Alliance of Governors for Climate is very active at the moment. “The US private sector and civil society are also very engaged and we’re expecting to have many of those players at COP30. Unfortunately, we haven’t, as of yet, heard from the federal government but we also had President Trump before. They withdrew from the Paris Agreement before and this regime has survived and is being strengthened every year. So, it’s unfortunate that they are not there, but we will work with the other 197 countries that are committed to multilateralism and to the Paris Agreement”

Toni said Belem, in the Amazon, is expecting over 50,000 people to attend COP30 in November.

HT reached out to MoEFCC on whether they plan to announce an updated NDC or release the national adaptation plan later this month but did not receive a response at the time of going to print.

The Union Cabinet, in July, had announced that India achieved one of its NDCs under the Paris Agreement, five years in advance.

India has crossed its target of installing 50% of its power capacity from non-fossil sources. According to India’s updated NDCs under the Paris Agreement submitted in August 2022, the country aims to reduce emissions intensity of its GDP to 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level; increase the share of non-fossil fuel-based energy resources to 50% of its installed power generation capacity by 2030; and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

As of June 30, India’s total capacity was 484.8 GW with 242.04 GW (49.92%) from thermal/coal; 8.78 GW (1.81%) from nuclear; and 234.00 GW (48.27%) from renewable sources, including large hydro, according to data from the Union ministry of new and renewable energy.

Speaking at the 20th Global Sustainability Summit of the Conference of Indian Industry (CII) on Tuesday, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav referred to his meeting with COP 30 president Lago in Delhi earlier this week, and said they discussed ways to advance work on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement as well as issues related to climate finance and “the rights of the Global South”.

“So many issues are still pending, like Article 6. Though a decision on the carbon market was adopted at Glasgow (COP26), no more action has been taken about the trading of this carbon market mechanism. So, we emphasise doing that,” he said.

Second, for the adaptation practice, there was a declaration in Baku, but more work is needed, the minister said.

“In the last COP, the NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance) was agreed… because we have already taken a stake in the Global Stocktake process at the Dubai COP, so much finance and other things are required to achieve that, so we discussed all these issues with the COP president,” he said.

“We are very concerned about the rights of the Global South. We discussed that this is a multilateral forum, so every country must contribute its positive role in the COP,” Yadav added.

Yadav, in an interview to HT on June 5, had said India is currently in the process of formulating its first comprehensive National Adaptation Plan (NAP), a strategic initiative to enhance the country’s resilience to climate change impacts.

The NAP represents a major step forward in aligning adaptation planning with India’s national development priorities and global climate commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. “The core objective of the NAP is to protect lives, ecosystems, and livelihoods by supporting: Understanding of current and future climate risks and vulnerabilities; identifying medium and long term priorities for climate adaptation; and establishing systems, policies, measures and capacities to ensure strengthened adaptation planning, budgeting and implementation,” he said.

People aware of the details have said that it is likely that India will unveil its adaptation strategy before COP30.