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हिन्दी — Read in HindiIndia's climate policy: NDCs, net zero and adaptation
India's Nationally Determined Contribution, the State action plans, adaptation from the city to the village, and the forest carbon sink. Prelims has asked about Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.
Foundation note: Net zero 2070 and the National Action Plan on Climate Change
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India's Nationally Determined Contribution
Copy link to India's Nationally Determined ContributionPrelims and Mains
LeadIndia's climate targets for 2035July 2026
Why in news
The government restated in July 2026 India's enhanced climate targets for 2035, filed earlier in the year: a 47 per cent cut in the emissions intensity of GDP, 60 per cent of installed electricity capacity from non fossil sources, and a larger carbon sink.
Background
- A Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) is the climate pledge that each country files under the Paris Agreement of 2015.
- Each country sets its own pledge, and must file a stronger one every five years.
- India's first pledge, of 2015, was updated in 2022; the 2035 targets are the next round.
- India has also pledged net zero emissions by 2070.
India's climate targets for 2030 and 2035
| Target | For 2030 | For 2035 |
|---|---|---|
| Cut in emissions intensity of GDP, from the 2005 level | 45 per cent | 47 per cent |
| Share of non fossil sources in installed electricity capacity | 50 per cent | 60 per cent |
| Additional carbon sink, in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent | 2.5 to 3.0 billion | 3.5 to 4.0 billion |
What the three targets mean
- Emissions intensity is the greenhouse gas emitted per unit of GDP. It can fall while total emissions rise, so it is not a cut in absolute emissions.
- The non fossil share counts installed capacity, which includes solar, wind, hydro, bio power and nuclear. It does not count the electricity actually generated, where the share is lower.
- The carbon sink is the additional carbon stored in forest and tree cover, counted from 2005.
How India stands on the 2030 targets
- Capacity: the non fossil share crossed 50 per cent in June 2025, five years early.
- Intensity: it had fallen by about 37 per cent by 2022, against the goal of 45.
- Sink: 2.44 billion tonnes had been added by 2022, close to the lower end of the goal.
- The capacity target is running ahead; the sink is the hardest to measure and to show.
How the pledge is carried out
- Implementation runs through the nine missions of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, and through the State Action Plans.
- Progress is reported through Biennial Transparency Reports under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.
- Gram panchayats, which take the decisions on water, land and forests, have no defined role or funds in climate planning.
The way forward
- Match capacity with transmission and storage, so that non fossil capacity becomes non fossil electricity.
- Build a record of land for the sink, so that the same plantation is not counted under several schemes.
- Give panchayats a role, funds and technical support in adaptation.
- Press for climate finance, since the pledge assumes support from developed countries.
Prelims facts
- The base year for the intensity target is 2005.
- The 2035 targets: 47 per cent, 60 per cent and 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes.
- The capacity target counts installed capacity, not generation.
- Transparency reporting falls under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.
- India's net zero year is 2070.
India's climate pledge comes down to three numbers, and they are not travelling together.
- India's Nationally Determined Contribution sets three targets: one for emission intensity, one for the share of non fossil electricity capacity, and one for the carbon sink.
- The pledge filed in 2015 asked for intensity down 33 to 35 per cent and 40 per cent non fossil capacity; the 2022 update raised these to 45 and about 50 per cent and left the sink target untouched.
- The 50 per cent non fossil milestone was reached in June 2025, five years early.
- Non fossil capacity counts what is installed, not what is generated, so the share of electricity actually supplied is lower.
- India reports its progress to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in a Biennial Transparency Report, and sent its first in April 2026.
2030 target
- Emission intensity of gross domestic product (GDP) down 45 per cent from 2005
- 50 per cent of installed power capacity non fossil
- Additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent
Where India stands
- Emission intensity down 37.38 per cent by 2022
- Non fossil capacity 54.18 per cent on 30 June 2026
- Additional sink of 2.44 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent, 2005 to 2022
2035 target
- Emission intensity down 47 per cent from 2005
- 60 per cent of installed power capacity non fossil
- Carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent
What changed
27 Jul 2026LeadIndia's climate targets for 2035
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2016: Intended Nationally Determined Contributions