SUSTAINABLE GOAL: INDIA INDEX GOAL 13 - CLIMATE CHANGE by Pratishtha Shreshth

SUSTAINABLE GOAL: INDIA INDEX GOAL 13 – CLIMATE CHANGE by Pratishtha Shreshth

INTRODUCTION

SDG 13 calls for immediate action to fight climate change and its consequences on every corner of the world, including India. The contributions of India toward the attainment of this goal are very big in terms of reduction of emissions, addition of renewable energy, and strong policy enactments. Yet, the country faces major challenges: increased frequency of severe weather conditions, requirement for financial resources, and ensuring equity in climate actions.

The most important focus of SDG 13 is to take urgent action in implementing relevant processes to combat climate change and its impacts. Fully aware that climate action is extremely crucial, it calls for the implementation of policies to improve resilience to climate-related hazards. This goal seeks to incorporate measures on climate change into national policies, plans, and programs and places emphasis on the building of knowledge and capacities for effective climate action.

COMMITMENT TO CLIMATE GOALS

The commitment by India under the Paris Agreement is to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP 33-35% from 2005 levels by 2030, while attaining a non-fossil fuel power generation capacity of 500 GW by the same time. The announcement for net-zero by 2070 shows the proactive stand of India. These ambitious targets underline the strategic positioning of sustainability in the broader development agenda of the country.

The Government of India has initiated a number of programs to combat the rise in temperature. A few of the major ones are discussed here:

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: Incorporates resilient housing to promote ecological balance.

Ujjwala Yojana: LPG connections were provided in order to decrease dependency on polluting fuels for more than 10 crore households.

Saubhagya Scheme: Ensures electricity connections to each and every household to enable clean energy consumption.

National Solar Mission: The aim is to achieve 100 GW of solar power generation by 2022, and to be intensively focused on the development of solar energy.

Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP): climate action and resilience in vulnerable sectors.

These initiatives present evidence of India’s commitment to developing sustainability across the spectrum of sectors, together with increased community resilience.

RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVES

Renewable energy generation started to take a significant share in India, increasing from 36.37% in the year 2020 to 43.28% in 2024. Remarkable growth has been achieved in solar power-from 2.82 GW to 73.32 GW-during the last decade. Government initiatives such as the National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy continue to manifest India’s commitment toward diversifying its energy sources by efficiently using land for renewable generation.
In the camp of using technology, various climatic strategies have played a crucial role in India. The EAE could be one of the data-driven tools to help guide urban planning and resilience development by ensuring more targeted interventions for regions that are most vulnerable. Big Data analytics strengthens weather forecasting and helps in disaster preparedness to take a proactive stance against climate impacts.

CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY

Although India has achieved many developments, it faces serious challenges because of the increasing impacts of climate change: extreme weather events and rising water stress. The country is embarking on a journey towards integrating national policies in respect of climate change in an effective manner. Large gaps between international commitments and domestic implementations persist, especially in urban areas. There should be equity in climate policies, with due consideration for the most vulnerable populations.

As the country advances towards attaining its objectives on climate, mitigation and adaptation have to be addressed from the perspective of wholeness. Participation at the local level and strengthening of institutional capacities are at least the bare minimum pre-requisites for fostering cooperation and addressing social inequities in climate action. International cooperation will also become highly relevant to meet common goals of sustainability.

In this direction, the above-mentioned efforts coupled with specific government initiatives and new methods of dealing with data place India in the frontline in the war against climate change. Thus, by achieving goals set under SDG 13, India aims to achieve not only its own resilience, but also a contribution to global climate goals, ensuring a prosperous future for its people as well as the planet.

CONCLUSION

India, therefore, sticks to Sustainable Development Goal 13, which urgently calls for action on climate change and its associated impacts. It is working toward some ambitious targets regarding emission reductions and enhancements in renewable energy while striving to manage severe challenges from climate impacts. The continuous governmental efforts complemented by data-driven approaches keep India focused on a sustainable future-not just towards environmental health but also socio-economic resilience.

India has committed to several targets under the Paris Agreement, bringing down its GDP emission intensity by 33-35% over the levels of 2005 during 2030. Besides this, the country is looking toward a goal of attaining a non-fossil fuel electricity generation capacity of 500 GW by 2030, with a general commitment toward achieving net zero emissions by 2070.

SOURCES

Author

Shoo Phar Dhie

Kang Bakso