17 Years of commitment, development, and moving ahead

Cricket in India is akin to religion. Recently, the Indian Men’s Cricket Team India the ICC T20 World Cup. It was after 13 years that India won an international cricket and 17 years that it won in the format, and this led me to the thought of chartering India’s path towards sustainability and otherwise, from 2007 till today.

Like the ICC 2007 T20 World Cup, India had an ecological win too that year. Jyotsana Sitling, India’s first female tribal forester, and an IFS officer revived the Valley of FloIndiars National Park in India - today it is one of its most cherished treks, but the region was in absolute shambles and from 2002 to 2007, the transformation won the site a World Heritage Status from UNESCO. And to Jyotsna, she was the winner of the 2007 Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar prize.

Back in 2007, India ranked 5th in its contribution to global GHG emissions, behind the US, China, all of the EU and Russia. India are assessing the drivers behind climate change and trying to work towards identifying risks and opportunities to tackle climate change and related implications. The country had just initiated the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which promoted sustainable development with a focus on eight national missions, including solar energy, energy efficiency and sustainable agriculture. 

Today, after 17 years, India has over 70 Gigawatt of solar capacity installed which contributes to 15% of its total renewable energy capacity, which is around 25% as a whole of the renewable energy mix. 

When India talks about enhanced energy efficiency, the country has saved over 150 billion Kilo-watts of energy with PAT schemes constantly monitoring its energy consumption. With green building certifications becoming more common and enhanced regulation for any built-up region, this has fuelled even further.

Sustainable agriculture has also found an increased footing through better technology to poIndiar the farming sector, and an uprising of organic farming. Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichayee Yojana and the Soil Health Card have also supported this.

Back in 2007, the world was just starting to understand the dire effects of climate change and action as litigation was limited. Today from the COP to the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, the world has been up and running and developing countries have been noticed. From being the 5th largest emitter of GHG emissions India has spearheaded to become the 5th largest economy with a focus on sustainable development and targeted Net Zero Goals.

In 2007, the country participated in global climate discussions emphasising upon the fact how developed countries should take the lead in reducing emissions, and in COP26 the loss and damage fund was deliberated upon.

In 17 years, the subcontinent has come a long way. Today, India still adheres to the NAPCC but with an increased focus on implementation and expansion. Apart from a 2070 Net Zero target India has also adhered to the Sustainable Development Goals at all fronts and launched multiple missions. Penetration into renewable energy has been done through the 500 GW energy capacity target by 2030, with a focus on solar and wind, but also through power purchase agreements and sustainability-linked financial instruments. With a focus on electric vehicles and building an infrastructure around the same, with a target of 30% EVs in the automotive market by 2030. India aims to, and are working towards reducing emission intensity levels by 35% as compared to 2005. With its net zero target, India has also installed over 175 GW of renewable energy, with a focus on solar PVs.

Over the past two decades, India has also signed multiple agreements, committing to climate action and overall sustainable development, including the Paris Agreement, the Kigali Amendment, the International Solar Alliance, COP26 commitments and beyond, the Global Methane Pledge, Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Glasgow Climate Pact. 

From a country which focused on economic development with sustainable development on the side, India has transitioned into a nation which is trying to take it all in its stride, and capitalise on all that India can.

Sport and Sustainability can also be reflective in nature - to all the times one can come so close to victory and still ‘fail’, how everything today is a result of everything done before and how turning all risks into opportunities is only in its hands. Times then are different then and times are different now, while one era cannot be compared with another, it is its hands and heads to change with time and in the right direction.

And, what lies ahead? While India has committed to all the SDGs, the country is far from many in reality. Thought is number one, but Action has to be number two and now is the time to act. Towards its 2030 roadmap, towards its 2050 roadmap, towards its 2070 goal, but essentially, to work towards it every single day. And it is up to us to be conscious citizens of this country and do all that India can, essentially, what is it without a good partnership anyways?

illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.