All you need to know about INDC

Declaration of the INDCs on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, as the man signifies Indian values of frugality and sustainable development. The INDCs, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed”

What are INDC?

• INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contribution) lay out the blueprint for tackling climate change. 

• For United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Paris,France in 2015, the member countries have been asked to publicly declare what actions they intend to take under a new global agreement. The country commitments are known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs.

• The countries have agreed to publicly outline what post-2020 climate actions they intend to take under a new international agreement.

• Through INDCs countries put forward their agreements in the context of their own national circumstances, capabilities and priorities, within the ambition to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius.

Criticism of INDC:

• Approximately 85% of the countries report that they feel challenged by the short timeframe available to develop the INDC.

• There is a lack of certainty and guidance on whatshould be included in INDC.

• Less than a quarter of countries have received international support to prepare their INDC.

• More than a quarter countries are still applying for international support to prepare their INDC.

The INDC process and the challenges it is presenting are unique to each country and there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach or methodology.

Opportunities through INDC:

INDC process shows the opportunities for LDCs(Less Developed Countries) include:

• showing that economic growth is compatible with low-carbon and climate-resilient pathways, which will avoid lock-in to high carbon-intensive infrastructure;

• highlighting the adaptation-related benefits of mitigation actions, as well as other co-benefits including poverty alleviation, health, energy access and security;

• capturing the potential for mitigation within planned and potential adaptation activities;

• encouraging other countries to take equivalent action, increasing global ambition and reducing climate impacts:

• attracting financial, capacity-building, technology transfer and other types of international support.

The successful implementation of INDC is contingent upon an ambitious global agreement, including additional means of implementation to be provided by developed countries, technology transfer and capacity building, following articles 3.1 and 4.7 of the convention.

India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs):

Key Objective:

INDCs announced by India are comprehensive, progressive and ambitious and its objectives are as follows: 

Criticism:

• No fixed timeline.

• Not committing to any absolute reduction in greenhouse gases, only focus on carbon emission.

• Continued committed to expand coal power though expansion of coal power will hamper development prospects, by worsening the problems of air quality and water scarcity as well as contributing to the destruction of forests and the displacement of communities.

In this case,India’s stand of “Balance economic growth with carbon emission" is visible through India’s INDC statement. Hence, India is“Preparing for Paris.”