COP30: India promises to submit revised NDC for 2035 by December

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, addressing the high-level segment of the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, on Monday (November 17), said climate change was “real and imminent”, driven by unsustainable patterns of growth and development.

Yadav said India will submit its revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the 2035 period by December, and called on developed nations to achieve net-zero targets well ahead of their current deadlines.

Climate change is 'real and imminent'

At a separate COP30 event, he stressed the importance of global partnerships to speed up industrial transition and announced international initiatives aimed at generating value from industrial by-products.

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“Developed countries must reach net zero far earlier than current target dates, fulfil obligations under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, and deliver new, additional and concessional climate finance, estimated in trillions of dollars,” he said.

Accessible climate action

The implementation of climate goals must be adequate, accessible and affordable, and free of restrictive intellectual property barriers, he added.

"Let the global community remember this COP as one of implementation and delivery. As we look ahead, let the coming decade be one of implementation, of resilience and shared responsibility — a decade that unites the world in the spirit of one earth, one family and one future," he added.

Talking about India's target, Yadav said the newly launched Nuclear Mission and Green Hydrogen Mission further accelerate the country's journey towards Net Zero by 2070.

"We shall also release our revised NDCs till 2035 and the first Biennial Transparency Report," he added.

India to submit its NDC report soon

Responding to questions on the delay in submitting the NDC, Yadav told reporters that internal processes, including Cabinet approval, were underway. “We have made a statement that we will release it soon. It will be by December,” he added.

NDCs are national climate plans under the Paris Agreement that set targets to cut emissions and adapt to climate change, guiding global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

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Countries are required to submit their third round of NDCs, referred to as "NDCs 3.0", for the 2031-2035 period this year. Most of the nations have already submitted their revised NDCs before the starting of the COP30.

Bhupender Yadav meets UK minister

Yadav also met UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Edward Miliband on the sidelines of the COP30 summit and discussed various issues related to climate.

"Held a very meaningful engagement with UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Mr Edward Miliband on the sidelines of COP30 in Belem today," he said in a post on X.

Both sides stressed on the importance of multilateralism and also deliberated upon critical agenda matters related to COP30 with particular focus on technology transfer, climate finance and transparency, Yadav said.

LeadIT expands membership

Opening a session of Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) as Co-Chair at the COP30 Summit, the minister said, "This roundtable is happening at a critical time as the world marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and we have to now move from goal setting to implementation," he added.

He informed the gathering that since its launch, LeadIT has grown to 18 member countries and 27 companies, successfully elevating industrial transition on the global climate agenda, supporting transition roadmaps, improving transparency in global decarbonisation efforts and building platforms for knowledge exchange.

"Today, we are pleased to welcome SKF as the newest member of the platform. Technology sharing will remain central to achieving global sustainable development goals," Yadav said.

Countries urged to boost cooperation

He urged countries, industries and international partners to intensify cooperation and invited them to join LeadIT in accelerating industrial transition. “Collective efforts will help achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and create a sustainable future for generations to come,” he added.

The minister noted that progress has been made under the Industry Transition Platform (ITP), set up through joint funding from India and Sweden.

He said 18 industries and research institutions from India and Sweden will soon initiate projects involving value creation from industrial by-products and gases, carbon capture and utilisation, artificial intelligence for process optimisation, electrification and hydrogen-based industrial heating.

Ten years since Paris Agreement

During his speech at the high-level segment, Yadav said that COP-30 marks a decade since the Paris Agreement, which is a milestone to assess the world's collective resolve.

"It has reminded us that climate change is no longer a distant manifestation, but is real and imminent. Unsustainable growth and development have placed mother earth in deep stress," he said.

He informed the UN body that in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement regarding conservation and development of carbon sinks and reservoirs, two billion plants were planted across the country under a community-led initiative in just 16 months.

"It is indeed a testament to the power of collective climate actions...India has demonstrated successfully that development and environmental stewardship can advance in tandem. India's emission intensity has declined by over 36 per cent since 2005," he added.

India surpasses clean energy target

India’s non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity stands at around 256 giga watts (GW), more than half of its total installed electricity capacity — achieving an NDC target five years ahead of schedule, Yadav said.

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"Initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuel Alliance have become global platforms for promoting affordable and clean energy," he added.

Negotiators from more than 190 countries are attending the annual Conference of Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). COP30 in Belem, in Brazil’s Amazon region, from November 10 to 21.

Appreciating the host country, Yadav said, "On behalf of India, I extend warm greetings to the Government of Brazil and the people of Belem for hosting COP30 in the heart of the Amazon -- a living symbol of our planet's ecological wealth."

(With agency inputs)