India

Last updated: November 2023

The country is one of the priority countries with which the International Climate Initiative (IKI) maintains a particularly close cooperation.

With over 1.4 billion inhabitants, India is a key partner country of the IKI. With its growing population, the country plays a central role in solving global challenges, for instance in climate change mitigation and in the achievement of the development goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.

India is also one of the so-called megadiversity countries and is characterised by an extremely high level of biodiversity. So-called biodiversity hotspots are found here, which are places where this high level of biodiversity is severely endangered.

In October 2015, India had submitted its first (I)NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) to the UNFCCC, which comprised three main elements:

An economy-wide target for the intensity of emissions of 33 to 35 percent below the level in 2005;

A goal for electricity generation of 40 percent installed capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030, which is to be achieved with international support;

The aim to accomplish an additional (cumulative) carbon sink of 2.5-3 GtCO₂e by 2030 by providing additional forest and tree areas.

The documents of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) from 2008 and subnational climate action plans have been attuned to the NDC. Eight state action plans under the NAPCC have been revised to harmonise the national climate contribution and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In August 2022, India adopted the updated NDC in Parliament in order to send it to UNFCCC. This includes the following objectives, among others:

Carbon neutrality by 2070;

Coverage of energy demand with 50 percent renewable energy (capacity) by 2030;

Reduction of the carbon intensity of the gross domestic product by 45 percent by 2030;

The Prime Minister's concept of a mass movement for “LIFE” - “Lifestyle for Environment” as the key element in fighting climate change.

India has signed the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Biological Diversity Act, which was passed in 2002 to implement the Convention, comprises the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair and just sharing of the benefits resulting from biodiversity.

For its implementation, the Act envisages a three-level structure, consisting of

a National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at national level,

state Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at state level and

Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at local level.

The implementation capability of the Biological Diversity Act is strengthened by the establishment of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). At present, discussions are taking place on a proposal introduced by Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav in December 2021 regarding the amendment of the 2002 Biodiversity Act.
The focus of the cooperation with India is on the IKI funding area of the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate policy. The paramount issue here is support in the implementation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which was passed in 2008.

Regarding mitigation, the IKI is focusing on the technological and socio-economic aspects of sustainable energy supply. Accordingly, the Country Call 2019 included a funding priority “Storage Technology for Renewable Energy” and the Thematic Call 2019/1 a funding priority addressing the topic of “Just Energy Transition”.

Furthermore, the IKI will provide support in the funding area of restoring natural carbon sinks by means of a new joint project on forest conservation, which is also planned as part of the country call (funding priority: Bonn Challenge - Restoration of forest landscapes and testing of new models in the forestry sector).
Indo-German cooperation
Established dialogue formats have a high level of priority in the regular bilateral political exchange between India and Germany. These include, for example, the Indo-German Environment Forum or the Indo-German Energy Forum with several topic-specific working groups (climate, water, waste, urban, biodiversity).

In February 2021, for instance, the second meeting of the Indo-German Joint Working Group on Biodiversity took place. During the meeting, the Indian National Biodiversity Authority presented several project ideas for the expansion of the IKI portfolio in the area of biodiversity, which were discussed with the participants. An energy partnership also exists between India and Germany.

Interface project

Most priority countries of the IKI also engage in so-called IKI interface projects, which have permanent project offices in the capital city of the respective country. Alongside their own, country-specific project commission, these interface projects are also tasked with maintaining close contact to environment and climate ministries as well as networking with other relevant ministries in the field of climate and biodiversity policy. Beyond this, the interface projects also work to network all of the IKI projects in the country and region together so as to promote synergies.

In India, the interface function is currently represented by the Indo-German Support project for Climate Action in India.

Project priorities

Introduction of methods for achieving additional climate benefits for programmes and projects of the Indian government (for example, Bonn Challenge or co-benefits of climate action measures);
Promotion of cooperation between the public and private sectors to support the transition to a low-carbon economy;
Function as an IKI interface: Promotion of dialogue on climate and biodiversity between the IKI projects in the country as well as between other actors (networking opportunities and knowledge management).