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Bharat Climate Forum
Context:
The Bharat Climate Forum was launched with the goal of accelerating cleantech manufacturing in India, with a focus on self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) and addressing the climate crisis.
More on News:
- This national platform aims to unify stakeholders from policy, industry, finance, and research to accelerate clean tech manufacturing in the country.
- The forum is hosted by the Centre for Indigenous Economic Understanding (CIEU) and Dalberg Advisors, with support from key governmental bodies such as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), NITI Aayog, and the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
- Alongside this launch, India’s active participation in global initiatives like LeadIT (Leadership Group for Industry Transition) underscores its dedication to achieving sustainable industrial transformation.
Objectives and Initiatives:
- Clean Energy Generation and Storage: Promoting the development and deployment of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery storage.
- Manufacturing for Net-Zero: Establishing robust domestic manufacturing capabilities to create jobs, reduce import dependencies, and ensure energy security.
- E-mobility and Green Transportation: Supporting the transition to electric vehicles and other green transportation solutions.
- Climate Finance and Investment Mobilisation: Encouraging investments and partnerships to drive research, innovation, and commercialisation of cleantech solutions.
- Industrial Decarbonisation and Clean Energy Transition: Reducing carbon emissions across various industrial sectors.
The Urgency of Self-Reliance in Clean Technology:
- Achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 demands bold and coordinated efforts, particularly in building a robust domestic manufacturing ecosystem to support renewable energy, green mobility, and sustainable industries. India’s interim climate targets reflect this ambition:
- Reducing GDP emissions intensity by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030.
- Achieving 50% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
- Creating a 2.5–3 billion tonne CO₂ carbon sink by 2030.
- Economic Potential of Cleantech: Dalberg estimates suggest cleantech manufacturing could create a domestic market worth USD 120-150 billion annually by 2030, generate export opportunities of USD 40-45 billion, and provide 50 million new jobs by 2070.
India’s Role in Global Climate Action: LeadIT
- India’s leadership extends beyond domestic efforts through its co-leadership of LeadIT (Leadership Group for Industry Transition), a coalition of nations and companies committed to decarbonising heavy industries.
- Launched by India and Sweden at the UN Climate Action Summit 2019, LeadIT focuses on creating pathways for sustainable industrial transformation.
India plays a critical role in:
- Advancing clean energy adoption in hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals.
- Promoting collaborative efforts to align industrial growth with global climate targets.
Addressing Challenges and Opportunities:
- India’s Climate Goals: India’s ambitious climate targets include achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and scaling up non-fossil fuel capacity to 500 GW by 2030. Despite progress in renewable energy, challenges like import dependence for solar and wind infrastructure persist.
- NK Singh, chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, highlighted the need for a national environment council under the Prime Minister to address global challenges:
- Trade protectionist measures like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and deforestation regulations pose significant risks to India’s exports and climate efforts.
- Global uncertainties demand a focused and strategic approach to secure India’s position in the evolving climate and trade landscape.
- National Co-Convener of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, emphasised that self-reliance in climate technology is not only an economic imperative but also a strategic necessity:
- Global players are increasingly safeguarding their patented cleantech solutions, making it critical for India to build its own ecosystem for electric vehicles, solar energy, and hydrogen.
