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India Position Paper

Did you know that India is the world’s 3rd largest greenhouse gas emitter? India has

always respected Mother Nature for a very long time. Now, mother nature is being destroyed due

to the increased amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Air pollution in India is surging drastically

due to the large population, vehicle emissions, and heavy industries.

Thesis: Due to the rise of air pollution seen in India, it is necessary that India uses

renewable energy, increases the use of electric vehicles, and installs floodwalls. These policy

solutions are mandatory to reduce our carbon footprint because India is one of the biggest

countries responsible for climate change. India has seen many effects of climate change and

India must take action towards it.

India is located in Southern Asia, between Pakistan and China. India is the 2nd most

populous country and the 7th largest country in the world. The vast majority of India forms a

peninsula that surrounds three bodies of water. India has many geographical features including

mountains, deserts, plains, and lots of beaches. The majority of India’s climate is subtropical, and

it includes many heat waves, mild winters, and monsoon seasons. North India experiences cooler

winters and dry and cool regions. Some of India’s biggest cities are close to the beach. The

heatwaves, monsoon season, and severe flooding are just some of the effects seen in India due to

climate change, and air pollution is a major reason for that.

The country is noticing many severe effects such as an increase in heat waves, intense

flooding, additional cyclones, and more deaths. The skies are thick with smoke and the air is

heavy with dust. The skies will likely become much denser, making it hard for people to breathe,

and eventually, the air will become poisonous because of all the harmful chemicals in the air.

People won’t be able to breathe and may have to carry oxygen kits around with them (Kent Ro
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System). India is very concerned about the rising air pollution as it has already impacted so many

people. To cut down the greenhouse gas emissions, India decided to install forms of renewable

energy. With this additional support, they are on track to meet their goal from the Paris

Agreement.

Drastic heatwaves are occurring due to the increase of greenhouse gases in the

atmosphere. Because of the increase in air pollution and greenhouse gases, temperatures are also

quickly rising. Many people are suffering from heat strokes, drought, crop failure, etc. “The

Indian government does not recognize heat waves as potential threats to human lives. The

National Disaster Management Act and the National Policy on Disaster Management do not

include heat wave fatalities in their list of natural calamities and so no budgetary allocation is

made to address the problem” (Krishnan).

Along with heat waves, flooding is becoming a serious issue. Due to climate change, the

Monsoon season has become more and more intense over the past years, causing a significant

amount of floods and increases in temperatures. Many people have died from these extreme

floods. “There will be a rise in the frequency of floods in India due to rising temperatures

between 2070 and 2100, according to Climate Change and India: A 4x4 Assessment, a report by

the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest” (Roy).

These floods and heatwaves are increasing as more and more fossil fuels are being burnt,

and more greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere. Since India’s economy is a

mixed economy, it consists of 50% agricultural, manufacturing, handicrafts, and business. The

second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the economy which, in a way, was good

for the environment. Because of the decrease in the economy, clearer skies are appearing. The

industrial economy is one of the causes of the increased heat waves and intense floodings.
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Policy Reviews: In the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, India pledged to reduce its

carbon emissions by 33-35% by 2030 (India set to exceed emission cut targets). “It has also

pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40 percent by 2030” (Singh

& Kamal). India’s government pledged to increase its forest and tree cover which will absorb 2.5

to 3 billion tonnes of carbon by 2030 (Singh & Kamal). “In 2008, India released a plan on

Climate Change called National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which will outline

the existing and future policies and programs addressing climate change mitigation and

adaptation” (India | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation. These pledges that India is doing are

crucial to help with climate change and air pollution. With more trees, more carbon dioxide will

be absorbed and more oxygen will be released.

India has been taking action towards climate change for a very long time by using

renewable sources of energy such as solar energy to save electricity (Slater). India may even

reach its goals for the Paris Climate change before 2030. (Mathur).

Solution #1: One thing India is doing to help with air pollution is the increase of electric

vehicles. With India’s population at 1.4 billion, many residents are driving with gas-powered

vehicles. This can release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. “Increasing the fleet of

electric vehicles and its charging infrastructure in India will be key to improve air quality in

cities, enhance energy security by reduced dependence on imported crude, and is also a key

solution to fight climate change” (Jaiswal & Kwatra). When the pandemic hit, many people

stayed home which reduced the number of greenhouse gases being emitted.

Electric vehicles can help reduce the number of greenhouse gases going into the

atmosphere, which would reduce the amount of air pollution in India. The increase of electric

cars in India will be essential to help the fight against climate change because as India’s
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population grows, the traffic will increase which means more air pollution. The fewer

gas-powered vehicles we use, the better the air quality. Because of the recent pandemic, many

residents in New Delhi were able to see clear blue skies due to the decrease in the economy.

Solution #2: With more vehicles releasing hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere, the

amount of fossil fuels being burned has led to an increment in greenhouse gases. India’s

economy is a mixed economy, relying not only on agriculture but also on industries. With many

industries, India is on its way to dirty air pollution. By replacing fossil fuels with renewable

energy, we can reduce our carbon footprint. “India is committed to achieving 175GW by 2022.

India further commits to increase its renewable energy capacity to 450GW.” Achieving 450 GW

of renewable energy capacity would be more than five times the country’s current renewable

capacity at around 81 GW (Jaiswal & Kwarta). India has launched clever initiatives to save

energy, like increasing its solar-energy capacity more than twelvefold since 2014. By using

healthy renewable energy sources, India is on its way to reaching its goal.

Solution #3: With the help of renewable energy, many floods could be reduced in the

coming years. Flooding is one of the major effects of climate change seen in India. Industries

emitting more carbon are intensifying the number of storms hitting the land, therefore

intensifying floods and other water disasters. India could adapt to these floodings by building

dams to help prevent severe floodings during the monsoon season. “This provides the dam a

cushion during times of excessive rainfall, thus curbing the chances of floods in downstream

areas. When the monsoon rains come, there is space to store the excess rainwater and also so that

water can be released in a regulated manner, thus preventing floods downstream when there is a

heavy inflow to the dams (“How can flooding be managed: All you need to know”). With the

increase of floods, many coastal cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata are at risk of
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flooding from the sea-level rise. By installing dams, coastal cities won’t be constantly flooded,

and much of the remaining water can be stored for other uses. India must act now to build dams

to secure the lives of people living near these coastal cities.

India has been making very good progress with Climate Change over the past 20 years.

Their immense population, as well as their mixed economy, has been increasing the amounts of

carbon dioxide emissions. Air pollution is a huge concern and action must be taken before the air

quality gets worse and makes it harder for people to breathe. They must move towards renewable

energy sources such as solar and wind power. Fortunately, there is still time before things begin

to drown, so it’s important to solve this issue and save India.