IMD, UNDP & Japan Launch Project to Accelerate Climate Action in India

The government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday announced a new initiative to speed up climate action and climate-resilient development in 10 states/UT across the nation, one week after the cabinet approved the nation's updated "climate action plans" known as Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

In collaboration with the ministry of new and renewable energy, projects totaling $5.16 million will use the NDC to achieve net-zero emissions, climate-resilient development, and post-COVID green recovery in India. In the current fiscal year, the project will be implemented in Delhi-NCR, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

All the organizations will work together to deploy clean energy infrastructure and low-emission technologies in important sectors like transportation, health, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and agriculture under the initiative supported by Japan in terms of extending grants to UNDP India. Along with establishing 30 solar cold storage systems and 85 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the 10 states and UT, this also involves solarizing 150 healthcare facilities and 20 microbusinesses.

Hokugo Kyoko, minister (economic and development), Japanese Embassy in India, stated that "our common goal of decarbonization and sustainable development will require deeper climate partnerships in the near future" and that "we are convinced that sectors which fall under the ambit of this UNDP project, such as transport, health, industries, and agriculture, are indispensable components that require interventions."

Such support is consistent with India's goal to advance its updated climate commitments with the help of technology transfer and affordable international financing. As part of its larger long-term goal to achieve "net-zero" emission by 2070, the nation pledged on August 3 to achieve approximately 50% cumulative installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 and to reduce emissions intensity (emission per unit of GDP) by 45% by 2030 from 2005 level.

The Met department supports project activities in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, Gyalshing, and Soreng in Sikkim, which include climate forecasts and weather advisories to improve disaster preparedness in some of the most high-risk geographies and technical expertise during gram panchayat planning to develop climate-informed plans, according to Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD.

"IMD has consistently led the charge on climate action and in this project, we aim to demonstrate how IMD’s climate forecasts can be utilized to guide development planning," he said.

Other elements of the Indo-Japan projects include promoting green jobs and green entrepreneurship in industries like renewable energy by providing skilling and training to over 2000 people and demonstrating resilient climate planning at the grassroots level through climate information flow systems for 30-gram panchayats.