Editor's Pick: India weighs ‘net zero’ options

India has not entirely ruled out the possibility of agreeing to a “net zero” climate target, though it will not budge on demanding that developed nations make good their previous commitments, such as an annual $100 billion to developing countries for mitigating the impacts of climate change, facilitating technology transfer and putting in place a tangible market-based mechanism to activate the moribund carbon credit markets, senior officials said. Ahead of the 26 meeting of the United Nations Conference of Parties (CoP) that begins in Glasgow on November 1, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend, the focus on making the meet a success is to have all nations commit to “net zero”, or a year by when a country’s fossil fuel emissions will peak and at some point be neutralised by taking out excess carbon from the atmosphere. All countries doing this by 2050, scientists say, will mean a chance of restricting the average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, provided emissions fall to around 45% of the 2010 levels by 2030. This, however, means deep and significant cuts to fossil fuel use that can affect the development trajectory of India and other developing countries. A study by the think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water said for India to achieve the net zero target even by 2070, usage of coal, especially for power generation, will need to peak by 2040 and drop by 99% between 2040 and 2060. The consumption of crude oil across sectors will need to peak by 2050 and fall substantially by 90% between 2050 and 2070. India’s long-term position in climate talks has always been that it will eschew the use of fossil fuels but only gradually because it cannot compromise on development, which is now primarily reliant on coal. Also because it goes against the core principle of “common but differentiated responsibility” that requires developed countries, which are responsible for the climate crisis, to take on deeper cuts and pay developing countries for the environmental damage from rising temperature as well as finance their transition to clean energy sources. An editorial in The Hindu had pointed out that “what India should be doing is to come up with a domestic climate plan that explains to the citizen how it will bring green development in this decade, specifying a target by sector for each year.” An explainer specified why it is difficult for India to get to net zero. Climate change is one of the biggest crises today with many countries including India hit by intense storms and rain, droughts and heat waves, thus a story on “net zero” is the top pick of the day. 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[Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( India weighs ‘net zero’ options [India weighs ‘net zero’ options] India has [not entirely ruled out the possibility of agreeing to a “net zero” climate target]( though it will not budge on demanding that developed nations make good their previous commitments, such as an annual $100 billion to developing countries for mitigating the impacts of climate change, facilitating technology transfer and putting in place a tangible market-based mechanism to activate the moribund carbon credit markets, senior officials said. Ahead of the 26 meeting of the United Nations Conference of Parties (CoP) that begins in Glasgow on November 1, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend, the focus on making the meet a success is to have all nations commit to “net zero”, or a year by when a country’s fossil fuel emissions will peak and at some point be neutralised by taking out excess carbon from the atmosphere. All countries doing this by 2050, scientists say, will mean a chance of restricting the average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, provided emissions fall to around 45% of the 2010 levels by 2030. This, however, means deep and significant cuts to fossil fuel use that can affect the development trajectory of India and other developing countries. A study by the think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water said for India to achieve the net zero target even by 2070, usage of coal, especially for power generation, will need to peak by 2040 and drop by 99% between 2040 and 2060. The consumption of crude oil across sectors will need to peak by 2050 and fall substantially by 90% between 2050 and 2070.  India’s long-term position in climate talks has always been that it will eschew the use of fossil fuels but only gradually because it cannot compromise on development, which is now primarily reliant on coal. Also because it goes against the core principle of “common but differentiated responsibility” that requires developed countries, which are responsible for the climate crisis, to take on deeper cuts and pay developing countries for the environmental damage from rising temperature as well as finance their transition to clean energy sources. An [editorial in The Hindu]( had pointed out that “what India should be doing is to come up with a domestic climate plan that explains to the citizen how it will bring green development in this decade, specifying a target by sector for each year.” An [explainer specified why it is difficult for India to get to net zero]( Climate change is one of the biggest crises today with many countries including India hit by intense storms and rain, droughts and heat waves, thus a story on “net zero” is the top pick of the day. The Hindu's Editorials [Arrow][The fading patriarch: On Congress and Amarinder Singh]( [Arrow][Shorter and shorter: On Indian cricket’s transition phase]( [underlineimg] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. [Click here]( Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Currently, the IPL broadcast right are with ____. 1. Sony 2. Ten Sports 3. Star India 4. 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