Context: India’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions and increase its carbon sink as part of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Agreement is a legally binding international treaty signed by 196 parties, including India, to limit global warming to well below 2°C.

India’s Updated NDCs

• India after the COP26 to UNFCCC held in Glasgow, UK, announced enhanced climate targets, representing the framework for India’s transition to cleaner energy for the period 2021-2030.

• Article 4 of the Paris Agreement requires countries to submit NDCs every five years which represents a “progression” beyond a country’s current NDC.

• This nudges countries to continually improve their self-determined ambition.

• The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change that seeks to keep global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

• It also aims to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

• These updated NDCs were prepared after carefully considering our national circumstances and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC).

What is a carbon sink?

• A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

• It can be a natural ecosystem such as forests, oceans, or soil, or it can be an artificial system like carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

• Carbon sinks help to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and mitigate the negative effects of climate change.

Methods of Carbon Sinks
There are two types of carbon sinks

• (A) Natural Carbon Sinks: These are ecosystems that naturally absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere. The most common natural carbon sinks are:

• Forests: Trees absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and store it in their trunks, branches, and roots.

• Oceans: The Ocean absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, where it dissolves and forms carbonic acid.

• Soil: Carbon can be stored in soil in the form of organic matter, such as dead plant and animal material, which is broken down by microorganisms.

• (B) Artificial Carbon Sinks: These are human-made technologies that capture and store carbon from the atmosphere. The most common artificial carbon sinks are:

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS technology captures CO2 emissions from industrial processes, such as power plants, and stores it underground.

• Direct Air Capture (DAC): DAC technology captures CO2 directly from the air and stores it underground or repurposes it for other uses.

India’s carbon sink target

• India has pledged to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.

• This will be achieved through afforestation, reforestation, and other land-use changes.

India’s progress towards its carbon sink target

• India has already achieved 24.6% of its carbon sink target as of 2017.

• This was primarily due to afforestation and tree plantation programs, such as the Green India Mission and the National Afforestation Programme.

Challenges in meeting India’s carbon sink target

• Unavailability of accurate data: There is a lack of accurate data on the extent and health of India’s forests, which makes it difficult to measure the effectiveness of afforestation and reforestation programs.

• Conversion of natural forests: The conversion of natural forests to monoculture plantations that have lower carbon sequestration potential can reduce the effectiveness of carbon sinks.

• Pressure on land: The pressure on land for agriculture and other forms of development can lead to deforestation and the loss of carbon sinks.

• Lack of funding: Afforestation and reforestation programs require significant funding, which can be a challenge for India.

• Lack of awareness: Lack of awareness among the public and policymakers about the importance of carbon sinks and the need for their conservation and restoration can hinder efforts to meet India’s carbon sink targets.

Key Suggestion

• India’s policies and crucially, the implementation of these policies need to be in sync to achieve climate targets and attain climate justice along with making a formal baseline to achieve its target.

• It could also broaden the scope of its carbon sink goal to include mangroves and peatlands, and to raise its carbon sequestration target.

• An ethical approach involving the local communities to arrive at sensible compromises through a process of democratic governance should also be enabled.

Conclusion

• India’s commitment to increasing its carbon sink is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change.

• More efforts are needed to ensure the success of afforestation and reforestation programs and to address the challenges facing India’s forests.