Relevance: GS III (Environment & Climate Change) | Source: The Hindu

India recently updated its official climate goals under the Paris Agreement.

The Conflict: Rich Western nations constantly pressure India to adopt extremely aggressive and costly targets to stop global warming immediately.
India’s Stance: India refuses to blindly copy the West. We are choosing a practical path that balances saving the environment with our urgent need to grow our economy and remove poverty.

To understand this debate, you must know exactly what India has officially promised to the world:

Emissions Intensity: We will reduce the emissions intensity of our GDP to 47% (below 2005 levels) by the year 2035.
Clean Energy: We will ensure that 60% of our electricity generation capacity comes from non-fossil sources (like solar, wind, and nuclear power).
Carbon Sink: We will plant enough forests and trees to absorb an extra 3.5 to 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Indian policymakers face three massive practical hurdles:

The Battery Problem: Solar and wind power stop when the sun sets or the wind dies. To use them 24/7, India needs massive batteries, which cost hundreds of billions of rupees.
The Need for Coal: Right now, coal is the only dependable fuel that provides cheap, steady, non-stop electricity to our growing factories and cities.
The Right to Grow: Developed nations became rich by burning cheap coal for a century. India is just starting its major industrial journey to build infrastructure and lift millions out of poverty.

The Threat: The West wants to treat all countries equally when it comes to cutting pollution. If India agrees, our economic growth will hit a wall because green tech is too expensive.
The Defense: “Climate Justice” and CBDR (Common But Differentiated Responsibilities) mean that while everyone must fight global warming, the rich countries (who historically caused 80% of the pollution) must carry the heaviest burden and pay for it.
The Reality Check: An average Indian’s carbon footprint is still just one-third (1/3rd) of the global average.

To achieve these green goals without hurting our citizens, the government must:

Demand Climate Finance: Keep pressing developed nations to provide the trillions of dollars and affordable green technology they promised us.
Prioritize the Poor: Firmly remind the UN that our primary duty remains poverty eradication. We cannot sacrifice development for disproportionate climate goals.

Key Term	Simple Meaning
Paris Agreement (2015)	A landmark international treaty to combat climate change. Its main goal is to limit global warming to well below 2°C (preferably 1.5°C) compared to pre-industrial levels.
COP of UNFCCC	Conference of the Parties. It is the supreme decision-making body of the UN Climate Convention, where all countries meet annually to negotiate global climate rules.
Emissions Intensity	It does NOT mean total pollution. It measures how much pollution is generated to produce one unit of GDP (money).

With reference to India’s climate change commitments and international frameworks, consider the following statements:

Under its updated climate pledges, India aims to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP to 47% below 2005 levels by the year 2035.
Despite having a large population, India’s current per capita greenhouse gas emissions remain significantly lower than the global average.
The principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) places an equal financial and technological burden on all member countries of the UNFCCC to combat climate change.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (a)

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