FROM ROAD TO RAIL: INDIA’S TRANSPORT MAP TO MEET ITS NDC COMMITMENTS

Climate finance is becoming an increasingly important topic, especially as we see more gaps in Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitments and rising surface temperatures.

- SHARIF QAMAR

Countries outline their climate goals by labelling targets as either unconditional, achievable with their own resources, or conditional, relying on international support for finance, technology, or capacity building. How a country classifies its strategies really shows its financial situation and how capable it is of gathering the resources necessary to reach its climate goals.

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the main focus of NDCs is on reducing emissions in energy supply, with significant attention also given to agriculture, forestry, land use (AFOLU), and transport. While most mitigation goals are set to be achieved independently, many are also dependent on external support, especially in the sectors of energy, transport, and buildings. Interestingly, about half of the countries have highlighted the need for external financial assistance, highlighting a trend where low-income countries and small island nations seek international support.

Although we've made good progress since 2013 in lowering energy use and carbon emissions, our activity levels are still growing faster than these improvements. More electricity use, more air travel, the popularity of road freight, high reliance on two-wheelers, and the rise of bigger cars have raised emissions.