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A new study is the first to calculate that countries collectively need a total of 1.2 billion hectares of land to fulfill the promises laid out in their official climate plans, part of global efforts to meet <keyword id="3087299" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="paris-agreement" source="Orion">Paris Agreement</keyword> goals. The study, involving more than 20 researchers from around the world and released on Tuesday by Melbourne Climate Futures, the University of Melbourne's interdisciplinary climate research initiative, determines that countries intend to use 633 million hectares of the total land area for carbon capture tactics like tree planting, which would gobble up land desperately needed for food production and nature protection. Only 551 million hectares accounted for in pledges would restore degraded lands and primary forests, which store carbon, regulate rainfall and local temperatures, shelter plants and animals, purify water and air and in some cases belong to Indigenous peoples, whose land rights are found to be critical to reducing climate change due to their stewardship of forests. "Land has a critical role to play in global efforts to keep the planet cool, but it's not a silver bullet solution," said Kate Dooley, the lead author of The <keyword id="15412258" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="land-gap-report" source="Orion">Land Gap Report</keyword> and a researcher at the University of Melbourne. "This study reveals that countries' climate pledges are dangerously over reliant on inequitable and unsustainable land-based measures to capture and store carbon. Clearly, countries are loading up on land pledges to avoid the hard work of steeply reducing emissions from fossil fuels, decarbonizing food systems and stopping the destruction of forests and other ecosystems." Researchers examined official climate plans and public statements, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which countries submitted to the <keyword id="6355833" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="united-nations" source="Orion">United Nations</keyword> as part of the Paris Agreement, to calculate the total land area set aside for carbon removals. Unlike other "gap" reports, including the recently-released <keyword id="15412259" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unep-emissions-gap" source="Orion">UNEP Emissions Gap</keyword> report, which describe a divide between mitigation ambition and the emissions reductions needed to achieve the climate goals to be discussed at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (<keyword id="12515304" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cop27" source="Orion">COP27</keyword>) in Egypt this month, this analysis demonstrates the chasm between governments' reliance on land for carbon mitigation purposes and the role that land can realistically play due to competing needs and in light of human rights. "Faced with a global land squeeze, we must think carefully about how we use each and every plot of land," said Dooley. "Yet countries treat land like a limitless resource in their climate plans. Using a land area equivalent to half of current global croplands for tree planting simply won't work, particularly when the evidence in front of us shows the fragility of tree planting to worsening climate impacts like fires and droughts." The researchers argue the most problematic climate plans involve transforming land currently used for other purposes, such as food production, into tree-covered areas, such as monoculture plantations. The report says that these land changes would encroach on land safeguarded by Indigenous Peoples or used by local communities and smallholder farmers to feed themselves. <h2>Recommended stories:</h2> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="95145464" title="The Ocean must be considered a “legal and living entity” with rights similar to humans to address climate change, scientists propose" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="95119168" title="What a beach! Lakshadweep&amp;#39;s Minicoy Thundi and Kadmat beaches awarded prestigious &amp;#39;Blue Flag&amp;#39; eco-label for coastal cleanliness" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

Nations are placing an unrealistic demand on land to fulfil climate pledges, which could severely hamper food production

“This report tells us in cold scientific terms what nature has been telling us, all year, through deadly floods, storms and raging fires. We had our chance to make incremental changes, but that time is over.” You’d think that science-related matters would be unemotional, cold even. However, reading most of the recent climate projections makes you realise how singeing the anguish between the lines can sometimes be. Recently, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the <keyword id="64202" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="united-nations-environment-programme" source="Orion">United Nations Environment Programme</keyword>, prefaced one such projection report with these powerful words. And as the world gears up for the 2022 <keyword id="491697" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="united-nations-climate-change-conference" source="Orion">United Nations Climate Change Conference</keyword> (<keyword id="14313118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cop-27" source="Orion">COP 27</keyword>), these warnings will likely echo across the conference chambers of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt! The report, titled <a href="https://www.unep.org/emissions-gap-report-2022">Emissions Gap Report 2022: The Closing Window – Climate crisis calls for rapid transformation of societies</a>, does offer some optimism! But it once again asserts the woeful inadequacy of global action to transform significantly enough to make the 2030 climate Paris targets. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Earth to double the warming limit" comment="subhead" text="Earth to double the warming limit">Earth to double the warming limit</cmsannotation> Perhaps the most devastating finding in the report is that if we carry on in a business-as-usual fashion, we will see us fireball past the 1.5°C warming goal to an almost-doubled 2.8°C of warming by 2100 instead. Most of us know that the 1.5°C goal was crucial to mitigate unprecedented levels of climate disaster. However, the report outlines the sad fact that even strengthened environmental policy at COP26 could barely make a dent! Since 2021, we’ve only managed to slash 1% (0.5 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent) of the projected emissions, which is a mere pocket-change compared to current requirements. To anchor <keyword id="6366055" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming" source="Orion">global warming</keyword> to the 1.5°C target, we need to bring these figures down to at least 45% by 2030, while a 30% reduction is needed to remain under the 2°C threshold. Furthermore, the report estimates that even if all the nations meet their unconditional targets — targets not reliant on support from other countries — it would still only manage to stall warming to 2.6°C. “It is a tall, and some would say impossible, order to reform the global economy and almost halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but we must try,” said Andersen. “Every fraction of a degree matters: to vulnerable communities, to species and ecosystems, and to every one of us.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Massive reduction potential in food systems" comment="subhead" text="Massive reduction potential in food systems">Massive reduction potential in food systems</cmsannotation> Despite the odds, the <keyword id="6491230" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="unep" source="Orion">UNEP</keyword> report outlines that one area we can really chomp down on the emissions is the food sector. Since food systems guzzle tremendous amounts of gas — around one-third of total global greenhouse gas emissions — we can win massive climate victories here. Industrial scale action, which includes improvement within natural food systems and farm-level food production, decarbonisation of food supply chains, and an eco-dietary overhaul, could reduce projected 2050 food emissions massively to about a third of current levels. In addition, if governments could encourage private establishments and individuals to adopt greener practices, such as reducing food waste, using renewable energy and developing and adopting less carbon-intensive diets, it could go a long way. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Money matters, especially in climate mitigation" comment="subhead" text="Money matters, especially in climate mitigation">Money matters, especially in climate mitigation</cmsannotation> Money enables the circular economy to go around and will be vital in ensuring climate action can reach the heights it needs to. The report suggests that global transformation to a low-emissions economy will require at least ₹331 lakh crores to almost ₹500 lakh crores of annual investment. This is a massive sum, adding nearly 30% of additional yearly climate spending. However, despite best intentions and promises, finances have been a significant clog in the climate action pipeline. “Most financial actors, despite stated intentions, have shown limited action on climate mitigation because of short-term interests, conflicting objectives and not recognising climate risks adequately,” the report states. In line with these, many developing countries, including India, are all set to double down on their demand for better climate finance, loss and damange, and support on climate change adaptation, during the COP 27 dialogue next two weeks. For effective reform, the report suggests six approaches, which must be carried out simultaneously: <ul><li>Make financial markets more efficient, including through taxonomies and transparency.</li><li>Introduce carbon pricing, such as taxes or cap-and-trade systems.</li><li>Nudge financial behaviour through public policy interventions, taxes, spending and regulations.</li><li>Create markets for low-carbon technology through shifting financial flows, stimulating innovation and helping to set standards.</li><li>Mobilize central banks: central banks are increasingly interested in addressing the climate crisis, but more concrete action on regulations is needed.</li><li>Set up climate “clubs” of cooperating countries, cross-border finance initiatives and just transformation partnerships, which can alter policy norms and change the course of finance through credible financial commitment devices, such as sovereign guarantees.</li></ul> The brunt of climate impacts falls on the most vulnerable communities and regions. Therefore, we must make every fraction of a degree warmed, and every gram of CO2 consumed, count. As the years tick down, the stability we impart to future generations depends on the foundations we sow with our climate action now. <h2>Recommended stories:</h2> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="95308457" title="Climate COP-out: Without further action, the world is headed for &amp;#39;irreversible&amp;#39; climate chaos, the UN Secretary-General warns." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="95274864" title="A climate change-induced natural disaster has struck India every day of 2022 so far, new CSE report shows" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="QUIZ" hostid="261" msid="94051791" title="Sustainability Quiz : Climate Change" mstype="1" mssubtype="2"><payload><![CDATA[sustainability-quiz]]></payload></div>

Our chance to make incremental changes is over, warns UNEP’s new report ahead of COP 27; projects 2.8°C warming by 2100

Despite an increase in energy efficiency investment and lower energy intensity, the building and construction sector's energy consumption and <keyword id="85568" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="co2-emissions" source="Orion">CO2 emissions</keyword> have rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic to an all-time high, a new report finds. Released at the latest round of the UN COP27 climate summit in Egypt, the 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction finds that the sector accounted for over 34 per cent of energy demand and around 37 per cent of energy and process-related <keyword id="49838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="co2" source="Orion">CO2</keyword> emissions in 2021. The sector's operational energy-related CO2 emissions reached 10 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent -- 5 per cent over 2020 levels and 2 per cent over the pre-pandemic peak in 2019. In 2021, operational energy demand for heating, cooling, lighting and equipment in buildings increased by around four per cent from 2020 and three per cent from 2019. This, according to the report from the <keyword id="15468006" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="global-alliance-for-buildings-and-construction" source="Orion">Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction</keyword> (GlobalABC), means the gap between the climate performance of the sector and the 2050 decarbonization pathway is widening. "Years of warnings about the impacts of climate change have become a reality,a said <keyword id="2974898" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="inger-andersen" source="Orion">Inger Andersen</keyword>, Executive Director of the <keyword id="7285" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="un-environment-programme" source="Orion">UN Environment Programme</keyword> (<keyword id="6491230" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="unep" source="Orion">UNEP</keyword>). "If we do not rapidly cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, we will be in deeper trouble." "The buildings sector represents 40 per cent of <keyword id="28249" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="europe" source="Orion">Europe</keyword>'s energy demand, 80 per cent of it from fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment, and policies to promote short and long-term energy security." Decarbonizing the buildings sector by 2050 is critical to delivering these cuts. To reduce overall emissions, the sector must improve building energy performance, decrease building materials' carbon footprint, multiply policy commitments alongside action and increase investment in energy efficiency. The sector's emissions intensity in kilogrammes of CO2 per square metre dropped from 43 in 2015 to 40 in 2021. Energy intensity in kilowatts per hour per square metre slightly decreased, from 153 in 2015 to 152 in 2021. Investments in building energy efficiency have gone up by unprecedented levels, rising by 16 per cent in 2021 over 2020 levels to $237 billion. However, growth is outpacing efforts on energy efficiency and reducing energy intensity. The increase in global gross floor area between 2015 and 2021 is the equivalent to the total land area covered in buildings in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands; if it were built on one level, at around 24,000 sq.km. The report says that investments in energy efficiency must be sustained in the face of growing crises -- such as the war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis, and the cost-of-living crisis -- to reduce energy demand, avoiding CO2 emissions and dampen energy cost volatility. The buildings sector represents 40 per cent of Europe's energy demand, 80 per cent of it from fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment and policies to promote short and long-term energy security. The report shows that the sector can still change. For example, rising fossil fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis are providing incentives to invest in energy efficiency -- although the erosion of purchasing power and the impact of labour and materials may slow investment. "The solution may lie in governments directing relief towards low and zero-carbon building investment activities through financial and non-financial incentives," Andersen added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/best-festive-auto-sales-in-the-last-4-years-but-sales-may-decline-says-fada-report/articleshow/95354054.cms">Best festive auto sales in the last 4 years, but sales may decline says FADA report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-introduces-communities-with-up-to-5000-members/articleshow/95275053.cms">WhatsApp introduces Communities with support for up to 5,000 members – here’s how to use it</a>

CO2 emissions from building and construction hits a new high: Report

At 2.4 tCO2e (tonne carbon dioxide equivalent), <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s per capita greenhouse gas emissions were far below the world average of 6.3 tCO2e in 2020, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme on Thursday. The "Emissions Gap Report 2022: The Closing Window", released ahead of the UN Climate Change conference (COP27) in Egypt next month, also said the international community is still falling far short of the Paris goals, with no credible pathway to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius in place. To address climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015 to limit global temperature rise in this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. "World average per capita <keyword id="171507" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ghg" source="Orion">GHG</keyword> emissions (including land use, land-use change, and forestry -- LULUCF) were 6.3 tCO2e in 2020. The US remains far above this level at 14 tCO2e, followed by 13 tCO2e in the Russian Federation, 9.7 tCO2e in China, about 7.5 tCO2e in Brazil and Indonesia, and 7.2 tCO2e in the <keyword id="6355110" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="european-union" source="Orion">European Union</keyword>. "India remains far below the world average at 2.4 tCO2e. On average, least developed countries emit 2.3 tCO2e per capita annually," the report said. Per capita emissions range widely across G20 members: emissions of India are about half of the G20 average, whereas Saudi Arabia reaches more than twice the G20, it said. India's contribution to historical cumulative CO2 emissions (excluding LULUCF) is three per cent, whereas the US and the EU have contributed 25 per cent and 17 per cent respectively to total fossil CO2 emissions from 1850 to 2019. China contributed 13 per cent, the Russian Federation seven per cent, and Indonesia and Brazil one per cent each. Least developed countries contributed only 0.5 per cent to historical CO2 fossil fuel and industry emissions between 1850 and 2019. The report said despite a decision by all countries at the 2021 climate summit in Glasgow (UK) to strengthen nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and some updates from nations, progress has been "woefully inadequate". NDCs means national plans and pledges made by countries to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius. NDCs submitted this year take only 0.5 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent, less than one per cent, off the projected global emissions in 2030. Unconditional NDCs are estimated to give a 66 per cent chance of limiting global warming to about 2.6 degrees Celsius over the century. For conditional NDCs, those that are dependent on external support, this figure is reduced to 2.4 degrees Celsius, it said. Current policies alone would lead to a 2.8 degrees Celsius hike, highlighting the temperature implications of the gap between promises and action, it said. In the best-case scenario, full implementation of unconditional NDCs and additional net-zero emissions commitments point to only a 1.8 degrees Celsius increase. However, this scenario is not currently credible based on the discrepancy between current emissions, short-term NDC targets and long-term net-zero targets. "This report tells us in cold scientific terms what nature has been telling us, all year, through deadly floods, storms and raging fires: we have to stop filling our atmosphere with greenhouse gases and stop doing it fast," said <keyword id="2974898" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="inger-andersen" source="Orion">Inger Andersen</keyword>, Executive Director of <keyword id="6491230" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="unep" source="Orion">UNEP</keyword>. "We had our chance to make incremental changes, but that time is over. Only a root-and-branch transformation of our economies and societies can save us from accelerating climate disaster," Andersen said. To meet the Paris Agreement goals, the world needs to reduce greenhouse gases by unprecedented levels over the next eight years. Unconditional and conditional NDCs are estimated to reduce global emissions in 2030 by five and 10 per cent respectively, compared with emissions based on policies currently in place. To get on a least-cost pathway to holding global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius, emissions must fall by 45 per cent over those envisaged under current policies by 2030. For the two degrees Celsius target, a 30 per cent cut is needed, it said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/what-a-beach-lakshadweeps-minicoy-thundi-and-kadmat-beaches-awarded-prestigious-blue-flag-eco-label-for-coastal-cleanliness/articleshow/95119168.cms">What a beach! Lakshadweep's Minicoy Thundi and Kadmat beaches awarded prestigious 'Blue Flag' eco-label for coastal cleanliness</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/world-to-blaze-by-1-5-degree-goal-global-temperatures-to-rise-by-at-least-2-5-degrees-by-end-of-this-century-new-un-report/articleshow/95118337.cms">World to blaze by 1.5-degree goal, global temperatures to rise by at least 2.5 degrees by end of this century: new UN report</a>

India's per capita GHG emissions far below world average: UNEP report

Driving through Tehri district in Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand this summer, the sight of smoke billowing from the pine forest dotted the cloud line. Locals informed that the blaze started in the first week of April and spread quickly due to high temperatures and strong winds, devouring local <keyword id="53219" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="biodiversity" source="Orion">biodiversity</keyword> and charring numerous birds and animals to death. In April 2022 alone, Uttarakhand recorded over <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-are-forest-fires-in-the-hills-intensifying-this-summer-green-cover-uttarakhand-himachal-7920639/">1,500 incidents</a> of forest fires scorching over 2,891 hectares of forest land. A <a href="https://ipbes.net/events/ipbes-ipcc-co-sponsored-workshop-report-biodiversity-and-climate-change">report</a> by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and <keyword id="18606" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ecosystem" source="Orion">Ecosystem</keyword> Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">Climate Change</keyword> (<keyword id="6941656" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPCC" source="Orion">IPCC</keyword>) demonstrates that biodiversity and climate are deeply connected. The recent <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/resources/spm-headline-statements/">IPCC AR6</a> report also highlights that protecting and restoring nature is a critical strategy for addressing climate impacts, surging extremes, and biodiversity collapse. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Nature-based solutions" comment="subhead" text="Nature-based solutions">Nature-based solutions</cmsannotation> Nature-based solutions (<keyword id="116258" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="nbs" source="Orion">NbS</keyword>) find manifestations through several <a href="https://wotr.org/2022/02/23/what-is-ecosystem-based-adaptation-and-how-can-it-help-india-fight-climate-change/">ecosystem-based adaptations (EbA</a>) that enhance the capacity of local communities to safeguard local resources like water, soil, health, and livelihoods while enhancing biodiversity and ensuring societal wellbeing. In India, NbS are shaping up in small pockets across diverse ecosystems, from the forests to coasts to dry lands to the mountains. <a href="http://avanibioenergy.com/">Avani Bio Energy</a>, a social enterprise located in the remote Himalayan district of Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand, shines a spotlight on one such solution. Avani attempts to address major societal issues, including climate change, harnessing nature's power to boost natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. The enterprise has generated clean energy from the destructive pine needles for local livelihoods, demonstrating the value of a local resource-centric place-based solution. Such approaches can skill the local community, create green jobs, empower women, revive lost native oaks, mitigate forest fires, and play a critical role in building up the degrading ecosystems. The <a href="http://www.baitaraniinitiative.org/">Baitarani Initiative</a> in Odisha is one such example that established a participatory and gender-focused, medicinal plant-based micro-enterprise integrated with regenerative and sustainable harvesting practices woven together with primary processing systems and forward market linkages. This has increased the forest cover and quality, improved livelihoods, and up skilled about 4000 households across six districts in Odisha. On a much smaller scale, a fair-trade certified coffee brand works with 650 smallholder farmers who grow ‘biodiversity-friendly coffee’ by inculcating practices like including shade trees and managing pest behaviour that builds soil health and biodiversity. The FPO (Farmer producing organisations) model and supply chain provide farmers with 56% prices higher than the prevailing market price. These examples show the value of NbS as defined by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems in ways that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, to provide both human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. The benefits include soil health, water security, income, improved pollination and other ecosystem services. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Need to scale-up NbS efforts" comment="subhead" text="Need to scale-up NbS efforts">Need to scale-up NbS efforts</cmsannotation> These efforts need to be scaled up and scaled out to meet the needs of <a href="https://www.fao.org/india/fao-in-india/india-at-a-glance/en/">98 million small and marginal farmers</a> in the country and address <a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/environment/land-degradation-in-india-hurts-farmers-and-forest-dwellers-the-most-78701">98.5 million hectares of degraded land</a> (2.5 times the size of Rajasthan). The Government of India, in many ways, is playing a lead role through NbS-aligned missions and programs such Green India Mission (GIM), National Afforestation Program, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture, Submission on Agroforestry and National Bamboo Mission, but these need to be now taken up on the scale. For example, GIM aims to increase the area of forest and covers by 5 million hectares and improve the quality of the existing forest and its cover over the additional 5 million hectares of non-forest land; however, it is currently short by 30% of its target. Also, just about 8% of the land is under agroforestry which has the potential to increase biomass and develop carbon sinks. If implemented effectively, such solutions may even help India accelerate towards meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the forestry sector that aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Solutions lie with land-based NbS" comment="subhead" text="Solutions lie with land-based NbS">Solutions lie with land-based NbS</cmsannotation> Along with meeting NDC forestry and tree cover targets, the NbS can help in achieving land-related goals of Bonn challenge of restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land, achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), preventing biodiversity collapse of its hotspots, and ensuring nature and ecosystem health amidst expanding RE targets are some of the areas where NbS can create immense impact. There is consensus that NbS are cost-effective and reliable. For instance, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12512">estimates</a> suggest that every dollar (INR 80) invested in forest landscape restoration generates $7-30 (INR 560-2400) in benefits, many of which flow to local communities. Additionally, NbS can help achieve <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.1710465114">37% of globally pledged carbon emission reduction</a> by 2030. In a scenario with an increasing focus on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and their unforeseen downsides, NbS offers a strong case in policy and practice. However, investments in this area have been abysmally poor, receiving less than <a href="https://www.conservation.org/about/principles-for-investments-in-natural-climate-solutions">3% of global climate finance</a>. The UNEP’s <a>State of Finance for Nature report</a> (2021) highlighted that investments in NbS need to triple by 2030 and increase fourfold by 2050 from the current level of $133 billion per year. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="So, what is needed for NbS to work in India?" comment="subhead" text="So, what is needed for NbS to work in India?">So, what is needed for NbS to work in India?</cmsannotation> A <a href="https://bit.ly/3AsTFFZ">report</a> from India Climate Collaborative points out critical social, institutional, technical, and financial gaps in scaling NbS. These include knowledge asymmetry, NbS taxonomy, effective NbS project design, demand side engagement, standards, and measurable metrics. Complete knowledge of specific NbS across climate zones is also unavailable. These gaps need to be filled up by the stakeholders of the NbS ecosystem. <ul><li>The private sector, especially FMCG groups whose business depends on nature and biodiversity, could make their supply chain more sustainable through green procurement, green transportation, and carbon management, building transparency through Indian Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI) disclosure framework.</li><li>Financial institutions like banks, development financing institutions, microfinance institutions, etc., can play a leading role in NbS via their lending, embedding climate and nature-related risks into their decision-making, and providing innovative green or transition finance solutions.</li><li>Philanthropic resources in NbS are extremely critical considering the long gestation period of such projects — where public resources are limited, and private investors won’t (yet) go. Philanthropies could invest catalytically in areas aligned with public goods, such as research on NbS prototypes across ecosystems and climatic zones, new Nbs practices, technological/digital enablement. They could aim to support a ‘fit for purpose’ blended financing facility to match long-term project periods to strengthen the NbS arena. Philanthropic monies have the potential to ‘de-risk’ NbS investment proposition for private investors by providing the initial ‘first-loss’ concessional, patient catalytic capital to allow other private investors to engage and co-invest.</li><li>The Indian govt, as an ecosystem enabler, could accelerate the NbS opportunity by showing the convergence of NbS across sectors schemes and programs such as RE development, MNREGS, disaster management, job creation and green recovery. A centre of excellence for NbS that could serve as a ‘go-to’ centre for all players of the NbS arena could provide a fillip to scaling NbS.</li></ul>As India updates its NDC for upcoming CoP 27 at Egypt, tagged as <keyword id="198042" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="adaptation" source="Orion">adaptation</keyword> CoP, it is time for nature-based solutions (NbS) to be prioritised as part of India’s adaptation and <keyword id="740992" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="resilience" source="Orion">resilience</keyword> strategy. Going beyond the net zero targets post-CoP 26, thinking and action around NbS should consciously be undertaken to ensure resilience. To begin, accounting and disclosing overall nature and biodiversity dependence and impacts for achieving India’s non-fossil fuel capacity target by 2030 could be a starting point. The assessment will potentially invigorate the NbS arena actors to mainstream NbS in India’s climate trajectory anchored around net zero and nature positive, translating the vision of LiFE, i.e. Lifestyle For Environment - lifestyle that is in tune with nature. Dr Ajita Tiwari Padhi manages the Land Use program at India Climate Collaborative. Sunil Kumar Nandamudi is the former Head of Sustainable Banking, Natwest Group India. This column is part of an editorial collaboration of Business Insider with the <a href="https://indiaclimatecollaborative.org/">India Climate Collaborative</a>. It is part of a year-long (2022-23) campaign on the theme “Only One Earth: Sustaining People, Planet and Prosperity” by Business Insider India’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability">Sustainability Insider</a>. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the author/interviewee do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India. The article has been partly edited for length and clarity. <h4> </h4><h4>Recommended stories </h4> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="94248881" title="Sustainability forum: Shifting gears — ‘EV’aluating the road to sustainable mobility" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="94098938" title="World EV Day: In conversation with actor, entrepreneur Gul Panag on India’s transition to electric mobility" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

OPINION: Time to scale-up nature-based solutions to forge a low-carbon and climate-resilient future for India

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Last month the leaders of the United States and China <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-china-agrees-co2-peak-by-2030-us-to-cut-emissions-by-quarter-2014-11">agreed on a deal</a> to cut carbon emissions, after nine months of secret correspondence.
The deal commits China to capping its carbon emissions at whatever rate it hits in 2030, while the US has pledged to cut its emissions by 26-28 % of its 2005 levels by 2025.
As the top two carbon polluters on the planet, the <a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/global.html">US and China account for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions</a>, meaning their actions could shape the future of Earth's climate.
The big question is if these specific cuts they promised will actually change the fate of the planet.
<h2>Doing the math</h2>
There's a terrifying piece of math out there that we can use to check the importance of this carbon agreement.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s <a href="http://issuu.com/unep/docs/the_emissions_gap_report_2014?e=1015067/10215862">2014 Emissions Gap Report</a>, released last month, tells us that humans can only afford to pump about 1,000 more gigatons of carbon dioxide (one gigaton equals a billion tons) into the atmosphere if we want to keep the world's temperature rise under 2 degrees. 
Beyond this point, many scientists agree Earth could suffer a domino-like series of catastrophic environmental consequences, including rapid sea level rise, food and water shortages, disease epidemics, and mass extinctions.
We crunched some numbers to see just how much of an impact the climate deal will have. Along the way, we had to solidify certain assumptions regarding how the deal's signatories could go about fulfilling their promise.
Here's what we found:
<h2>How much will China's carbon increase?</h2>
It's impossible to know the future, but in the previous decade, its emissions increased each year by around 10 percent. The growth rate has dropped closer to 6 percent in recent years, according to the <a href="http://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/news_docs/pbl-2013-trends-in-global-co2-emissions-2013-report-1148.pdf">European Commission's 2013 report on CO2 emissions</a>, and in 2012 - the last year for which concrete data exists - the growth rate was more like 3 percent.
So what for the future?
It's possible that China may try to over-inflate its carbon footprint before 203o to give themselves a big platform to start climbing down from after 2030. Or it could continue to increase at a more or less constant rate, as it has done in recent years, until 2030. The country could even take carbon-decreasing steps now, and slow its growth rate steadily, though we think this is a long shot.
We went with the extremely moderate assumption that China's emissions will continue to increase by about 3 percent, as they did in 2012, each year until 2030. According to the <a href="http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=90&amp;pid=44&amp;aid=8&amp;cid=CH,US,&amp;syid=1980&amp;eyid=2012&amp;unit=MMTCD">US Energy Information Administration</a> (EIA), China's CO2 emissions were about 8.55 gigatons in 2012. Sticking to a 3 percent increase each year, this would put China at a whopping 14.55 gigatons a year in 2030.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>
<h2>How much will the US reduce its emissions by?</h2>
We also can't be sure how - or even if - the US will go about cutting its emissions over the next 10 years, but a linear decrease between now and 2025 seems the most likely course of action, allowing the US to gradually transition down to the promised emissions levels.
President Obama has promised to cut carbon emissions down by between 26 and 28 % of their 2005 levels of nearly 6 gigatons. The <a href="http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=90&amp;pid=44&amp;aid=8&amp;cid=CH,US,&amp;syid=1980&amp;eyid=2012&amp;unit=MMTCD">EIA reports</a> that the US's CO2 emissions in 2012 were already a bit lower, at about 5.27 gigatons, though US carbon emissions have held pretty steady over the last five years.
We can assume emissions in 2014 will be around the same amount. From there, cutting emissions by 26 percent of 2005 levels would put the country's CO2 emissions at about 4.44 gigatons in 2025.
In order to decrease linearly from 5.27 gigatons to 4.44 gigatons by 2025, the US will have to cut approximately 0.075 gigatons of CO2 each year.
This plan will spare the atmosphere nearly 5 gigatons of CO2 over the next 10 years.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>
<h2>Will we overrun our CO2 budget under the new deal?</h2>
Unfortunately, the US and China aren't going to save the world by themselves. Under the above conditions, and assuming both countries meet their goals and are able to hold their emissions constant thereafter, they will still jointly pour more than 600 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere between now and 2050. This course would blow nearly two thirds of the 1,000-gigaton budget by mid-century, leaving less than 400 gigatons for the rest of the world's nations to spend amongst themselves.
Since the rest of the world, excluding China and the US, accounts for about 60 percent of global emissions, this would put the planet on track to blow past the 1,000 gigaton budget in the next few decades.
The best-case scenario would be for China and the US - along with the rest of the world - to continue steadily cutting their emissions through the rest of the century. In its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/un-climate-report-stop-all-greenhouse-emissions-2014-11">latest report</a>, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), warned that the only way to avoid to stay within the 2 degree limit would be for the world to become carbon-neutral by 2100.
If countries - particularly major carbon polluters like the US, China, India, Russia, and the European Union - take the problem seriously and keep cutting their emissions throughout the coming decades, the world still has a shot at keeping temperatures in check. Some have already risen to the challenge. In addition to the US-China deal, the European Union recently pledged to cut its emissions by 40 percent between now and 2030.
But even with these promises, experts are <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/lima-climate-talks-2-degree-warming-limit-thing-past-288274">increasingly pessimistic</a> that the 2-degree goal is still attainable.
As world leaders convene this week and next week at the <a href="http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UN Framework Convention on Climate Change</a> in Lima, Peru, to draft a plan for cutting global emissions, pressure will be high to come up with a strategy that is both feasible and capable of saving the planet from the worst climate change effects.

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