Speaking at a UNFCCC COP 28 side event in Dubai, Nandan highlighted India’s success in decoupling emissions from economic growth. “India has continued to grow, it has also progressively decoupled emissions from economic growth, and this has resulted in achievement of 33% reduction in emission intensity of GDP in 2019 itself,” she said.

Nandan credited this achievement to India’s focus on renewable energy and its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which showcase heightened climate ambitions. She emphasized India’s proactive role in addressing climate change despite not being a significant contributor to the problem.

“The NDCs updated last year reflect our concern that we indeed as a global fraternity need to do much more to tackle climate change… India has not been part of the problem but is facing the consequences of climate change, and yet India has stepped up to play a leading part in the solution,” she said.

This is effectively demonstrated in India’s approach of balance between economy and ecology, development and environment, she added.

The India Cooling Action Plan was highlighted as a pioneering model for sustainable cooling, with Nandan calling for further research and industry collaboration in this area. She underlined India’s commitment to responsible and sustainable growth, inviting stakeholders to join in making India a leader in sustainable cooling.

The event also showcased India’s success in achieving targets under the Montreal Protocol and its roadmap towards creating a sustainable cooling and thermal comfort ecosystem, which has become a necessity for environmental sustainability.

Rajasree Ray, economic adviser of the environment ministry underscored the importance of an integrated approach for achieving sustainable cooling and thermal comfort in India.

India’s initiatives, including the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP), aim to address rising cooling demands across various sectors. The country has been a global leader in adopting technologies that reduce ozone depletion and global warming potential, with significant achievements in phasing out HCFCs ahead of Montreal Protocol schedules.

Industry representatives from Blue Star Limited, SRF Limited and Subros Technical Centre and implementing agencies including UNDP, and UNEP also shared perspectives on sustainable cooling during the event, underscoring India’s comprehensive approach to climate change mitigation.

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Updated: 03 Dec 2023, 06:16 PM IST