The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): With India ranking as the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases and facing the worst effects of climate change, from deadly heatwaves to devastating floods, the Congress party today unveiled an ambitious green agenda in its election manifesto. The party promises to create 1 crore new green jobs in the next 5 years and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, a full two decades ahead of the current government’s target.
To meet these goals, Congress pledges to launch a Green New Deal worth Rs. 10 lakh crore, which will invest in renewable energy, electric vehicles, green buildings and sustainable agriculture. It promises to increase the share of renewables in India’s energy mix from the current 10% to 50% by 2030 and phase out all coal-based power plants by 2040.
Pointing to India’s abysmal performance in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022, where it ranked 180th out of 180 countries, the manifesto pledges to strengthen the environmental regulatory framework and give more powers to the National Green Tribunal. It also promises to set up a National Environmental Protection Authority (NEPA) to monitor and enforce environmental laws and standards.
On the critical issue of air pollution, with 22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities being in India (IQAir, 2022), Congress promises to implement a National Clean Air Action Plan with specific targets and timelines for reducing PM2.5 and PM10 levels. It vows to promote clean fuels like CNG and LPG, regulate construction and demolition activities, and impose heavy fines on polluting industries and vehicles.
To address the water crisis, with India’s per capita water availability falling by 70% since 1950 and over 600 million people facing high to extreme water stress (NITI Aayog, 2019), the manifesto pledges to launch a National Water Security Mission. It promises to revive traditional water harvesting systems, promote drip irrigation and micro-irrigation, and enforce strict regulations on groundwater extraction and industrial effluents.
On the biodiversity front, with India being one of the world’s 17 mega-diverse countries but losing over 1,600 plant and animal species to extinction in the last century (BSI, 2019), Congress promises to strengthen the Wildlife Protection Act and give more powers to the National Biodiversity Authority. It vows to increase forest cover from the current 21% to 33% by 2030 and create a network of protected areas and wildlife corridors.
To promote sustainable agriculture and food security, with over 60% of India’s population dependent on farming but facing declining yields and incomes, the manifesto pledges to launch a National Agro-Ecology Mission. It promises to promote organic farming, regenerative agriculture and agro-forestry, and provide incentives for crop diversification and soil health management.
In the crucial area of waste management, with India generating over 277 million tonnes of solid waste and 62 million tonnes of hazardous waste every year (CSE, 2022), Congress promises to launch a National Waste Management Mission. It vows to promote circular economy principles, set up waste-to-energy plants in all major cities, and enforce extended producer responsibility (EPR) norms for plastic waste.
As India faces the existential threat of climate change, with rising sea levels, melting glaciers and extreme weather events posing a grave risk to its economy and ecology, the Congress manifesto offers a comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for a green and sustainable future. However, implementing these promises will require massive investments, technological innovation, behavioral change and political will, as well as a fundamental rethinking of the current growth model based on fossil fuels and unsustainable consumption.
