Apex Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement

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Recently, the Government of India has constituted the Apex Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement(AIPA)

About the Apex Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement(AIPA)

• Apex committee will be chaired by Secretary, MoEFCC 
• The purpose of AIPA is to generate a coordinated response on climate change matters that ensures India is on track towards meeting its obligations under the Paris Agreement including its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). 
• Members: Senior officials from fourteen ministries will serve as Members to AIPA who will oversee the progress in implementation of India’s NDC and receive periodic information updates to monitor, review and revisit climate goals to fulfil the requirements of the Paris Agreement. 

Functions of AIPA

• Key function of AIPA would be to operate as a National Authority to regulate carbon markets in India under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement
• It will formulate guidelines for consideration of projects or activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, issue guidelines on carbon pricing, market mechanism, and other similar instruments that have a bearing on climate change and NDCs.
• It will take note of the contributions of the private sector as well as multi-/bi-lateral agencies in the field of climate change and provide guidance for aligning their climate actions with national priorities.

Significance 

• The year 2021 would mark the beginning of implementation of the Paris Agreement and the constitution of AIPA is central to strengthening the national systems and institutional arrangements for implementation and monitoring of climate actions. 
• It will also ensure that India maintains its climate leadership as one the few countries in the world whose climate actions are consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

What are NDCs?

NDCs are the accounts of the voluntary efforts to be made by countries that are a part of the Paris Agreement, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic climate change.

India’s NDCs

• India submitted its NDC in 2015 for implementation of the Paris Agreement in the post-2020 period. 
• The NDC has eight goals including three quantitative goals namely
  • A reduction in the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 33 to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level
  • Achieving about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030; and 
  • Creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.