India wants developed nations to transition from being merely carbon neutral to becoming carbon negative by 2050. The argument behind this proposal is that it would provide more time for emerging market economies to continue using fossil fuels for their development requirements. India is resisting pressure to set a specific deadline for phasing out its own use of coal and other fossil fuels. This proposal will be presented at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai later this year.
Developed countries like the United States, Britain, Canada, and Japan are already aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, while China has committed to achieving net zero by 2060, and India has set a target for 2070. Net zero or carbon neutrality signifies that the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from any activity is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed through other actions. Carbon negative, on the other hand, requires a country to remove more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits.
As reported by ThePrint, these discussions at COP28 will occur against the backdrop of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and unpredictable monsoons, prompting urgent calls for action by scientists. India has committed to producing 50% of its installed power capacity from non-fossil sources and reducing the ratio of greenhouse emissions to gross domestic product to 45% of its 2005 levels by 2030.
