The Tamil Nadu model of sub-State climate action, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Tamil Nadu aims to achieve Net Zero emissions well before 2070, with significant progress in emission reduction between 2005 and 2019.
• The state's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory reveals a reduction in emission intensity to GDP by nearly 60% during the same period.
• Renewable energy accounts for approximately 60% of Tamil Nadu’s total installed power capacity and 30% of total electricity generated.
• District-level decarbonization plans in pilot districts like Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Ramanathapuram, and Virudhunagar aim to abate up to 92% of projected emissions by 2050.
• Tamil Nadu has 20 Ramsar-designated wetlands and has ensured that 30% of its total land area is protected.

Detailed Insights:

• The Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC) coordinates climate-related work through missions like the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission (TNCCM), Green Tamil Nadu Mission (GTNM), Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission (TNWM), and Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission (TN SHORE).
• The state's GHG inventory from 2005 to 2019 indicates that Tamil Nadu contributed only 7% of India's total emissions in 2019, despite being one of the most industrialized states.
• District-level decarbonization plans include clean energy adoption, mobility transformation, industrial efficiency, and nature-based solutions, with potential to sequester nearly three million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050.
• Key sectors contributing to emissions vary by district, with road transport being a major factor in Nilgiris and Coimbatore, while cement and industrial energy are significant in Virudhunagar, and public electricity generation and rice cultivation in Ramanathapuram.
• Tamil Nadu's approach includes large-scale afforestation, mangroves, wetland restoration, and biodiversity protection, with community involvement at the center of the state's low-carbon transition.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Net Zero: Achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
• GHG Inventory: A comprehensive list of greenhouse gas emissions from various sources within a specific region or entity.
• Ramsar Convention: An international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.