Hello Friends!

Sorry for the delayed response, I had my exams going on so couldn't post the articles by the deadline.

I feel happy as the Eco Gen Ambassador of India to announce that India has ratified the Paris deal recently. India is currently the 3^rd largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter, accounting for about 5.8% of global emissions. India's emissions have increased drastically just as other developing nations and this step by the Indian government is a welcome step. As a part of the deal

For those of you who are unaware of what the Paris agreement is all about, here are some key points of the agreement:-

• It calls for "holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degree C" above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to constrain the temperature increase to 1.5 degree C above pre-industrial levels, because this would help reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

• The agreement acknowledges "the importance of minimizing, averting and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change."

• The deal requires countries to constantly monitor, verify and report the greenhouse gas emissions using the same global system.

• The agreement sets up a "Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency" to help developing countries meet requirements. The developing countries need to regularly provide a national "inventory report" of human-caused emissions and track their progress in meeting their national goals.

• When countries update their commitments, they must commit to the "highest possible goal," but the agreement does not set a numeric target. This is essential for some developing countries, which believe that, they will need some time before they can reach peak emissions, given the need to provide more than 200 million people with electricity.

India will submit its plan of action on October 2, 2016, committing to reduce carbon emissions by 33%- 35% of the economy by 2030.

In order to cut down Emissions, India has pledged to increase energy share (Solar and Wind energy) by 40% by 2022.

Additionally, India has been banking heavily on its afforestation drive.  It wishes to further reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 - 3 billion tonnes by 2030. India's forest cover has grown from 24% to 24.3% from 2005 to 2013. The Indian cabinet also approved a proposal and is in a process to develop 140,000 km of tree-line along both sides of national highways.

Thank you for reading! Please share your views :)