India not among 118 nations that pledged to push green energy

• During the ongoing COP28 climate summit in Dubai, 118 countries pledged to triple installed renewable energy capacity by 2030.
• Notably absent from the list are India and China, the latter being the world's largest in installed renewable energy capacity.

Background of the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge

• The proposal for a substantial increase in renewable energy capacity and energy efficiency was initially suggested by European Commission President
• It gained traction in the New Delhi G20 declaration in September.

Pledge Details and Concerns

• The Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge aims to triple worldwide installed renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11,000 GW
• It doubles the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements to more than 4 percent by 2030.
• However, India did not sign the pledge, with concerns about the language used in the text.

India's Current Commitments

• India, as part of its nationally determined contributions (NDCs), has already committed to installing 500 GW of electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
• With nearly 170 GW already installed as of March 2023, there is a debate on whether large dams, considered renewable by India, should be included.

Legal Status of the Pledge

• The pledge currently lacks legal sanctity and has not been included in the main negotiating texts for COP-28.
• The commitment by countries is yet to be finalised and incorporated into the overarching COP-28 agreement by December 12.

Reactions and Hope for Future Engagement

• While both the United States and Brazil, the second and third-largest in installed renewable energy capacity, signed the pledge, India's absence disappointed some experts.
• There is hope that India, with its ambitious targets of 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030, may champion the cause in the main COP-28 text, providing a boost to the global renewables sector.

Prelims Takeaway

• COP-28