Our Mission & Vision

The alliance seeks to complement Government of India’s current efforts, such as the process of submitting National Communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), by helping address existing data gaps and data accessibility issues, extending beyond the scope of national inventories, and increasing the volume of analytics and policy dialogue on India’s GHG emissions sources, profile, and related policies.

Objectives

Filling Data Gaps: When the GHG platform was conceptualized, the official GHG inventories were available for the years 1994, 2000, 2007 and 2012. Subsequently, while the additional official inventories have been published for the years 2010, 2014 and 2016 (BUR-III provides time series for 2011-2016), the GHG platform provides year on year GHG Emission estimates from 2005-2018 for all sectors as per IPCC and official guidelines. Year on year GHG estimates such as the ones GHG Platform provides would also facilitate more informed deliberations on policy matters of current importance, such as preparation of India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Similarly, availability of state-level GHG emissions estimates will enable state governments to analyze their emission profiles and define quantitative goals as part of internal planning exercises and designing policy interventions. Most states did not have the benefit of state-level GHG emissions data while preparing their updated State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC). A time-series of annual estimates will also permit trend analyses.

Enhancing Data Accessibility: The platform seeks to ensure transparency (in data, methods, and documentation) and accessibility (through free online access) of its research and publications, as well by helping introduce similar best practices in national inventories through collaboration with agencies responsible for preparing inventories.

Informing Policy Dialogue: An open-access database of GHG emissions estimates will empower a host of stakeholders to undertake independent analytic assessments of relevant policies and programmes.

Showcase India’s Actions on Climate Change: The platform through its emissions estimates will help to showcase the impacts of various programmes and initiatives of Government of India and state governments in addressing climate change.

Create a Repository of Information in One Accessible Database for Use by All Stakeholders: This initiative would ensure that a repository of information in one accessible database is made available for use by all stakeholders.

The key objectives for

Creating a India Centric Platform for GHG Emissions are:

When the GHG platform was conceptualized, the official GHG inventories were available for the years 1994, 2000, 2007 and 2012. Subsequently, while the additional official inventories have been published for the years 2010, 2014 and 2016 (BUR-III provides time series for 2011-2016), the GHG platform provides year on year GHG Emission estimates from 2005-2018 for all sectors as per IPCC and official guidelines. Year on year GHG estimates such as the ones GHG Platform provides would also facilitate more informed deliberations on policy matters of current importance, such as preparation of India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Similarly, availability of state-level GHG emissions estimates will enable state governments to analyze their emission profiles and define quantitative goals as part of internal planning exercises and designing policy interventions. Most states did not have the benefit of state-level GHG emissions data while preparing their updated State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC). A time-series of annual estimates will also permit trend analyses.
Working with existing inventories is challenging for research institutes on account of disaggregated data not being easily accessible and limitations in available documentation with respect to clarity on the methods and data sources used to prepare inventories. These limitations inhibit research institutions from using existing inventories for carrying out independent national, sub-national, and sectoral-level assessments. The inability to understand methods and/or replicate inventory estimates also hurts the inventory’s credibility. The platform can help overcome these challenges by ensuring adequate transparency (in data, methods, and documentation) and accessibility (through free online access) of its research and publications, as well by helping introduce similar best practices in national inventories through collaboration with agencies responsible for preparing these inventories.
The absence of year on year emissions data hampers informed dialogue and decision-making on climate policies, setting of goals using GHG-based metrics, and tracking of progress. An open-access database of GHG emissions estimates will empower a host of government and civil society institutions to undertake independent analytic assessments of relevance to their policy domains. The platform can spur such activities by undertaking key assessments itself, after the database is established, and by engaging and assisting other institutions to carry out independent analyses, thereby, also helping build organisational capacity for such analytics in India. Additionally, the platform seeks to regularly convene institutions carrying out analytic work in support of policy development, using GHG emissions trends and forecasts at the sector, sub-national, and national level, to increasingly feed in such quantitative research into current policy dialogues.
The Indian government has launched a variety of programmes and initiatives aimed at minimizing the consequences of climate change in the country. Similarly, many states have legislative frameworks in place where climate change mitigation is a definite co-benefit. However, most of these programmes and initiatives are not known beyond India and therefore, a programme such as this, which will trace the emission trajectories of India over a period of time. It can also help amplify the effects of the government's policies and programmes with respect to climate change adaptation and mitigation, and also for coordinated actions to achieve India’s Glasgow commitments.
This initiative would ensure that a repository of information in one accessible database is made available for use by all government ministries, departments and stakeholders. A repository of this type would also aid in identifying areas of convergence between various programmes and activities of various ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as areas where there could be greater opportunities for joint programming and strengthening coordination among various missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

In collaboration with