Introduction 

In September and October, EU Delegations and Embassies of EU Member States around the world organised activities and hosted events to foster dialogue and cooperation on climate change, showcased success stories and inspired further action.

In the running up to COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6 to 18 November 2022, the Climate Diplomacy Weeks in India took place from 07 September to 19 October 2022. For the programme see here. 

The Climate Diplomacy Weeks started with the 2 days visit by European Commissioner for Energy, Ms Kadri Simson, who inaugurated:

• The event organised by the EU and MNRE, in close cooperation with the CII and SolarPower Europe on ‘Solar Energy - Diversification of the global supply chain and EU-India cooperation in the area of manufacturing’: click here
• The First EU-India Green Hydrogen Summit organised by the EU and MNRE, in close cooperation with the CII and Hydrogen Europe: click here  
• The press release on the whole visit: click here

Follow the Climate Diplomacy Weeks via: #United4Climate #ClimaDiplo #ThinkActSave 

Energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy

The central theme for the Climate Diplomacy Weeks this year is Energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

In the last year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released 3 important documents in the context of the Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis on 9 August 2021, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability on 28 February 2022 and Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change was released on 4 April 2022. The reports show that without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach. As regards the energy sector, reducing GHG emissions requires major transitions, including a substantial reduction in overall fossil fuel use, the deployment of low-emission energy sources, switching to alternative energy carriers and energy efficiency & conservation. The continued installation of unabated fossil fuel infrastructure will ‘lock-in’ GHG emissions.

EU commitment to the Paris Agreement: EU ambition and action

The EU is doing its share. In December 2019, the European Commission adopted the Communication on the EU Green Deal. It is the new EU roadmap towards climate neutrality by 2050 and the EUs new environmentally and socially sustainable growth strategy.

In December 2020, the EU submitted to the UNFCCC, in the context of the Paris Agreement, the update of the nationally determined contribution of the European Union and its Member States. It contains an updated and enhanced target of at least 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. It also contains the EU commitment (long-term strategy) to reach climate neutrality by 2050.

In February 2021, the EU adopted a new EU Adaptation Strategy. The strategy increases the EU's ambition on climate adaptation, making adaptation smarter, faster, more systemic, and more international. The Strategy is complemented through the submission of the EU’s first Adaptation Communication to the UNFCCC, scheduled for adoption by the Council prior to the COP26.

In June 2021, the European Climate Law was adopted. The European Climate Law enshrines into law the goal set out in the European Green Deal – for Europe’s economy and society to become climate neutral by 2050 and sets the framework for achieving progress in enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change. The European Climate Law also sets in law the new net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least -55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

In July 2021, the European Commission adopted a package of legislative and policy proposals to deliver the emission reduction targets set in the European Climate Law – the Fit for 55 package.

In May 2022, the European Commission presented the REPowerEU Plan, its response to the hardships and global energy market disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. There is a double urgency to transform Europe's energy system: ending the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and tackling the climate crisis. The measures in the REPowerEU Plan respond to this ambition, through energy savings, diversification of energy supplies, and accelerated roll-out of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes, industry and power generation.

A massive scaling-up and speeding-up of renewable energy in power generation, industry, buildings and transport will accelerate energy independence, give a boost to the green transition, and reduce prices over time. The Commission proposes to increase the headline 2030 target for renewables from 40% to 45% under the Fit for 55 package.

EU - India Cooperation on Climate Change – The EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership

When it comes to climate change, Europe is committed to act but also to support and to work together with other countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change. With the EU Green Deal at the core of our domestic and external policies, cooperation with India in the area of climate change and the clean energy transition is a key priority under our EU-India Strategic Partnership.

The current EU-India climate and energy relations are guided by the India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership that was agreed at the EU-India Summit on 30 March 2016 with the aim of reinforcing cooperation on clean energy and implementation of the Paris Agreement. This partnership was reconfirmed in the joint statement at the EU-India Summit on 6 October 2017. In the Joint Statement and the EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025 agreed at the EU-India Summit on 15 July 2020, as well as the EU-India Leaders Meeting on 8 May 2021, the cooperation under the Clean Energy and Climate Change was again welcomed. It was agreed that the 2016 EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership should be strengthened. At the 8 May Leaders Meeting also a new Connectivity Partnerships was agreed.

In addition, the EU and India will work together under the EU-India Water Partnership, the EU-India Smart and Sustainable Urbanisation Partnership and under the Resource Efficiency Initiative and in the area of Biodiversity.

The EU is very keen on close cooperation with the International Solar Alliance (launched by India and France at COP21 in Paris), with which it has signed a joint declaration in 2018, and with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (launched by India), to which it became a Member in March 2021. More and more EU Member States are becoming a Member of these two important international organisations, both based in India.

Activities in India during the Climate Diplomacy Weeks from 07 September to 19 October 2022