Emphasis on sustainable growth
15 Mar 2012
A low-carbon sustainable economic growth is central to the 12th Five Year Plan commencing in April 2012, according to the economic survey.
The 12th Plan will be setting out India's priorities for a sustainable and inclusive, lower carbon development path, the survey says, adding that India, as a responsible and enlightened member of the international community, showed flexibility along with other developing countries toward the success of the Durban Conference.
India's per capita CO2 emissions, however, are much lower (1.52 CO2 tonnes) than those of the developed countries even if historical emissions are excluded, the survey says.
The country has already taken a number of actions on voluntary basis, with own resources, in pursuance of a sustainable development strategy. These include adoption of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in 2008, which has both mitigation and adaptation measures.
The country has set a goal of reducing emission intensity of its GDP by 20-25 per cent of the 2005 level by the year 2020, it says.
The new chapter on Sustainable Development and Climate Change introduced in the annual Economic Survey reflects the growing challenges of sustainable development and climate change.
