Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. II. India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) submitted in December, 2024 recorded around 8% decrease in Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 over 2019. III. Climate-resilient development necessarily depends on quick and short-term achievement of emission reduction targets. Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct ? 1. Statement I is empirically supported by statement II. 2. Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in statement I. 3. Statement I and statement III together establish the premise of long-term sustainability. Select the answer using the code given below :

The correct answer is B (1 and 2).

Why Option B is correct: Statement I is factually accurate. India submitted its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) at the UNFCCC COP27 in November 2022, outlining a phased, developmental framework to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070. Statement II is also factually accurate. On December 30, 2024, India submitted its 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the UNFCCC. The report officially documented a 7.93% (approximately 8%) decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 relative to 2019—largely reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic—alongside a 36% reduction in GDP emission intensity from 2005 to 2020.

Relationship 1 is correct: The measured reduction in emissions and emission intensity documented in BUR-4 (Statement II) provides concrete empirical evidence that supports the trajectory and viability of the decarbonization goals outlined in the LT-LEDS (Statement I). Relationship 2 is correct: Statement III asserts that climate-resilient development necessitates "quick and short-term" emission reductions. This fundamentally contradicts the approach implicit in Statement I. India's LT-LEDS relies on the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), intentionally avoiding abrupt, short-term absolute emission caps to protect socio-economic growth, aiming instead for a gradual transition to net-zero by 2070.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Option A (1 only) is incomplete because Relationship 2 is also valid.
• Options C and D are incorrect because Relationship 3 is logically invalid. Statement I (gradual long-term transition) and Statement III (immediate short-term targets) are conceptually opposed; therefore, they cannot "together" establish a coherent premise for long-term sustainability.

Takeaway: India's climate policy deliberately balances ecological commitments with economic growth, prioritizing phased, long-term strategies (LT-LEDS) over binding short-term absolute reduction targets.