Council on Energy, Environment and Water Integrated | International | Independent
New Delhi, 1 April 2022: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Dr Arunabha Ghosh to his new ‘High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities’. The group will help in developing stronger and clearer standards for net-zero emissions pledges by non-State entities such as businesses, investors, cities and regions.
Dr Ghosh will be among three Asians (and the only South Asian) serving on the expert group. The Group will be chaired by Ms. Catherine McKenna, former Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Other members of this 16-member group include former Prime Minister of Mali Mr Oumar Tatam Ly, Commissioner at the Global Commission for Economy and Climate Mr Carlos Lopes, former Chair of the California Air Resources Board Ms Mary Nichols, and former Governor of the People's Bank of China Mr Zhou Xiaochuan.
"Honoured to have been asked by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to serve on the High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State entities, chaired by Catherine McKenna. The climate crisis needs more than promises; climate action needs more than “believe us”. Credibility=trust," Dr Ghosh said.
According to the UN, The Expert Group’s recommendations for higher ambition and environmental integrity will address four areas:
• Current standards and definitions for setting net-zero targets;
• Credibility criteria used to assess the objectives, measurement and reporting of netzero pledges;
• Processes for verification and accounting of progress towards net-zero commitments
and reported decarbonization plans; and
• A roadmap to translate standards and criteria into international and national level
regulations.
Dr Ghosh has worked in the capacity of an advisor for various governments, industries, civil society and international organisations around the world. In 2018, the UN Secretary-General nominated him to the UN Committee for Development Policy, re-nominating him this year for a second term until December 2024. In 2020, the Government of India appointed him Co-Chair of the energy, environment and climate change track for India’s Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP2020). In 2021, he was appointed as Co-Chair of the T20 Task Force on climate and energy for Indonesia’s G20 2022 Presidency. Most recently, he has been appointed to the Government of India’s G20 Finance Track Advisory Group for India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.