The Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the UN COP26 under way in Glasgow, UK, where India pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and asserted itself as the only country that is delivering in "letter and spirit" the commitments on tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement.
The minister, in a post in his 'COP26 Diary' on Monday said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again shown that India is a responsible global power house and is at the forefront to fight climate change with climate action in the true spirit of climate justice by proposing a five-point climate agenda."
He stated that the prime minister had rightly reminded the developed economies of their responsibilities to avert the so called "climate doomsday."
"Delivering the 'national statement' today (Monday) at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, the Honourable PM reminded the world that despite being 17 per cent of the world's population, India has been responsible for only 5 per cent of its emissions because India has left no stone unturned in fulfilling its duty to save the planet from the scourge of climate change," he added.
Yadav mentioned other key pointers in Modi's address. "With the world listening to him, the PM highlighted how more passengers than the entire world's population travel by Indian Railways every year. This huge railway system has set itself a target of making itself 'Net Zero' by 2030. The PM underscored that India will meet Net-Zero emissions target by 2070,” he said.
Modi, in his speech, requested the developed nations to fulfil their promise of $1 trillion as climate finance, emphasising that this should be tracked the same way as climate mitigation.
He said, "India expects developed countries to make $1 trillion available as climate finance as soon as possible. As we track the progress of climate mitigation, we must also track climate finance. Justice would truly be served if pressure is put on those countries that have not lived up to their climate finance commitments."
Modi at the UN climate conference told world leaders that India was working hard in fighting climate change and it will show results.
He presented the country's national statement at the summit, listing out five commitments of India to combat climate change. He also raised the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of achieving 450 giga watt non-fossil energy capacity to 500 giga watt.
The prime minister said that India will increase its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 giga and fulfill 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030. Further he mentioned that between now and 2030, India will reduce its total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes and by 2030; India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 45 per cent and India will achieve the target of net zero by 2070.
"These five elixirs will be an unprecedented contribution by India towards climate action," he added.
He also emphasised on the need to make lifestyle changes which can go a long way in tackling climate change and urged to make 'Lifestyle for Environment' a global mission.
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