India will achieve the target of net zero by 2070, says PM Narendra Modi at COP26 Summit

Presenting the country's national statement at the Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that India is the only country that is delivering in "letter and spirit" the commitments on tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement.

Image courtesy: PTI

Glasgow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced a bold pledge that India will achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. He also listed out five commitments of India to combat climate change with a bold announcement that it will achieve the target of net zero emissions by the year 2070.

Presenting the country's national statement at the Summit, the Prime Minister asserted that India is the only country that is delivering in "letter and spirit" the commitments on tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement.

Prime Minister Modi said that India is working hard in fighting climate change and it will show results while addressing the world leaders at the 'High-Level Segment for Heads of States and Government' at the UN COP26 underway at Glasgow. 

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"By 2070 India will achieve the target of net zero," says PM. pic.twitter.com/lC85to2zkV — ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2021

Reiterating that India is putting climate change at the centre of its policies, PM Modi stressed the need to include climate adaptation policies in the school syllabus to make the next generation aware of the issues.

In a much-anticipated address, the Prime Minister said, "Today the entire world acknowledges that India is the only big economy in the world that has delivered both 'in letter and spirit' on its Paris commitments. We are making all possible efforts in a resolute manner. We are working hard and we will show results."

PM Modi listed out five commitments of India to combat climate change with a bold announcement that it will achieve the target of net zero emissions by the year 2070, raising the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of achieving 450 gigawatt non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatt.

The prime minister said, "India will increase its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 giga watt by 2030; India will fulfil 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030. 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."

He further said, "These five elixirs will be an unprecedented contribution by India towards climate action," calling for lifestyle changes that can go a long way in tackling climate change and urged to make 'Lifestyle for Environment' a global mission.

"Lifestyle plays a very important role in climate change. I would like to suggest a one-word movement in the context of climate which can become a key basis for one world. This word is LIFE, Lifestyle for Environment."

PM Modi said, "It is necessary that all of us come together as a collective partnership and take 'lifestyle for the environment' forward as a movement. It can become a mass movement for an environmentally conscious lifestyle. Instead of mindless and destructive consumption, we need mindful and deliberate utilisation. This movement can help us achieve goals that can bring about a revolutionary change in diverse areas like fishing, agriculture, wellness, dietary choices, packaging, tourism, clothing, water management and energy."

According to him, developed nations must fulfil the promised USD 1 trillion as climate finance, saying this should be tracked the same way as climate mitigation. He added, "India expects developed countries to make USD 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."

Prime Minister Modi reiterated that India is moving forward with a great deal of courage and ambition on the subject of climate and it understands the pain of other developing nations, adding "India also understands and shares the pain of other developing countries and has continuously been vocal about their expectations. For many developing countries climate change is a very big crisis looming before them, one that threatens their very existence. Today to save the world we have to take big steps. It is the need of the hour."

Sharing his sentiment about the conference on climate change in Paris in 2015, PM Modi said that it was not India but 1.25 billion Indians who were making promises to themselves.

"When I came to Paris for the first time for a climate summit, I came as a representative of a culture which gave the message 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina' (everyone should be happy). Therefore, the event in Paris was not just a summit but a sentiment and a commitment."

Modi said, "It was not India that was making promises, it was promised that 1.25 billion Indians were making to themselves and I am pleased that a developing country like India that is working on lifting millions of people out of poverty, working day and night to ensure ease of living for millions of people and the India that represents 17 per cent of the world's population but is responsible for only five per cent of global emissions, is that country which has spared no efforts in fulfilling its duty," adding that India's contribution in climate change mitigation far outstrips its role in emissions.

Elaborating on India's track record, the prime minister said that in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, India is ranked 4th in the world and in the last seven years, India has increased its non-fossil fuel energy by 25 per cent which now represents 40 per cent of its energy mix.

India, the world's third-biggest emitter with 1.96 tons per capita carbon emission, below China and USA which account for 8.4 tonnes and 18.6 tonnes emissions respectively.

PM Modi's statement at around 10 minutes was much longer than allocated to world leaders and he expressed his apology to the chair for overshooting the time limit but highlighted that it reflected India's firm commitment in the area. 

Notably, the Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, in December 2015.

Environment Minister hails PM Modi's speech at COP26

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the UN COP26 underway in Glasgow, UK, where India pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070. Yadav asserted that India is the only country that is delivering in "letter and spirit" the commitments on tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement.

In a post on Monday in his blog 'COP26 Diary', the minister 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."

Yadav wrote, "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." 

Yadav further said the prime minister had rightly reminded the developed economies of their responsibilities to avert the so-called "climate doomsday".

(With PTI/ANI Inputs)