New Delhi, Nov 2: Environment experts have said India is doing more than most countries, including China, to reduce emissions and its pledge at COP 26 to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070 is “real climate action”.
Lauding the big promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his national statement on Monday at the 26th international climate conference in Glasgow, they said by making the pledge, India has put the ball in the court of developed nations to fulfil the promise USD 1 trillion of climate finance.
Climate change activist and director general of Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain said India has laid out its roadmap, and targets of non-fossil fuel, renewable energy (RE) and reduction of carbon intensity are all pathways to get one billion tonnes carbon emission reduction by 2030.
“RE target of 50 per cent, non-fossil fuel 500 GW; carbon intensity of 45 per cent are all pathways to get to 1 billion tonnes carbon emission reduction by 2030. India has laid out its roadmap; this is more than OECD and certainly what China has done. India enhanced NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) is a challenge to the world to step up,” she tweeted.
“We will reduce 1 billion tonnes by 2030; per capita will be 2.31 tonnes/as against US 9.4 t/per capita and China 9 t/per capita. No question that this is running the talk,” Narain tweeted.
She, however, said to limit the 1.5-degree temperature rise, the world will have to go net zero by 2050. “For the world to go net zero by 2050, China should go by 2040 and OECD countries by 2030. This is why net zero is inequitable and makes combatting climate change unambitious and ineffective. We deserve better,” Narain tweeted.
Founder of Council on Energy, Environment, and Water Arunabha Ghosh said, “I want to congratulate PM Modi and India for making a bold statement for low-carbon development. India has clearly put the ball in the court of the developed world. This is real climate action. Now, India demands USD 1 trillion of climate finance as soon as possible and will monitor not just climate action but deliver climate finance. Most importantly, India has called, once again, for a change in lifestyles. If we cannot fix how we live, we cannot fix the planet on which we live,” Ghosh said.
In a similar response, Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends, said, “By announcing a commitment for achieving net zero targets by 2070, India has responded positively to the global call and it was the best climate action in Glasgow today. The commitment of 500GW of renewable energy by 2030, which is more than twice the installed capacity of coal currently, should set the stage for a quick transformation of the energy sector, the kind of which hasn’t been witnessed so far. Ensuring that the new energy regime doesn’t bring the pitfalls of the current regime will be fundamental. Solar and wind are poised to emerge as the future in the net zero world,” she said.
Prime Minister Modi, in his address at the ongoing COP 26 announced a bold pledge on Monday that India will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and asserted that it is the only country that is delivering in “letter and spirit” the commitments on tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement.
He also raised the NDC of achieving 450 GW non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW, among other commitments, including reducing carbon emissions. (PTI)
