“First, India will increase its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030. Second, India will fulfill 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030. Third, between now and 2030, India will reduce its total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes. Fourth, by 2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 45 per cent. Fifth, India will achieve the target of net zero by 2070,” the prime minister said in his address.
Other countries announcing similar goals have said they intend to achieve carbon neutrality at an earlier date. The United States and European Union have set their goal for 2050, while Russia and China are aiming for 2060.
India has about 17 % of the world’s population but, according to different sets of data, accounts for 4-5 % of world-wide greenhouse gas emissions. As a developing country, it is very dependent on the effects of climate change.
Modi said India was counting on financing from developed countries to proceed with the campaign against global warming.
“India expects developed nations to make climate finance of $1 trillion available at the earliest,” Modi told the conference. “Today it’s important to track climate finance just like we track the progress of climate mitigation. It would be an appropriate justice to create pressure on the nations that don’t meet their own promises of climate finance.”
The prime minister also called on participants to reject thoughtless and destructive consumption and proceed with a transition to conscious use of resources and goods.
