Climate Change

At COP28, PM Narendra Modi Launches ‘Green Credit Initiative’, Proposes To Host 2028 Edition: Top Highlights

Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s opening remarks during COP28 conference in Dubai where he proposed India to host COP33 in the year 2028

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Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the COP28 summit in Dubai and said that the world does not have much time to correct the mistakes of the last century. PM Modi, addressing the high-level segment for heads of state and governments during the UN climate conference (COP28) also proposed that India host the COP33 climate summit in the 2028 year.

Also Read: What Is Climate Smart Agriculture: Is This The Key To Ensure Food Security Amid Climate Change?

Here are the top highlights from his address to the global leaders for COP28:

  1. Asserting that India has presented a great example to the world of striking balance between development and environment conservation, PM Modi highlighted that India contributes less than 4 per cent to global carbon emissions. He also said that the country is one of the few which is on track to achieve its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) — the plans to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the guardrail to avoid worsening of climate change impacts — targets.
  2. During his remark, PM Modi also introduced the Green Credit Initiative focused on creating carbon sinks through people’s participation. This initiative is similar to the Green Credit Programme, notified domestically in October. It is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to reward voluntary environmental actions in different sectors by individuals, communities and the private sector.
  3. PM Modi in his speech also stressed on the fact that the poor and developing nations are bearing the brunt of extreme climate events such as flood, droughts, heat/cold waves as a result of changing climate due to historic carbon emissions by the richer countries that have led to increased global warming. He said, “Over the past century, a small section of humanity has indiscriminately exploited nature. However, the entire humanity is paying the price for this, especially people living in the Global South. Thinking only about our own interests will only lead the world into darkness.”
  4. The Prime Minister also called for maintaining a balance between mitigation and adaptation and said that energy transition across the world must be “just and inclusive.” PM Modi also called rich countries to transfer technologies to help developing nations combat climate change.
  5. Citing a study by the International Energy Agency, PM Modi said, “The approach of LiFE movement – Lifestyle for Environment (an initiative that urge countries to adopt planet-friendly living practices and move away from deeply consumerist behavior), which I had announced at the Glasgow COP in 2021, can help reduce carbon emissions by 2 billion tonnes. PM Modi called on the countries to work together and be decisive against the climate crisis. He said, “We shall cooperate with each other and shall support each other. We need to give all developing countries our fair share in the global carbon budget.”

Watch: Impact Of Climate Change On Food Security

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the only leader to join COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber on the stage along with the UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Steill at the opening plenary. If India’s proposal to host COP33 is accepted, it would be the next big global conference in the country after the G20 Summit earlier this year. It was in the year 2002, when India last hosted the COP8 conference in New Delhi, where adopted the Delhi Ministerial Declaration which called for efforts by developed countries to transfer technology and minimise the impact of climate change on developing countries.

As per the targets set by the country, India aims to reduce emissions intensity of gross domestic product by 45 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels and achieve 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. It has also committed to become a net zero economy by 2070. As part of its G20 Presidency this year, India drew consensus from the world’s major economies for a Green Development Pact seeking to balance development and the environment.

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.

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