India Is Overachieving Its Voluntary Target Of Emission Reduction: Environment Minister At UN Climate Meet

New Delhi: India is taking ambitious actions in energy efficiency measures, biofuels, sustainable transport, e-vehicles, enha ncing green cover and sustainable agriculture, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, said during a virtual high-level climate meeting convened by the President of the 76th UNGA on Tuesday (October 26).

Also Read: Greenhouse Gas Levels Hit Record High In 2020 Despite Pandemic: Report

He also mentioned that India took an initiative of National Hydrogen Mission for generation and export of green hydrogen.

We have reduced our emission intensity of GDP by 24 per cent between 2005 and 2016, thereby achieving our pre-2020 voluntary target. Our 2030 targets under the Paris Agreement are considered ambitious and compatible with the Paris Agreement goals. We are on the path to achieving those targets, the minister said, according to an official release.

Underlining that India has set out an ambitious target of 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030, Yadav said that it may be noted that currently, “we have 389 GW total installed capacity. We have already achieved 155 GW of non-fossil fuel installed capacity as of now. We are accelerating action and we are confident to achieve this ambitious target by 2030.”

The high-level meeting on Delivering Climate Action – for People, for Planet and for Prosperity, focused on the gap between current and required technical and financial capacities to achieve the 1.5 degrees target and how that gap can be met, through showcasing best practices that simultaneously address climate action and the myriad structural challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.

The Environment Minister emphasised that the current stock of greenhouse gases is a result of the economic growth in the industrialised countries in the past, which demanded increasing amounts of energy in the form of fossil fuels and they became today’s prosperous countries with capital stock and infrastructure, the release added.

In contrast, the adverse impacts of climate change falls disproportionately on developing countries who contributed little to the stock of greenhouse gases, he added.

Emphasising that when the developed world is exhibiting a shortfall in actions with just 14.8 per cent emission reduction against the target of 18 per cent reduction in the pre-2020 period, Yadav said that India is overachieving its voluntary target of emission reduction. The trust and confidence of the world in the UN processes and forums must be safeguarded by all, said the minister, adding, let COP26 be a COP of actions in finance and technology support and not just promises and pledges.

Let us all work together to protect the planet, people, and our shared future to achieve the true meaning of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, he added.

Also Read: Global Climate Conversation: Key Moments From Decades Of Climate Conferences

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. 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 wake of the current 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 wellbeing, 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,  that 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.