PM Modi announced that India is launching an energy and climate change partnership with the United States. In a two-day gathering, that included more than 40 representatives of different countries discussed the crucial topic of climate change. The US President Joe Biden has hosted the summit while highlighting this time as a ‘decisive decade’ for tackling climate change. India, as a climate-responsible developing country, welcomed various partner countries to build projects for sustainable development in the country.
Prime Minister of India said in this virtual summit to develop the temples of such projects, which in future can show a path of sustainable development in other emerging economies too. The sustainable development project includes green energy production, clean technologies, and many more. The US and Indian leader declared India-US climate and clean energy agenda 2030 partnership, with an aim to mobilize investments and demonstrate clean technologies. It will also include green energy collaboration between both the countries.
The ministry of external affairs has declared this partnership in general terms in a joint statement released by India and the US. Several other nations such as Japan and Canada also announced their climate change plans to take some enhanced action for tackling climate change by substantially cutting down carbon footprints by 2030 in the respective nations. The Paris agreement is aimed at keeping the global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level by the end of the 21st century. The summit was also in the direction to galvanize the efforts by large economies, to cut down greenhouse emissions as the major greenhouse emitters are China, United States, and India.
PM Modi said India’s ambitious goal of renewable energy production of 450 Gigawatts by 2030 shows the commitment of the country. He has also mentioned the development challenges while talking about many bold steps taken by the country for clean and green energy, enhancement in energy efficiency, forestation, and bio-diversity. India seeks the US collaboration to achieve the country’s goal of 450 Gigawatts renewable energy goal, which will enable the country to keep the emission intensity 35% below the 2005 levels. India also seeks to use 40% of total power generation from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
Nationally Defined Contribution (NDC) is the target that each country decides to help achieve the ambitious objective of the Paris Agreement of keeping global warming low, preferably below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The challenge for the United States is to reduce its per capita emission, which is much higher than in China or India. Also, the pandemic situation has already decimated the economic output and growth. PM Modi said that India’s per capita emission is 60% lower than the global average because of lifestyle in a country, that is already rooted in sustainable practices. He also added that the philosophy of ‘back to basics’ should be the important pillar of economic strategy in the aftermath situation. Indian PM has appealed to the leaders in a summit to adopt a sustainable lifestyle while quoting Swami Vivekananda’s words- ‘” Arise, awake and stop not until the goal is reached” which is in line with Joe Biden’s ‘decade of the action’ goal.