Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address on Saturday at the Climate Ambition Summit 2020, said that India is not only on track to achieve its Paris Agreement targets, but will exceed them beyond expectations. In his address the PM said that India has reduced its emission intensity by 21 per cent over 2005 levels. PM Modi further said that between 2014 and 2020, India's solar power capacity has grown from 2.63 gigawatts to 36 gigawatts.
"We have reduced our emission intensity by 21 per cent over 2005 levels. Our renewable energy capacity is the fourth largest in the world. It will reach 175 gigawatts before 2022," Narendra Modi said in his address.
The Climate Ambition Summit, held virtually, marked the five years of the adoption of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
"This summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement - the most ambitious step in our fight against Climate Change. Today, as we are looking to set our sights even higher, we must also not lose sight of the past. We must not only revise our ambitions, but also review our achievements against targets already set. Only then can our voices be credible for future generations," Modi said.
He said in the recent past, India has also succeeded in expanding its forest cover and safeguarding biodiversity.
"India has pioneered two major initiatives on the world stage - the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure," Modi said.
"In 2047, India will celebrate 100 years as a modern, independent nation. To all my fellow residents of this planet, I make a solemn pledge today. Centennial India will not only meet its own targets, but will also exceed your expectations," he said.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris on December 12, 2015 and entered into force on November 4, 2016.
(With Agency Inputs)
