A DDRESSING the Conference of Parties (COP) that recently concluded in Dubai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered to host the 33rd edition of the Climate Change Summit in India in 1928. Coming ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due next year,it certainly shows his confidence of returning to power for a third consecutive term. But it is also a bold assertion of the fact that India has walked the talk on climate change while the developed countries have faltered.
As India is part of all the major global initiatives to address global warming, it grapples with the dual challenge of participating in international efforts while sustaining poverty-alleviation programmes at home and pushing manufacturing to foster economic growth. Having more than 17 pc of the global population, India has contributed only about 4 per cent of the global cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 1850 and 2019. It missed the first and second industrial revolution due to colonial rule.
Subsequent decades after Independence went towards strengthening agriculture and building basic industrial and energy infrastructure. With the advent of coalfired power plantsand large-scale industrialisation, emissions assumed larger proportions.
Under PM Modi, India has launched actionable plans to meet its commitment as a responsible global actor. It has pledged a 45 per cent reduction in EPU (Emission per Unit of GDP from 2005 levels) and a transition to renewable sources for 50 pc of its electricity generation. Additionally, India hascommitted to create about three billion tonnes of additional carbon sink through afforestation. Initiatives like the One Sun, One World, One Grid project and establishment of International Solar Alliance showcase India’s dedication to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.
Beyond the reduction of emissions, a critical aspect is the development of technologies for optimal trapping of emissions in both particle and gaseous forms. Currently, there is a serious gap in research on these technologies.
Emissions, including hydrogen, could serve as potential alternative sources of energy. Thorium-based fast breeder reactors are another area that needs greater research and faster results. During the recent G20 summit, PM Modi unveiled the Life Style for the Environment (LiFE) master plan, which was first introduced at COP26. The PM called upon the global community to adopt LiFE as an international mass movement towards “mindful and deliberate utilisation, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment.India strongly believes that it is the individual and collective duty of everyone to lead lives in harmony with the Earth. PM Modi even suggested that those who practice such a lifestyle could be recognised as ‘Pro Planet People’ under LiFE.
The idea was reiterated as template for G20 as ‘One World, One Family, OneFuture’. Unless the climate meetings recognise and respect such a global view, achieving universal solutions and consensus will be difficult.India believes that equity and climate justice must be the basis of climate action and this can be ensured only when the developed countries take the lead in combating climate change. In this regard, PM Modi issued a shark rebuke to wealthy nations, in his opening speech at the recent Summit. “A small section of mankind has exploited nature indiscriminately. But the whole of humanity is paying its price,”he said.
