On the 75th Independence Day, PM Modi asserted that India is the only country among the G20 nations that are progressing towards achieving climate goals. He added that India has already installed 100 GW of renewable energy.
Under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of the Paris Agreement, India has set the goal of attaining 40% of electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
One crucial step to achieve the target is installing 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, of which they have installed 100GW.
“Today, India is the only country in the group of G20 countries, which is moving fast towards achieving its climate goals.
India has set a 450 GW of renewable energy target by the end of this decade – 450 GW by 2030. Of this, the target of 100 GW has been achieved by India ahead of schedule,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also added that India is already on the “electric mobility” path by making the railway sector completely electrified, reported the Deccan Herald.
Moreover, the railway sector is also aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
He informed the country is focused on building a Mission Circular Economy.
Modi emphasized the issue of environmental security as well. He said, “We are giving equal emphasis to environmental security as to national security.
Be it biodiversity or land neutrality, climate change or waste recycling, organic farming, India is progressing in all these sectors,” he said.
India has increased the forest area or the number of national parks, the number of tigers, and the Asiatic lion, and it is a matter of happiness for the people. At the same time, one also has to understand another truth that India is not energy independent today.”
In its Biennial Update Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sent in February, India has ascertained that it has started reducing its dependence upon greenhouse gas emissions for its economic prosperity.
From 2005 to 2016, India’s gross domestic product emission intensity (GDP) has decreased by 24%. Hence, India is on track to achieve the declarations made by the country to reduce the emission intensity of GDP by 20-25% from 2005 levels by 2020, wrote the HT Times.
An environment ministry official said, “India’s annual renewable energy addition has been exceeding that of coal-based thermal power since 2017, and in the last six years, India’s installed renewable energy capacity has increased by two and half times, and the solar energy capacity has increased by 13 times. We are likely to achieve our second NDC well ahead of schedule,”
PM Modi further added the advantageous use of green hydrogen production, which would prove beneficial for the country to shift to clean energy.
“Green Hydrogen is the future of the world. Today, I announce the setting up of the National Hydrogen Mission. We have to make India a global Hub for green hydrogen production and export…this will help India make new progress in energy self-reliance and become a new inspiration for clean energy transition worldwide.
New opportunities from green growth to green Jobs are opening up today for our start-ups and youth,” he added.
