INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the reforms undertaken by the central government in the past 10 years.2 min read Last Updated :
Aug 15 2024 | 10:00 AM IST
India is the only country among G20 nations to have achieved its climate targets under the 2015 Paris Agreement
ahead of schedule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 78th
Independence Day, he said India's efforts to tackle the global challenge of climate change have "reassured and surprised" the world.
"I
want to tell the world about the strength of my country's people
My country and its people have accomplished what other G20 nations have not.
"We have met the climate targets set under the Paris
Agreement ahead of schedule
India is the only nation among the G20 countries to do so, and we are proud of it," the prime minister said.
As part of its updated
national climate plan, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, India has committed to
achieving 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel-based electricity installed capacity by 2030.
"People in other countries look at me in
amazement when they hear the word '500 GW'," Prime Minister Modi said.
He expressed confidence that India will meet this target.
"This
is crucial for humanity and will serve as a guarantee of a bright future for our children," Modi said.
At present, the country has a power
generation capacity of 446 gigawatts (GW), including around 195 GW from non-fossil energy sources.
PM Modi also outlined schemes and
initiatives aimed at achieving the 2070 net-zero target, including the complete electrification of railways, the PM Surya Ghar initiative
and the promotion of electric vehicles.
"India will become a global hub for green hydrogen through the Green Hydrogen Mission
We have made policies and are working rapidly in that direction," he said.
With this energy transition, a multitude of "green job"
opportunities will be created and "India intends to seize these opportunities first", the prime minister added.First Published: Aug 15 2024
