Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday announced that India and the United States have decided to launch a joint clean energy initiative to help other developing countries with affordable access to green finance and clean technologies.
Addressing the Leaders’ Summit on Climate, attended by 40 world leaders including US President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping, PM Modi announced the “India-US climate and clean energy Agenda 2030 partnership”.
“As a climate-responsible developing country, India welcomes partners to create templates of sustainable development in India. These can also help other developing countries, who need affordable access to green finance and clean technologies,” he said. “That is why, President Biden and I are launching the “India-US climate and clean energy Agenda 2030 partnership”. Together, we will help mobilise investments, demonstrate clean technologies, and enable green collaborations.”
The Prime Minister also put on the table India’s example of following “sustainable traditional practices”, saying the country’s per capita carbon footprint is 60 percent lower than the global average.
“Our ambitious renewable energy target of 450 Gigawatts by 2030 shows our commitment. Despite our development challenges, we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and bio-diversity,” he said.
PM Modi said that humanity is battling a global pandemic and it is a timely reminder that the “grave threat posed by climate change” has not disappeared.
“For humanity to combat Climate Change, concrete action is needed. We need such action at a high speed, on a large scale, and with a global scope,” he said.
In his opening remark, Biden pledged to cut at least in half its carbon footprint. Chinese President Xi Jinping also reiterated his country’s pledge to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
