This Summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement – the most ambitious step in our fight against Climate Change. PM Modi who addressed the Summit virtually said “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.”
PM Modi said that India is not only on track to achieve its Paris Agreement targets, but to exceed them beyond expectations. India has reduced the emission intensity by 21% over 2005 levels and the country’s solar capacity has grown from 2.63 GigaWatts in 2014 to 36 GigaWatts in 2020. The renewable energy capacity of India is the fourth largest in the world.
India will reach 175 GigaWatts before 2022, and the country has an even more ambitious target now – 450 GigaWatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. PM Modi also reminded the dignitaries that India has also succeeded in expanding our forest cover and safeguarding our biodiversity. And, on the world stage, India has pioneered two major initiatives: The International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
In 2047, India will celebrate 100 years as a modern, independent nation. PM Modi took a solemn pledge to ensure that centennial India will not only meet its own targets, but will also exceed the expectations.