The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav represented India at the virtual meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), hosted by U.S. President Joseph Biden, the meeting was held yesterday. The MEF meeting was aimed at galvanising actions that are to strengthen energy security and tackle the climate crisis thereby building momentum for COP27. The meeting was attended by twenty three major economies across the world and the Secretary General of United Nations.
The MEF leaders shared the initiatives being taken by them to deliver on their respective climate change commitments.
Shri Bhupender Yadav spoke about India’s continued commitment to contributing toward global collective action to combat climate change. He emphasised that India’s initiatives go beyond its borders, including the International Solar Alliance, and the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure.
He mentioned that India has already installed 159 GW of non-fossil fuel based electricity generation capacity. And during the last 7.5 years, India’s installed solar energy capacity has increased over 18 times.
Shri Yadav highlighted that India’s annual per capita emissions are only a third of the global average and its cumulative GHG emissions are less than 4 percent, but India’s climate targets are ambitious and reflect its commitment to the global good.
He further underscored that without cumulative emissions in check, success with other environmental challenges, even if they are achieved, will not carry lasting value.
Global warming warns us that equity and international cooperation, leaving no one behind, hold the key to success, where those most fortunate must lead the way. In the same context, he further highlighted that no nation can undertake this journey alone. Right understanding, right thought and co-operative action need to set our path for the next decisive half a century. All nations must adhere to their fair share of the global carbon budget.
He mentioned how the Panchamrit goals are being fructified through one of the largest clean energy development plans in the world. India is on track to meet its commitments, through adoption of low carbon policies across key sectors of our economy ranging from green hydrogen mission to e-mobility.
The Union Minister called upon the members of MEF to launch a global movement on LIFE i.e. Lifestyle for Environment as espoused by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the COP26 in Glasgow.