Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday proposed to host the UN Climate Conference COP33 summit in India in 2028, and asserted that “India has set an example of the perfect balance of Ecology and Economy.”
Addressing the opening session of the COP28 Summit in Dubai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi “India is committed to the UN Framework for Climate Change process, and therefore, I propose from this platform to host the CoP-33 Summit in India in 2028”
The Prime Minister said, “Despite India having 17 percent of the world’s population, our share in global carbon emissions is less than 4 percent”. The 28th edition of the climate change conference which began Thursday will run till December 12.
During the address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also proposed the Green Credit Initiative, which focuses on creating carbon sinks through people’s participation.
The Prime Minister also called upon world leaders to work together to fulfill the climate targets and urged the Developed countries to reduce carbon footprint intensity by 2050 completely.
Prime Minister also welcomed the historic decision to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund and said, “We hope that with COP Summit, a concrete result will be yielded on other issues related to climate finance…I heartily welcome UAE’s announcement of establishing a Climate Investment Fund”.
“We have to take a pledge that every country will fulfill the climate targets. We have to take a pledge that we will work together, cooperate, and support each other”.
Talking about India, initiatives to fight climate change, PM Modi said, “Our target is to reduce emission intensity by 45 percent by 2030…adding that we have decided that we will increase the share of non-fossil fuel to 50 percent and will also keep moving towards the goal of net zero by 2070”.
Modi said, “We have to pledge that the countries must fulfill their self-determined NDCs. We have to work in unity, and help and support each other”.
“We must create a balance between climate adaptation, climate mitigation, climate technology, and loss and damage” he further added.
On energy transition PM Modi said it should be just, inclusive, and equitable.
“Our target is to reduce emission intensity by 45 percent by 2030. We have decided that we will increase the share of non-fossil fuel to 50 percent and will also keep moving towards the goal of net zero by 2070” he added.
Modi said India is one of the few economies in the world which is on its way to meet the NDC targets.
“We have achieved the emission intensity related targets 11 years ago. Non fossil fuel targets have also been achieved before the scheduled time” he added
Mentioning G20 achievement during the address
PM Modi said, “India emphasised extensively on sustainable development during the G20 Presidency and for alternate fuels, India has promoted the use of Hydrogen as fuel and launched the Global Biofuels Alliance”.
On the opening day of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, a loss and damage fund to help vulnerable countries cope with the impact of climate change has been officially launched. The initial funding is estimated to be $475 million, host UAE pledged $100 million, the European Union promised $275 million, $17.5 million from the US, and $10 million from Japan.
The loss and damage fund was first announced during COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, last year. However, it was not until a few weeks before COP 28 that rich and poor countries managed to iron out some of their differences and agree on key points of the fund.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met UN Secretary General António Guterres on the sidelines of COP28 and discussed subjects covering G20 under India’s Presidency, India’s progress in achieving climate goals, priorities and concerns of Global South related to climate action, climate finance, technology and reforms of multilateral institutions.
Guterres affirmed to work with India to take forward the achievements of G20 under India’s Presidency at the UN Summit of the Future 2024.
