India at forefront in response to climate change: Bhupender Yadav at COP28

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Dubai: India has been at the forefront of supporting action-oriented steps at the global level in response to climate change, said Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender at COP28.

Making a national statement at the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, Bhupender Yadav said, “India firmly believes that “equity and climate justice” must be the basis of global climate action and this can be ensured only when the developed countries take the lead in ambitious climate action”.

“We have always held the view that people and planet are inseparable and human well-being and Nature are intrinsically linked” he said.

Bhupender Yadav also highlighted India’s contribution to the global actions in restricting temperature rise by reducing emission intensity much ahead of the promised target year as mentioned in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the country’s action plan for dealing with the impacts of climate change.

“In our endeavor to decouple economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions, India has successfully reduced the emission intensity vis-à-vis its GDP by 33% between 2005 and 2019, thus achieving the initial NDC target for 2030, 11 years ahead of the scheduled time”.

He said India has also achieved 40% of electric installed capacity through non-fossil fuel sources, nine years ahead of the target for 2030.

Minister informed that between 2017 and 2023, India has added around 100 GW of installed electric capacity, of which around 80% is attributed to non-fossil fuel-based resources.

Talking about the climate initiatives undertaken by the government Yadav said India’s contribution to climate action has been significant through its international efforts such as International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), creation of LeadIT, Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) and the Big Cat Alliance.

“The Global Biofuel Alliance, launched when the G20 leaders met in New Delhi earlier this year, seeks to serve as a catalytic platform fostering global collaboration for advancement and widespread adoption of biofuels” he said.

As the COP28 proceedings continue, Mr. Yadav said India looks forward to the Global Stocktake’s (GST) outcomes and emphasised the importance of resource mobilisation and new collective, quantified goals based on the needs of the developing countries.

“The resource mobilisation and a new collective quality collective quantified goal must be guided by the needs and requirements of the developing countries. India firmly believes that equity and climate justice must be the basis of global climate action this can be ensured only when the developed countries take the lead in ambitious climate action,” he said.

Calling the ongoing climate negotiations as a ‘COP28 of action’, the Minister said it was evident on the first day of the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund.

“India has been at the forefront of supporting action-oriented steps at the global level in response to climate change. The successful operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund is a testament to our commitment to a sustainable future,” he said.

He further said that India showcased its dedication to the environment by launching the Green Credit Initiative at COP28 on December 1.

The Initiative aims to create a global trade forum facilitating the exchange of innovative environmental programmes and instruments.

He also reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of LiFE, the Lifestyle for Environment initiative that underscores India’s action-oriented approach.

Mission LiFE aims to minimize per capita carbon footprint by promoting mindful utilisation instead of wasteful consumption.

Appealing to the comity of nations to “reaffirm our commitment to work together for the common objective of a greener, cleaner, and healthier planet,” Yadav exhorted, “It is of paramount importance to repose our trust and confidence in the principles and clauses of the convention and its Paris Agreement.”

The 28th annual Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is taking place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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