Climate anxiety won’t deter India’s growth, asserts Bhupender Yadav

New Delhi: Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav asserted that climate anxiety, which has gripped the world, cannot force India to “give up its right” to development based on merely environmental concerns.

“We need to move out of poverty, and India reserves its right to grow responsibly based on its national circumstances” Bhupender Yadav said at a two-day national conference on ‘Environment 2025, organised by the National Green Tribunal at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

“Poverty eradication is the main problem for developing countries. For that purpose, we can’t stop anything based on environment,” he added.

The minister also stated that India has fulfilled its Paris Agreement commitments on green energy nine years ahead of the 2030 target.

Mr Yadav noted that the government has set up an ambitious target to achieve 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 by solar energy playing a crucial role in this vision.

“India is the world’s third-largest renewable energy producer today, with 46.3% of its energy capacity coming from renewable resources,” he said.

Speaking about India’s commitment to protecting the environment, he said, “Environmental protection is in the Indian ethos, the mantra of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah” is confined not just to the protection of human rights but the protection of all life forms, including the flora and fauna, our rivers and mountains”.

Environmental protection is also a fundamental duty, enshrined in our Constitution, but at the international level, under the Paris Agreement, the world arrived at a consensus that the global community needs to unite to fight climate change. But the world also agreed that this fight must be based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” he said.

He said India is focused on capacity building, knowledge sharing and collaborating with the world to meet the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification.

Acknowledging the importance of technologies in the fight against climate change, he said India is ramping up innovations in low-carbon technologies, and we believe rapid economic growth is the best defence against climate change for developing nations.”

In his welcome address, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, the Chairperson of NGT, highlighted that what makes this conference truly exceptional is its inclusivity, bringing together jurists, experts, faculty, and passionate students from various institutions, all united by a common vision of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

He emphasised that our efforts to safeguard the environment are not only a responsibility but also a vital safeguard for our future.

The two-day conference aims at deliberating on critical environmental issues and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. witnessed the participation of prominent dignitaries, legal experts, environmentalists, and policymakers.