New Delhi: India remains firmly committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 while balancing its developmental priorities, Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh said in the Rajya Sabha, underscoring the country’s approach to climate action rooted in equity and sustainable growth.
Replying in the Upper House, the minister stated that India aims to become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, a goal that requires high, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable economic growth. As an emerging economy, India’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are expected to rise to meet development and poverty eradication needs, he said, noting that such growth is both necessary and legitimate.
Highlighting India’s historical responsibility, Singh pointed out that although the country accounts for more than 18% of the global population, it has contributed less than 4% of cumulative global GHG emissions between 1850 and 2020. Even today, India’s annual per capita emissions stand at roughly one-third of the global average.
“India’s responsibility for global warming thus far has been minimal,” he said, adding that despite this, the country is “doing more than its fair share” to address climate change.
India’s climate policies, he emphasized, are aligned with the principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The minister noted that both the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement recognize that emissions from developing countries will rise to meet social and developmental needs.
The Paris Agreement explicitly acknowledges that peaking of emissions will take longer for developing nations and must be viewed in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
India, Singh stressed, has consistently maintained that developed countries bear the primary responsibility for historic emissions and must take the lead in making deep and urgent emission reductions.
In November 2022, India submitted its Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) to the UNFCCC, reaffirming its commitment to achieving net-zero by 2070.
The strategy is guided by four key considerations: India’s low historical contribution to global emissions; its significant energy needs for development; its commitment to low-carbon growth consistent with national circumstances; and the need to build climate resilience.
India plans to achieve its net-zero target through progressively enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and domestic climate actions, supported by climate finance and technology transfer under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement frameworks.
The minister also highlighted key milestones in India’s energy transition. He said India has already achieved its target of sourcing 50% of its cumulative installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, five years ahead of schedule. Additionally, the country has reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020.
India’s energy transition strategy includes rapid expansion of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency, scaling up nuclear power, development of green hydrogen, strengthening carbon sinks, operationalizing carbon markets, and diversifying the overall energy mix.
Mr Singh said this approach prioritizes energy access, affordability, and security while promoting industrial competitiveness and domestic clean-technology manufacturing.
Acknowledging that India is yet to reach its peak energy demand, the minister said the country’s transition model rejects a “one-size-fits-all” approach and instead balances economic growth, job creation, and technological advancement with gradual decarbonization.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to multilateralism, Singh concluded that the country will continue to be part of the global solution to climate change, while ensuring that its developmental aspirations and national circumstances remain central to its climate action pathway.
