India flags climate equity, says per-capita carbon emissions less than half global average

“India is the only country in the G20  that has fulfilled all the commitments it made at the COP‑21 summit in Paris, and has done so ahead of schedule” PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday put the issue of “climate equity and carbon emissions” at the centre of India’s environmental narrative, arguing that the responsibility for global carbon emissions should not be “disproportionately” placed on developing countries.

Addressing the National Green Tribunal’s international conference on “The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics” in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi said India’s per-capita carbon emissions remain below half the global average, while per-capita emissions in developed countries are significantly higher.

“Often the responsibility for carbon emissions has been wrongly placed on developing countries. Many of my companions from the Global South are present here. But the historical truth is that even today, India’s per capita carbon emissions are less than half the global average,” Modi said.

He added that, according to the comparison presented in his address, “In developed countries, per capita carbon emissions are six times higher than India’s.

विकसित देशों में भारत की तुलना में 6 गुना ज्यादा प्रति व्यक्ति carbon emission हो रहा है।

~ प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/vUUIcoPSvL

— MoEF&CC (@moefcc) September 19, 2026

The Prime Minister said India has consistently highlighted this disparity at international climate forums, making “equity and differentiated responsibility” an important part of its position on global climate action.

While highlighting the disparity in per-capita emissions, Modi also sought to underline India’s efforts to reduce the carbon intensity of its development.

“Our major focus has been on renewable energy, and this has played a big role in environmental protection,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, India’s solar power capacity has expanded dramatically over the past 12 years, rising from around 2 GW to more than 160 GW.

He also highlighted the expansion of rooftop solar under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, saying that more than 5 million households had installed rooftop solar systems under the scheme.

The government, he said, has provided financial assistance of up to Rs 80,000 per household, while the PM-KUSUM scheme has supported the installation of solar pumps for around 3 million farmers.

Prime Minister Modi linked these initiatives directly to carbon mitigation, saying that India had reduced nearly 200 million tonnes of carbon emissions from solar energy alone.

हम दुनिया को साथ लेकर पर्यावरण सुरक्षा के नए मापदंड स्थापित कर रहे हैं।

One Sun, One World, One Grid की सोच हो, या International Solar Alliance, CDRI, Global Biofuel Alliance, International Big Cat Alliance, Mission LiFE- Lifestyle for Environment – ऐसा हर एक मंच, climate और… pic.twitter.com/uDq6vFAUIi

— MoEF&CC (@moefcc) September 19, 2026

PM Modi also sought to broaden the discussion beyond India’s domestic environmental indicators, arguing that the country’s progress on renewable energy and other environmental initiatives should be viewed in the context of the global climate challenge.

“All these figures are not just India’s development statistics ,  they are India’s contributions for the future of humanity,” he said.

He cited several international initiatives associated with India’s climate and environmental diplomacy, including the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Global Biofuel Alliance, International Big Cat Alliance and Mission LiFE.

The Prime Minister said these initiatives were intended to take India’s environmental experience and solutions to a wider international platform.

The Prime Minister presented the expansion of renewable energy as evidence that economic development and environmental protection need not be viewed as competing objectives.

“India is showing how development and environmental sustainability can go hand in hand,” he said.

He also asserted that India is the only G20 country to have fulfilled ahead of schedule the commitments it made at the COP21 climate summit in Paris.

“On every parameter, non-fossil fuel, solar energy capacity, curbing carbon emissions India’s performance is today a subject of positive discussion worldwide,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister’s comments come ahead of the next round of international climate negotiations, where questions around climate finance, historical responsibility, equity and the pace of emissions reduction are expected to remain central to discussions between developed and developing economies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called for a fundamental shift in the way waste is perceived, saying waste should not be treated merely as an environmental burden but converted into a resource under a “Waste to Wealth” model.

 “Our effort is that waste should not be seen as a problem, but transformed into a resource under the Waste to Wealth model,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi highlighted India’s efforts towards promoting a circular economy, particularly through the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. He said plastic waste remained a major environmental challenge and pointed to India’s ban on single-use plastic as part of its efforts to address the problem.

“With the mantra of reduce, reuse, and recycle, we have promoted the circular economy. Today, thousands of tonnes of waste are being recycled every day in India,” he said.

The Prime Minister also cited the Gobardhan Yojana, under which cow dung and other organic waste in rural areas are being converted into useful resources. The initiative, he said, reflected the broader idea of treating waste as a potential economic and environmental resource rather than something destined for disposal

Linking India’s domestic environmental initiatives with the global climate challenge, Modi said the country’s progress should not be viewed only through the lens of development indicators.

“All these figures are not just India’s development statistics – they are India’s contributions for the future of humanity,” he said.

The Prime Minister also outlined several other initiatives while describing India’s approach to climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

He said that under the National Mission on Natural Farming, around 1.25 million hectares had been brought under natural farming through about 24,000 clusters, while nearly 3,000 varieties of climate-resilient crops had been developed.

Modi also linked the promotion of agroforestry with efforts to reduce carbon footprints and highlighted changes in India’s forest cover.

According to the Prime Minister, India’s very dense forest cover has increased by more than 22 per cent over the past 12 years. He also referred to the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, under which crores of trees have been planted across the country.

Addressing the gathering,Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav highlighted India’s climate commitments and noting that non-fossil sources now account for 54.18 per cent of installed electricity capacity, surpassing the 2030 target of 50 per cent nine years ahead of schedule.

He said India ranks third globally in renewable energy installed capacity and is the world’s second-largest solar growth market, demonstrating that economic growth and climate action can advance together.

Yadav also highlighted India’s achievements in wildlife and ecosystem conservation, from the successful Cheetah reintroduction programme and conservation breeding programme of the Great Indian Bustard to the conservation and restoration of woodlands, grasslands and wetlands.

He said India’s forest and tree cover has reached 8.27 lakh square kilometres and quoted the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 by the UN FAO, according to which India has retained its third position globally in terms of annual net forest-area gain.

Looking ahead to UNFCCC COP31 in Antalya, he said India will continue to advocate climate action centred on equity, implementation and the needs of vulnerable countries.

Earlier, welcoming the delegates earlier, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava highlighted India’s comprehensive approach to environmental governance under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

He said that India’s initiatives demonstrate the country’s commitment not only to national action but also to global environmental cooperation.

Justice Shrivastava said the initiatives reflect a larger vision of a cleaner, greener, more resilient and sustainable India.

Mr Shrivastava  emphasised that environmental protection is not the responsibility of any one institution or sector, but a collective national and global responsibility, with the consequences of environmental degradation often falling most severely on those least responsible for them.

The Prime Minister also launched the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Mobile Application during the inaugural session of the conference.

The two-day Conference is bringing together jurists, academicians, policymakers, scientists, environmental experts and other stakeholders from 17 countries across the world, along with international organisations United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The event focuses on dialogue, knowledge exchange on judicial, scientific, policy and institutional best practices, while encouraging collaborative action on pressing environmental and climate challenges.