Climate change efforts lacking: PM

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed dissatisfaction with the current global efforts to combat climate change and called a comprehensive approach covering everything from education to values and from lifestyle to developmental philosophy.

“What we need is a global people’s movement to bring about behavioural change. The respect for nature, the judicious use of resources, reducing our needs and living within our means have all been important aspects of both our traditions and present day efforts. Need, not greed, has been our guiding principle,” he observed while speaking at the Climate Action Summit on the margins of the 74th UN General Assembly that was attended by 60 world leaders.

India today, he declared, has come not just to talk about the seriousness of this issue, but also to present a practical approach and a roadmap. “We believe that an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of preaching,” he observed.

India was going to increase the share of non-fossil fuel, and by 2022 it plans to increase the renewable energy capacity to much beyond 175 GW, and later till 450 GW. India also plans to make the transport sector green through e-mobility and is working to considerably increase the proportion of the bio-fuel blend in petrol and diesel.

PM Modi also recounted clean cooking gas to 150 million families, the launch of the Jal Jeevan mission for water conservation, rainwater harvesting and for the development of water resources; India is going to spend approximately $50 billion in the next few years.

On the international forum, almost 80 countries have joined the International Solar Alliance campaign. India and Sweden together with other partners are launching the leadership group within the industry transition track to provide a platform for governments and the private sector with opportunities for cooperation in the area of technology innovation. This will help to develop low carbon pathways for industry.

In order to make the infrastructure disaster-resilient, India is launching a ‘Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure’ and PM Modi invited member states to join this coalition. The PM also referred to the move to end the use of single-use plastic and hoped that this will create awareness at a global level about the harmful effects of single-use plastic. 

India’s Green goals 

• 450 GW non-fossil fuel target by 2022 (175 GW earlier) 
• Making transport sector green through e-mobility
• Increasing proportion of biofuel blend in petrol, diesel
• $50 bn for water conservation in next few years
• Increasing use of biogas 

Low-cost healthcare 

PM Narendra Modi told the first-ever high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage in New York on Monday that India’s experience and capabilities in providing affordable healthcare is available for use to all developing countries.