Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a strong pitch for altering the approach on climate talks, from restrictive to constructive, and urged nations not to focus on “don't do this or that”.
In an interview to PTI ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend, the Prime Minister said there was no “one-size-fits-all” solution to fight climate change.
The Prime Minister said India has left no stone unturned in meeting its climate goals despite accounting for less than five per cent of the cumulative emissions.
“So, we are certainly on track while also tailoring in various factors needed to ensure growth,” he said.
“We are perhaps the first among the G20 countries to have achieved our climate targets nine years ahead of the scheduled date,” the Prime Minister said.
He said India's action against single-use plastic has been recognised across the world and has also made great strides in safe sanitation and cleanliness.
The Prime Minister said India has moved from being just a member of global efforts to playing a leading role in many initiatives.
“Our principle is simple – diversity is our best bet, whether in society or in terms of our energy mix. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions.
"Given the different pathways countries are on, our pathways for energy transition will be different,” he said to a question on progress on climate action targets in the post-Ukraine war era.
The Prime Minister said he was “extremely positive” about the future of the fight against climate change.
“We are working with other nations to alter the approach from a restrictive to a constructive approach. Rather than focusing purely on the approach of don't do this or that, we want to bring in an attitude that makes people and nations aware of what they can do and help them with that, in terms of finance, technology and other resources,” Modi said.
In response to a separate question, the Prime Minister said there have been many climate meetings over the decades, but despite the best intentions the discussions would end up revolving around who is to blame.
“But we took a positive and affirmative approach with a ‘can do’ spirit. We set up the International Solar Alliance and took the initiative to bring countries together under the vision of ‘One World One Sun One Grid’,” he said.
The Prime Minister said India also started the Coalition for Disaster Resilience so that countries across the world, especially developing countries, learn from each other and build infrastructure that is resilient even during disasters.
“We have also worked with small island nations of the world to further their interests, including under the Forum of India and Pacific Island Countries,” he said.
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The Prime Minister said India has been making great progress in climate-centric initiatives as it had ramped up solar energy capacity 20-fold in just a few years.
“India is among the top four nations in the world in terms of wind energy. In the electric vehicle revolution, India is playing an important role in both innovation and adoption,” he said.
The Prime Minister said initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure are bringing countries together for the planet.
He said the ISA has got a great response with over 100 countries joining it.
“Our Mission LiFE initiative focuses on Lifestyle for Environment. Today, in each society we have people who are health conscious. What they buy, what they eat, what they do – each decision is based on how it serves their health,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi said their choices are not only guided by how it will affect them today but also by the long-term impact.
“Similarly, people across the world can come together to become planet-conscious. Each lifestyle decision can be made based on what impact it will have on the planet in the long term,” the Prime Minister said.