Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday invited UN member states to join the coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure being launched by India, as he presented a practical approach and roadmap on the pressing issue of global climate change at the first-ever-high level summit in New York.
The Prime Minister who was one of the early speakers at the summit underlined that global actions to tackle climate change are not enough.
He called for a comprehensive approach which places emphasis on education, values, lifestyle and developmental philosophy. He called for a mass movement to bring about behavioural change.
He said that India was participating at the Summit not with a speech but with a practical approach and roadmap. Echoing Mahatma's Gandhi's emphasis on action, the Prime Minister added that "an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of preaching".
The summit, being hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, was also attended by leaders from various governments across the world, businesses, and civil societies.
The summit announced the potentially far-reaching ambitious solutions in nine areas, including a global transition to renewable energy, sustainable and resilient infrastructures and cities, sustainable agriculture and management of forests and oceans, resilience and adaptation to climate impacts, and alignment of public and private finance with a net-zero economy.
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Modi told the climate action summit that India would be looking at a renewable energy target in excess of 400 GW by 2030, implement programs to boost electric mobility, increase the proportion of the biofuel blending in petrol and diesel and focus on the use of compressed biogas.
He said that India would increase its renewable energy capacity to 175 Gigawatts by 2022 and "we are committed to further increase this to 450 Gigawatts."
He also talked about the success of the clean cooking gas initiative which positively impacted the lives 150 million families, particularly women and children.
Recounting some of the measures taken by the country in this regard, the Prime Minister said: "We are encouraging e-mobility in our transport sector. India is also working to considerably increase the percentage of biofuel blended in petrol and diesel. We have given gas connections for clean cooking to 150 million families."
He also mentioned India's bid to ensure water security.
"We have started the Jal-Jeevan mission for water conservation, rainwater harvesting and for the development of water resources and in the next few years, India is going to spend approximately 50 billion dollars on this," added Modi.
The Prime Minister further announced the launch of the "Leadership Group", which will provide a platform for governments and the private sector with opportunities for cooperation in the area of technology innovation and develop low carbon pathways for the industry.
He also said that India has called for an end to use single-use plastic and hoped that his country's efforts will help create awareness at a global level about its harmful effects.
Emphasising climate action, PM Modi said that as a token gesture, India is also getting the UN greener by installing rooftop solar panels at a cost of USD one million.
The formal inauguration of the panels will take place at the commemorative event on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi which will be hosted by Prime Minister Modi on September 24.
Many countries used the global platform to demonstrate next steps on how by 2020 they will update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the aim to collectively reduce emissions by at least 45 per cent by 2030 and prepare national strategies to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century.
The UN estimates that the world would need to increase its efforts between three- and five-fold to contain climate change to the levels dictated by science - a 1.5°C rise at most - and avoid escalating climate damage already taking place around the world.
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