WION Climate Summit: Indian policies based on equity and climate justice, says environment minister

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said that India's climate policies will be based on equity and climate justice. He was addressing the WION Climate Summit.

"India speaks on climate change with a position of strength and responsibility. In key sectors of economy, the mitigation efforts have been undertaken with a vision of low-carbon, sustainable development," he said.

WION's Climate Summit provided platform for leading global voices who joined forces to battle a singular threat that threatens future of the entire humankind.

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The Indian minister was mindful of the huge climate challenges facing humanity.

"The two IPCC Reports, from August 2021 and February 2022 are a wake-up call to the world. The first report tells us that the world’s carbon budget is rapidly being exhausted. If we are to keep to the target of 1.5 degrees C of temperature increase, only 500 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions is still possible," he said.

He underlined the difference in approach when it came to carbon emissions of developed countries and those from developing countries.

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He said 60% of global cumulative emissions thus far have been from the developed countries, even though they account for only 17% of the global population, "and their profligate lifestyles and inadequate climate mitigation continues."

"India, in contrast, has contributed around 4% to global cumulative emissions so far with more than 17% of global population".

Yadav underlined the international pressure India faces.

"Our people, who have contributed only minimally to GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions, will face the unprecedented burden of adaptation as well. Burden of adaptation is increasing and will rise even further without urgent action by the developed countries," he added.

India faces global pressure to reduce dependence on coal when developed nations have already gone through the coal-dependent phase and have been a cause of huge amount of carbon emissions.

"India will be part of the solution to the climate crisis and its policies will be based on equity and climate justice," he made his position clear.

To emphasise that India has made considerable strides towards achieving it climate goals, Yadav said that India had 'overachieved' one of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

"India has also overachieved one of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) announced at Paris Climate Summit (2015) by already meeting 40% of its power capacity from non-fossil fuels as of November 2021 - almost nine years ahead of its commitment," he said.

The environment minister drew attention to the fact that though developed countries formed a smaller percentage of global population, the carbon emissions from these countries have been huge.

He concluded his speech by underlining that if we protect nature, it is only then can we be protected.

"Nature protects if she is protected and so we must do all it takes to protect Nature because there is no doubt that this is our last chance to address the Climate Emergency," Yadav said.