Offering a new mantra and raising a pledge for combating climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told world leaders at the COP26 that India will target a net zero goal by 2070 and aim at increasing its non-fossil fuel energy to 500 GW in its energy mix by 2030.
Terming it as 'Panchamrut Ki Saugat' - India's contribution to climate action, Modi - on the first day of the High Level segment of the 'World Leaders' Summit' (WLS) at the COP26 - said that India will reduce its carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030, starting with reducing projected carbon emission from now till 2030 by 1 billion tonnes and committed to have renewable energy component of 50 per cent by 2030.
He gave a new mantra for sustainable development through a sustainable lifestyle. Displaying his penchant for acronyms, Modi said: "'One Word One World' movement mantra LIFE, 'Lifestyle for Environment' can be a mass movement wherein instead of mindless and destructive consumption, there should be mindful and deliberate utilisation."
India has 17 per cent of the world's population but is responsible only for 5 per cent of total emissions, he said.
Calling out the rich nations by stating that the promises made till date have been hollow, he said: "Just like India has raised its ambition, the rich nations too need to raise their climate finance and technology transfer agreements cannot remain the same."
He exhorted the rich nations to enhance to $1 trillion climate finance and low-cost technology transfers and said that tracking climate finance is necessary.
Taking cudgels on behalf of the developing world, he appealed to the comity of nations to take bolder steps.
Modi joined 120 heads of states/governments from around the world, including US President Joe Biden, at the high-level segment of the crucial negotiation platform for countries to work out their emission plans for collectively restricting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius at the COP26, the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that started on Sunday and will go on till November 12.
Reminding people that India is the only growing economy to have delivered on Paris Agreement in letter and spirit, he listed out India's track record - how it is fourth in installed renewable energy capacity and how non-fossil fuel energy will touch 40 per cent of India's energy mix soon.
He also said the Indian Railways, the largest such organisation in the world ferrying crores of passenger, will be net zero by 2030, reducing 60 million tonnes (MT) of emissions and LEDs have helped reduce emissions by 40 MT.
Speaking in Hindi and sprinkling Sanskrit mantras and words, Modi made an emotional declaration how, for him, Paris (where the COP was held in 2015) was not only a Summit but a sentiment and a commitment and India was not making those promises to the world but it was the 130 crore Indians promising themselves.
This COP26 is deemed critical because, as warned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), every additional 0.5 degree of warming will increase heat extremes, extreme precipitation, and droughts and for coastal areas, sea level rise will be a threat to their very existence.
Despite having a woman CM, females in West Bengal most unsafe: JP Nadda
BJP national president J. P. Nadda on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying that despite having a woman chief minister, females in the state are most unsafe.
'Shehzada insulted Indian kings and emperors but forgot Aurangzeb's atrocities', PM Modi slams Rahul Gandhi
Coming down heavily on Rahul Gandhi over his recent remark that Rajas and Maharajas used to be "land grabbers", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress leader of playing appeasement politics and forgetting the atrocities committed by the likes of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who destroyed hundreds of temples.
Manipur: Gun battle breaks out among village volunteers of rival groups
Police said that several armed cadres of village volunteers opened indiscriminate fire on Koutruk village in the periphery of Imphal Valley from the adjoining hills in Kangpokpi district, and the armed village volunteers of rival ethnic groups retaliated.
'What has Didi done to Bengal', JP Nadda slams Mamata govt over Sandeshkhali issue
Launching a scathing attack against the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, BJP National President J. P. Nadda said that everyone saw how "anti-social elements" in Trinamool Congress like Sheikh Shahjahan have become a "threat" to the women of Sandeshkhali.
SC to hear on Monday Bengal plea against Calcutta HC order axing 25,753 school jobs
The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday the plea filed by the West Bengal government against the Calcutta High Court's order cancelling 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the WBSSC in 2016.
CBI traces shop that sold bullets & cartridges seized from Sandeshkhali
The bills reportedly have Shahjahan’s name as the purchaser. The CBI is now trying to find out who went to the ammunition store to purchase the items.
Crew on seized cargo ship to be released soon, assures Iran Foreign Minister
The 16 remaining Indian crew members on board a cargo ship seized by Iran are set to be released soon, Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian assured his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel in a telephonic conversation on Saturday.
1,500 Sikhs join BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, Punjab
In a significant development, 1,500 members from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, along with Singh Sabha and other Sikh organisations, joined BJP on Saturday, just weeks ahead of Lok Sabha elections in Delhi and Punjab.