Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his country wants to become climate neutral by 2070. That’s 10 years later than China and 20 years later than most major economies that committed before.
The date may not be what the world was hoping for, but it’s a step(s) forward, as it’s India’s first time to speak out effectively.
Countries like the US, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the European Union aim for climate neutrality by 2050. But India has consistently pointed out that its historical emissions are much smaller than most Western industrial countries. Last week it had refused to put a date on climate neutrality, so it is a step forward in that area.
In the meantime, India also wants to further focus on new technologies for green energy. Modi announced that by 2030 his country aims to generate half of its renewable energy in its energy mix. Last year, the country was already using 38 percent green energy.
Jos Delbeke, former Director-General for Climate at the European Commission, called the Indian announcement a bright spot. “When it comes to the broader climate goals, 2070 is a long way off. Elements that give me hope is the emphasis on new technologies. India is already the world leader in solar energy, including China, for that matter. Where I am a bit hungry is in terms of old installations. What will happen to coal? Coal is the big problem and is strongly rooted locally: it creates enormous employment.”
Modi said his country would follow its climate plans “in both the letter and the spirit”. However, he added that people worldwide need to adopt a different lifestyle, one that is sustainable in the long term, instead of “ill-considered and destructive consumption behaviour”.
India is the third-largest country in the world after China and the United States. That’s mainly because it has such a large population of 1.38 billion people. After all, per capita greenhouse gas emissions in India are a lot lower than in other major economies.