Modi, Biden team up to announce Indo-US climate agenda for 2030

India and US will work together to launch a joint ‘climate and clean energy agenda for 2030’, which will help other developing countries get affordable access to green finance and clean technologies, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Prime Minister was addressing a virtual global climate summit called by US President Joe Biden on Thursday (April 22). The summit was attended by 40 world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping among others.

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Modi said India’s renewable energy target of 450 gigawatts by 2030 shows its commitment to clean energy. He enumerated several important decisions taken by the Indian government in promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and biodiversity.

He also highlighted India’s initiative such as the International Solar Alliance and the coalition of disaster resilient infrastructure.

Modi said India’s per capita carbon footprint was 60% lower than the global average because of its lifestyle, which is still rooted in sustainable traditional practices.

The PM said that humanity is fighting a global pandemic and it is a timely reminder that the “grave threat posed by climate change” has not disappeared.

US pledges to cut carbon emission by half

The most significant development of the summit though was US President Joe Biden’s pledge to cut its carbon footprint by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030.

Biden hopes his ambitious new plan will egg on China, India and other major economies to follow in his footsteps and improve their commitments under the Paris Accord of 2015.

“Scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade – this is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis,” President Biden said in his opening remarks.

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“We must try to keep the Earth’s temperature to an increase of 1.5C. The world beyond 1.5 degrees means more frequent and intense fires, floods, droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes – tearing through communities, ripping away lives and livelihoods,” he added.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris said: “As a global community, it is imperative that we act quickly and together to confront this crisis. This will require innovation and collaboration around the world.”

On his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his country’s old pledge to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.