PM Narendra Modi gifts 'panchamrit' at COP26 to fight climate change

Glasgow, Nov 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that India is the only country that is delivering in "letter and spirit" the commitments on tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement.

Representing India at the 'High-Level Segment for Heads of States and Government' at the UN COP26 underway at Glasgow, UK, Prime Minister Modi said that India is working very hard on tackling climate change-related issues. Calling for lifestyle changes, Modi said that environmentally conscious lifestyle choices can go a long way in tackling climate change. He urged to make 'Lifestyle for Environment' a global mission.

The Prime Minister reiterated that developed nations must fulfil the promised USD 1 trillion as climate finance, saying this should be tracked the same way as climate mitigation. "India expects developed countries to make USD 1 trillion available as climate finance as soon as possible. As we track the progress of climate mitigation, we must also track climate finance. Justice would truly be served if pressure is put on those countries that have not lived up to their climate finance commitments," Modi said.

The Indian PM urged that instead of mindless and destructive consumption, mindful and deliberate utilization is the need of the hour. He predicted that this movement can bring revolutionary changes in areas like agriculture, fishing, housing, packaging, hospitality, tourism, fashion, water management, and energy.

"We know the reality that promises made so far over climate finance have proven to be hollow. When we're taking forward our ambition regarding climate action, the ambitions of the world over climate finance can't keep standing at the point where they were at the time of the Paris Agreement," he added.

The Indian PM claimed that India constitutes 17% of the global population and the country's contribution to the emission has only been 5%. "But today, the entire world admits that India is the only major economy which has delivered on Paris agreements in letter & spirit.

At this global brainstorming on climate change, I present 5 'amrit tatva' from India. I gift this 'panchamrit'. First, India will bring its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030. Second, by 2030 India will fulfill 50% of its energy requirement through renewable energy. Third, India will cut down its net projected carbon emission by 1 billion ton from now until 2030. Fourth, by 2030 India will bring down carbon intensity of its economy by more than 45%. Fifth, by 2070 India will achieve the target of 'net zero'," Modi added.

"When I came to Paris for the first time for the Climate Summit, I had no intention to add my own promise to other promises across the world. I had come with concern for humanity, as a representative of culture that gave message of Sarve Sukhinah Bhavantu," he said.

Modi further stated, "So for me, the Paris event wasn't a Summit but a sentiment, a commitment and India wasn't making promises to the world, instead, 125 crore Indians were making promises to themselves. I am happy that a developing country like India is working to pull crores of people out of poverty."