India will not only achieve Paris Agreement targets, but will 'exceed them', says Narendra Modi

New Delhi: India is not only on track to achieve its Paris Agreement targets, but to exceed them beyond expectations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during the Climate Ambition Summit 2020 on Saturday, highlighting that the country has reduced its emission intensity by 21 percent over 2005 levels.

In his message delivered virtually at the summit, Modi said India's solar capacity has grown from 2.63 gigawatts in 2014 to 36 gigawatts in 2020.

The Climate Ambition Summit, held virtually, marked the five years of the adoption of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which was signed in December 2015.

The summit was co-hosted by the United Nations, the United Kingdom, and France in partnership with Chile and Italy, and brought together global climate leaders, across governments, business, and civil society, to ramp up climate ambition and help deliver on the Paris Agreement.

In his message at the event, which set the tone for the UN COP 26 to be held next year, Modi said, "This summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement -- the most ambitious step in our fight against Climate Change."

"Today, as we are looking to set our sights even higher, we must also not lose sight of the past. We must not only revise our ambitions but also review our achievements against targets already set. Only then can our voices be credible for future generations," he said.

India is not only on track to achieve its Paris Agreement targets, but to exceed them beyond expectations, Modi said.

"We have reduced our emission intensity by 21 percent over 2005 levels. Our solar capacity has grown from 2.63 gigawatts in 2014 to 36 gigawatts in 2020. Our renewable energy capacity is the fourth largest in the world. It will reach 175 gigawatts before 2022," the prime minister highlighted.

He said India has an even more ambitious target now, which is 450 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

"We have also succeeded in expanding our forest cover and safeguarding our biodiversity. And, on the world stage, India has pioneered two major initiatives. The International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure," Modi said.

He said that in 2047, India will celebrate 100 years as a modern, independent nation.

"In 2047, India will celebrate 100 years as a modern, independent nation. To all my fellow residents of this planet, I make a solemn pledge today. Centennial India will not only meet its own targets but will also exceed your expectations," he said.

The summit sought to convene leaders ready to come forward with new, more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), long-term strategies to net zero, post-2020 climate finance pledges, and adaptation plans.

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris on 12 December, 2015 and entered into force on 4 November, 2016.

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Press Trust of India