As US President Joe Biden made a sharp departure from his predecessor Donald Trump to admit that climate change was undeniable and pledged a cut in carbon emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by the end of this decade – which would, in turn, mean more pressure on India and China to cut down upon their own — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that India’s per capita carbon footprint is 60 per cent lower than the global average owing to the fact that “our lifestyle is rooted in sustainable traditional practices”.
The US, under Trump, had withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement but Biden showed a renewed commitment of more than what was anticipated from him. His pledge is double than the 26% to 28% reduction by 2025 committed by former President Barack Obama at the Paris agreement in 2015. China, US and India are the top three polluters in the world.
“Let us make this a Decade of Action against climate change,” Modi said as he pitched for concrete action at a “high speed” and on a large scale to combat climate change. Biden, for his part, termed it a decisive decade.
Addressing a US-hosted virtual summit of 40 global leaders, Modi also said sustainable lifestyles and guiding philosophy of “back to basics” must be important pillars of the economic strategy for the post-Covid era.
The Prime Minister said he and President Biden are launching the ‘India-US climate and clean energy Agenda 2030 partnership’. Humanity is battling a global pandemic right now and this event is a timely reminder that the grave threat of Climate Change hasn’t disappeared, he pointed out adding that “together, we will help mobilise investments, demonstrate clean technologies, and enable green collaborations.”
President Biden had called for the summit in March saying that the event will reflect the “urgency” to stop climate change.
Modi said India has taken “many bold steps” on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and bio-diversity despite its development challenges.
“For humanity to combat climate change, concrete action is needed. We need such action at a high speed, on a large scale, and with a global scope. We, in India, are doing our part,” the Prime Minister said.
“As a climate-responsible developing country, India welcomes partners to create templates of sustainable development in India. These can also help other developing countries, who need affordable access to green finance and clean technologies,” he said.
At the summit’s opening address, Biden said: “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.” “The signs are unmistakable, the science is undeniable and the cost of inaction keeps mounting,” Biden said in sharp contrast to Trump who had junked the climate change theory.