New Delhi :
Union Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday asserted that India has reduced the emissions intensity of its GDP by 21 percent and is on the track to achieve the goal of 35 per cent emissions reduction as promised in the Paris Summit in 2015. "India has reduced the emissions intensity of GDP by 21 per cent and is on track to achieve the goal of 35 percent emissions reduction as promised in Paris," he said.
Addressing the 25th session of Conference of Parties (COP)under the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change in Spain's Madrid,Javadekar said that India is `walking the talk` in its climate change commitments. "Climate change is real. The world recognised it and adopteda comprehensive agreement in Paris. Let us concentrate on the implementation ofthe Paris Agreement and not digress. If there is an inconvenient truth in theform of climate change, we are providing a convenient action plan. We are walking the talk," Javadekar said.
Highlighting the steps taken by the government to tackle thechallenges of climate change, Javadekar said, "Prime Minister NarendraModi announced 175 Giga Watts targets for renewables under Paris Agreement. Wehave already achieved 83 Giga Watts. Prime Minister has subsequently increasedthe target to 450 Giga Watts at the recent UN Climate Action Summit. We aresimultaneously progressing on solar, biomass and wind energy."
"We have put a carbon tax on coal production at a rateof $6 per tonne. Even with 36 parties represented in Parliament, we couldachieve this unanimously. The headline is that a commercial flight was operatedon 100 per cent biofuel and we are targeting blending of 20 per cent ethanol inpetrol by 2030. We have leapfrogged from Bharat Standard IV to Bharat StandardVI for vehicle emission norms and from April 1, 2020, vehicles will be BS-VIcompliant," he added.
"360 million LED bulbs have been fitted in homes, and10 million conventional streetlights have been replaced with LED lights. Thereis also a strong push for use of e-vehicles by introducing multiple policyinterventions and incentives. We have provided 80 million LPG gas connectionsreplacing conventional firewood cooking stoves. Our cooling action plan andadaptation plan are working well and will achieve our targets. We have promisedthe creation of additional carbon sinks of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbonequivalent through increasing green cover. In the last five years, our greencover has increased by 15,000 sq.km. We are undertaking special projects like urbanforests, school nursery, agroforestry, water and fodder augmentation in theforest area," the Union Minister added.
Asserting that India prioritises adaptation as an integralpart of climate actions, he added that India will be investing about $50 millionin water conservation. "India has taken up a target for the restoration of26 million of degraded land by 2030 during the 14th COP of UN Convention toCombat Desertification in Delhi. This is one of the largest programs in theworld to ensure the carbon sink in land resources. 100 per cent neem coating ofurea fertilizer is appreciated by the world and 170 million soil health cardsare taking care of the soil health, thus creating more carbon sinks," hesaid.
Announcing that only six countries are on track to meettheir NDCs announced in Paris, he said, "We are leading the pack. Asustainable lifestyle is a part of the ethos of India."