India integrated climate protection into its national development, industrial strategies: MoS Lekhi

India has taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency afforestation and bio-diversity, said Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, adding that New Delhi's has integrated climate protection into its national development and industrial strategies.

Speaking at Impact Finance Conference 2021 in Bern, Switzerland, Lekhi said New Delhi's focus is also on cutting the energy consumption and efficient management of energy produced.

"India has also encouraged global initiatives like International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. 80 countries have joined the International Solar Alliance, making it one of the fastest-growing international organisations anywhere," she said.

Referring to the Paris Climate summit, the minister said that five years ago, global leaders took a pledge to limit the global temperature rise by gradually reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

"We need to take climate action in a nationally determined manner based on certain fundamental agreed principles, the foremost amongst which is 'Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities'," she said.

Despite having the lowest per-capita carbon emission in the world, the minister noted that India agreed to do our bit as she highlighted India's commitments of reducing the carbon intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent, increase the share of non-fossil fuel energy sources in power generation capacity to at least 40 per cent and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030."

"To honour this commitment, we have supplied 1.2 billion energy-efficient LED Lamps and 3.2 million LED streetlights. We are also in the campaign to make India the world's largest Green Hydrogen Hub. India is among the top 5 countries whose actions are on track to keep global warming below the 2 degree Celsius target. We are walking the talk on our commitments related to climate change," she said.

"Despite our development challenges, we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and bio-diversity. India's focus is also on cutting the energy consumption and efficient management of energy produced. We have also encouraged global initiatives like International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. 80 countries have joined the International Solar Alliance, making it one of the fastest-growing international organisations anywhere," she noted.

Asserting that climate change mitigation requires an integrated, comprehensive and holistic approach, Lekhi said it requires innovation and the introduction of new and sustainable technologies.

"Aware of these imperatives, India has integrated climate protection into its national development and industrial strategies," she said.

Apart from the focus on energy, India has also put sustainability at the centre of its developmental goals in various other sectors.

The "Jal Jeevan Mission", which aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water to all households in rural India through individual household connections by 2024, has a strong sustainability focus, she said.

In the last decade, India has been among the top 3 countries which have gained in forest areas, she pointed out.

"The forest cover in the country has reached almost one-fourth of the geographic area. This shows that development and growth can be achieved without reducing forest cover. Our efforts at achieving sustainable development have also found success in the increasing population of animals like lions, tigers, leopards etc," she said.

"India is building next-generation infrastructure such as mass transit systems, green highways and waterways. A national plan is creating an ecosystem for e-mobility," she added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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