Hardeep Puri calls for promoting innovative low-carbon technologies to ensure housing, service delivery, better mobility for all

The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday called for promoting new and innovative low-carbon technologies that ensure housing, service delivery and better mobility for all.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Union Minister was addressing an event to mark the UN World Habitat Day 2021 today, with the theme of "Accelerating Urban Action for a Carbon-free World".

Lauding the concerted and integrated efforts of the Modi Government in combating climate change and laying the foundations for long-term economic growth, the Minister said that the sheer magnitude of the urban transformation that is taking place today, and the way this Government has interwoven climate action with such large-scale interventions, speaks of the commitment of the government.

Stating that the increasing global urban footprint makes more energy demands in cities which are already responsible for 78 per cent of global energy consumption and 70 per cent of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, the Minister highlighted the difficulties of climate change and said that climate change makes human settlements vulnerable, especially the marginalised and urban poor, who are exposed to extreme weather events.

Puri further pointed out that India's capita emission of greenhouses gases is lower than the developed countries.

"India's cumulative CO2 emissions from 1870-2017 is very less- it is only 3 per cent, as compared to the 25 per cent of the USA, 22 per cent of the EU and UK, and 13 per cent of China," the Minister said.

The Minister said that India aims to reach the kind of economic growth that the advanced economies have reached in the past through their heavy industrialisation patterns. However, he added that India may not necessarily follow that path of development as the government is aware of the environmental cost.

"There can be no doubt that planning for low-carbon cities will be necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India, particularly Goal 11 and Goal 13. If SDG succeeds it will be because India will succeed," he added.

On the Indian Urban Mission's contribution to climate action, Hardeep Puri said that urban Missions like the Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Smart Cities Mission, Urban Transport, and AMRUT launched by the Modi Government, have contributed immensely to reducing GHG emissions.

On the use of sustainable and energy-efficient methods in building houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), he said that certified green buildings can deliver energy savings between 20-30 per cent and water savings of up to 30-50 per cent.

Talking about India's vaccination drive, Puri said that India stands out in the comity of nations, as it is about to reach the target of 100 crore vaccinations shortly.

On the Urban transport system, he further highlighted the expansion of metro lines across various cities in the countries and said that they are reducing the emission concerns.

( With inputs from ANI )

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