Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated during his national statement at the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow that India will achieve net-zero emissions by 2070. He presented five targets for India:
One, India will reach its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030. Two, India will meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030. Three, India will reduce the total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030. Four, by 2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 per cent. Five, by the year 2070, India will achieve the target of Net Zero emissions.
India currently ranks fourth in the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity. In the last seven years, India’s non-fossil fuel energy consumption has climbed by more than 25 per cent. It now accounts for 40 per cent of the country’s energy mix. Indian Railways has set itself a target of making itself ‘Net Zero’ by 2030. This initiative alone will lead to a reduction of 60 million tonnes of emissions annually. Similarly, India’s massive LED bulb campaign is reducing emissions by 40 million tonnes annually.
