India committed to ‘ambitious’ climate action plan

Climate change must be combated ‘as per respective capabilities and national circumstances’, says Environment Minister

India would focus on implementing its “ambitious plans” through concrete actions domestically as well as globally via collaborations such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, said Bhupender Yadav, Environment Minister, on the concluding day of the G20 Energy and Climate Joint Ministerial Meeting held on Friday at Naples, Italy. He attended the event virtually, leading an Indian delegation that included representatives from the Environment Ministry as well as from the Power Ministry. According to a statement from the Press Information Bureau, the Minister stressed that common but differentiated responsibilities to combat climate change, “as per respective capabilities and national circumstances” were at the heart of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Paris Agreement. “We should not be shifting goalposts and setting new benchmarks for global climate ambition,” Mr. Yadav said. He added that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India had exhibited exemplary resolve by achieving its pre-2020 voluntary commitment of reducing emission intensity. The G20 climate meeting is seen as a prelude to the United Nations Conference of Parties meeting in Glasgow, Scotland in November.