India on track to meet its climate change mitigation commitments: S Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: Calling India clearly a leader in climate action, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that the country was on track to meet its climate change mitigation commitments.

Addressing the World Sustainable Development Summit on Wednesday, Jaishankar said India currently had the fastest-growing solar energy programme in the world.

"We have expanded access to clean cooking fuel to cover over 80 million households in need, which has led to energy saving of about 47 billion kWh per year and reduction of 38 million tonnes of CO2 per year. This is among the largest clean energy drives globally," he said.

"India is clearly a leader in climate action. Addressing this challenge requires us to evolve a comprehensive approach, which covers education to values, and from lifestyle to developmental philosophy.

"We need global awareness to bring about behavioural change. Respect for nature, the judicious use of resources, reducing our needs and living within our means have all been important aspects of both India's traditions and its present day efforts," Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar said the renewable energy installed capacity in India has grown 162 per cent in the last five years.

"As we go into COP 26 this year, there are several threads that need to be addressed. Climate Ambition needs to go hand-in hand with the framework for financial, technical and capacity building support to countries who need it. It is equally important for countries to fulfil their pre-2020 commitments," he said.

The summit was attended by Mohammed Nasheed, Speaker of the People's Majlis, Maldives; John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for climate; Wera Mori, minister for environment, conservation and climate change, Papua New Guinea; and Lord Goldsmith, minister for pacific and the environment at the FCDO, UK.