John Kerry’s mission: Enable India to achieve its climate goals
Enabling India to meet its ambitious 2030 goals will be the main focus of US Special Envoy for Climate Change John Kerry of his visit to India. The US’ top climate diplomat, currently on a three-nation tour in Asia and in Delhi from April 5 to 8, will be focusing on finance and technology partnerships that are critical for actualizing India’s climate plans.
This is Kerry’s first visit to India as the United States of America’s Special Envoy for Climate Change. There has been intense speculation over whether Kerry’s India visit would lead to either a net zero emissions or a carbon neutrality target announcement by India at the April 22 Major Economies Forum being hosted by President Joe Biden.
Sources told ET that “getting” India to commit to net zero is not on the special envoy’s agenda rather the focus is on collaborating so that India can meet the targets it has set for itself. Though the science makes it clear that all countries will have to move towards net zero emissions at some point this century. The immediate focus of the Biden administration is to enable India to meet the ambitious goals it has set for itself, such as increasing the country’s renewable energy capacity to 450GW.
Kerry will be meeting with several ministers, including the external affairs minister as well as ministers of finance, petroleum and natural gas, environment, power and new and renewable energy as well representatives of the private sector, think-tanks and non-governmental organizations.
