Prakash Javadekar hopes India will reduce carbon emissions by 35% in 10 years

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said he was hopeful that India would achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 35 per cent in the next ten years.

Addressing a session on Action Agenda for Sustainable and Self Reliant India during the 15th Sustainability Summit 2020, Javadekar said India was committed to reducing carbon emissions and was confident about upscaling solar power capacity from 175 gigawatt to 220 gigawatt by 2022.

"We are confident we will achieve this," the minister said.

He also said that it is important to achieve a green Earth with clean air and blue skies post Covid-19 despite the odds, and that it is possible to do so alongside industrial activity.

He pitched for promoting sustainability as only it could save humankind from nature's worst fury.

Highlighting the country's achievement towards a greener growth in the past few years the minister said, "India is walking the talk on climate change. Our work on Ujjwala, e-vehicles, BS 6 engines, biofuels, clean air, and disaster resilience pave the way for a sustainable and resilient India."

"Targeting 35 per cent emission reduction, we have reached 21 per cent already and in 10 years, we will achieve the target," the minister said.

He further elaborated that energy mix in the installed capacity now includes 37 per cent of renewable energy sources.

He said the country's solar power capacity has been increasing rapidly and noted that 68 countries have ratified the International Solar Alliance Agreement.

"The share of non-fossil sources in the installed capacity stands at 37 per cent today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared and upscaled the target from 175 GW of solar power to 220 GW by 2022 and we are confident we will achieve this," he said.

Talking about the AatmanirbharBharat programme launched by the prime minister to make India self-reliant, Javadekar said, "Aatmanirbhartais not cutting away from the world, it is more about engaging with the world."

"Innovation and research become the key. The thrust is being given on innovation and research, and efforts are being made to reduce imports and increase the exports," he said, adding that India should become a leader in innovations and start owning them to take the country to the next level in terms of development in the next decade or so.

Speaking on compassionate capitalism for an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Sanjiv Puri, Chairman, Advisory Council, CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development and Chairman and Managing Director, ITC Limited, said that sustainability strategies are integral to business.

Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, emphasised on the role of inclusive recovery for a self-reliant and sustainable India.

The Sustainability Summit is the annual flagship event of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in sustainability, launched in 2006 to raise the bar of dialogue, practice and performance of sustainable business.