Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday that India has become the first G20 nation to fulfill its Paris Climate commitments, achieving this milestone nine years ahead of the deadline. He highlighted that India, a developing nation, accomplished what developed countries could not.
“India is the first country in the G20 to achieve its Paris Climate commitments nine years ahead of the deadline. Among the G20 nations, we are the only one to have achieved this feat,” said Modi at the fourth Global Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet (RE-INVEST) 2024 in Gandhinagar.
The Prime Minister also discussed India’s goal of reaching 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He praised the PM Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana, a scheme that assists households in installing rooftop solar systems. “We are working on many fronts to achieve the target of 500 GW by 2030. We are turning the green transition into a people’s movement. Our PM Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana is a unique scheme of rooftop solar. Under this, we are funding every family to establish rooftop solar, assisting in installation,” he explained.
According to Modi, the scheme will make every household in India a power producer, with more than 13 million families already registered.
Earlier in the day, he inaugurated the three-day Global Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet (RE-INVEST) 2024, hosted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in Gandhinagar.
The Prime Minister spoke on the environmental foresight of Mahatma Gandhi, who lived with a minimal carbon footprint long before climate change was a global concern. “When the issue of climate change did not even emerge in the world, Mahatma Gandhi alerted the world. His life was of minimum carbon footprint. He had said that the earth has enough resources to fulfill our needs but not our greed,” Modi noted, adding that for India, green future and net zero are commitments, not just concepts.
Modi emphasized that India is committed to building a sustainable energy path, focusing on solar, wind, nuclear, and hydropower to secure the future. “Today’s India is preparing a base for the next 1000 years. Our aim is not to reach the top but to remain on top,” he said. He also mentioned recent events like the Global Fintech Fest and the Global Semiconductor Summit, indicating global interest in India’s initiatives.
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The central theme of RE-INVEST 2024 is “Mission 500 GW,” which highlights India’s strategic goal to expand its renewable energy capacity by 2030. India currently ranks as the fourth-largest country globally in installed renewable energy capacity and aims to strengthen its leadership in the global energy transition.
The conference will feature 44 sessions, including a Chief Ministerial Plenary and a CEO Roundtable, focusing on renewable energy innovations and opportunities across different countries and states. Sessions will also address the role of women in accelerating energy transitions and provide a platform for start-ups, including pitches from the ten winners of the Solar X Challenge.