New Delhi: The US-India partnership on climate and clean energy is aimed at demonstrating how the world can align swift climate action with inclusive and resilient economic development, taking into account national circumstances and sustainable development priorities, according to an official document.
In an address at a US-hosted virtual summit of 40 global leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he and US President Joe Biden are launching the “India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership”.
Hours after his address, a joint statement by the two countries said the partnership will represent one of the “core venues” for India-US collaboration and focus on driving urgent progress in this critical decade for climate action.
The partnership envisages bilateral cooperation on “strong actions” in the current decade to meet the goals of the Paris agreement.
“Led by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, the partnership will represent one of the core venues for India-US collaboration and focus on driving urgent progress in this critical decade for climate action,” the statement said.
Under the Paris agreement, each country has to set its own emission-reduction targets, known as national determined contributions (NDCs), and the pact’s goal is to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius.
“Both India and the US have set ambitious 2030 targets for climate action and clean energy. In its new nationally determined contribution, the US has set an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 per cent below 2005 levels in 2030,” the statement said.
It added that as part of its climate mitigation efforts, India has set a target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
“Through the partnership, India and the United States are firmly committed to working together in achieving their ambitious climate and clean energy targets and to strengthening bilateral collaboration across climate and clean energy,” the joint statement said.
It said through the collaboration, India and the US “aim to demonstrate how the world can align swift climate action with inclusive and resilient economic development, taking into account national circumstances and sustainable development priorities”.
“The partnership will aim to mobilise finance and speed clean energy deployment; demonstrate and scale innovative clean technologies needed to decarbonise sectors including industry, transportation, power and buildings; and build capacity to measure, manage and adapt to the risks of climate-related impacts,” the statement said.
It said the partnership will proceed along two main tracks: the strategic clean energy partnership and the climate action and finance mobilisation dialogue, which will build on and subsume a range of existing processes.
The summit is being hosted by Biden for whom climate change has been an area of focus.
After taking charge as the president, Biden on January 20 announced the return of the US to the Paris climate accord.
The virtual summit is part of a series of global meetings focussing on climate issues, being held in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November.
Earlier this month, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry visited India and discussed issues relating to climate, including the virtual summit, with Indian leaders.
The Indian leaders conveyed to him about the country’s efforts to meet the commitments under the Paris climate agreement and reduce emissions.
