Climate Change: The Way to a Fairer Deal for India

Welcoming Modi’s speech, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said Modi articulated the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) in terms of carbon space for the first time and has set the tone for the negotiations.

World leaders addressed the plenary summit on November 30, 2015 and made commitments to jointly tackle the issue of climate change.

“You know clean energy is winning when the worldwide community formally recognises that clean, renewable energy like solar is the way forward”, Sierra Club global climate policy director John Coequyt, said in a statement.

“It is also important that climate-friendly technologies should be transferred to developing countries”, he added.

India embodies a critical tension that will play out in Paris between developed nations such as the United States, which are calling for universal emissions cuts, and developing nations such as India, which say they deserve to increase fossil fuel use as their economies grow or else receive billions of dollars to make the transition to cleaner energy. “But we must also lead in combating climate change”, said Modi, while assuring 40 percent of India’s installed energy capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030.

Close on the heels of Modi-Sharif meet during the climate summit in Paris, the Indian government Tuesday said it will hold talks with all separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir who are willing to eschew the path of violence and work within the framework of the Constitution.

“At some point of their assembly in Paris, Modi himself walked as much as Nawaz Sharif and shook hands; it suggests the tolerance of our prime Minister”.

Developed nations must leave enough room for developing countries to grow, PM Modi also said, asserting that the life of a “few” should not crowd out the opportunities for the many still on the initial steps of the development ladder.

“India has emerged as the natural leader for this alliance, with its ambitious targets to install 175GW of renewable energy by 2022”, he said. That also means strong public commitment by suppliers to developing countries. “We worry about the glaciers that feed our rivers and nurture our civilisation”, he added.

Mr. Modi and Mr. Sharif met briefly on Monday in Paris as the climate conference began in the French capital. “We will double our investments in research and innovation and deepen collaboration among ourselves”, he said.

According to The Guardian, Modi described the solar alliance as “the sunrise of new hope, not just for clean energy but for villages and homes still in darkness, for mornings and evening filled with a clear view of the glory of the sun”.