'India didn’t cause climate change': Javadekar cites commitment to reduce carbon emission

Speaking on the eve of the 5th year of Paris Climate agreement, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said that India is not responsible for climate change. Speaking further, the Union Minister said that Climate change isn't an overnight phenomenon. "It has taken the last 100 years," he added. Paris Climate Accord was adopted on December 12, 2015, by 196 parties. It became effective from November 4, 2016.

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Javadekar: 'India is not responsible for climate change'

Stating that the USA has 25 per cent of all emissions, Europe has 22 per cent whereas China has 13 per cent and India only 3 per cent, Prakash Javadekar said that India is in no way responsible for climate change. While comparing the global emission of the United States and China with India, the Union minister said that at present, India is contributing only 6.8 per cent of global emissions and per capita emission is only 1.9 tonnes per capita. 

Claiming that climate change is a result of historical actions, Javadekar said that India is not responsible for it. He asserted that the country has only 3 per cent of all historical emissions. While announcing that India has nearly achieved targets of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). "Our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) will lead to less than 2-degree rise in temperature," he said.

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The Union Environment Minister said, "5 years back at Paris agreement, we had committed to reduce emission intensity of GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030, of which we have already achieved 21 per cent and remaining will be achieved in next 10 years. Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 but its implementation will begin from January 1, 2021."

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Javadekar informed that India has 2.4 per cent of the earth's total area, 17 per cent of the world's population and 16 per cent of the world cattle population. He added that despite India having only 4 per cent of the world's fresh rainwater resources, the country has 8 per cent biodiversity and 25 per cent forest cover. 

"According to the Climate Transparency Report 2020, India is the only G20 country to meet its commitments...The recent report by UNEP also says that India's emissions grew 1.4 per cent in 2019, much lower than average of 3.3 per cent per year over the last decade," he added. The Union Minister while concluding his addresses on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the global climate summit on December 12, on the 5th anniversary of the landmark Paris Climate Accord. 

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