Glasgow: India on Sunday told the UN climate summit here that its solar energy capacity stood at about 45 gigawatts (GW) after it increased 17 times in the last seven years, asserting that although the country represented 17 per cent of the global population, its historical cumulative emissions were only 4 per cent.
India said this while giving a presentation on its third Biennial Update Report (BUR) during the 11th Facilitative Sharing of Views at the ongoing COP26 climate summit here. The BUR was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in February.
The key highlight of the discussion on India’s third BUR was the achievement of 24 per cent reduction in emission intensity of its Gross Domestic Product during 2005-2014, and the significant increase of its solar programme. Making a statement on behalf of India, JR Bhatt, adviser and scientist in the Ministry of Environment, highlighted that India represented 17 per cent of the global population but its historical cumulative emissions were only 4 per cent, while current annual greenhouse gas emissions were only about 5 per cent.
“This is complemented by the fact that India is particularly vulnerable to climate change. However, India is nevertheless taking several mitigation actions, spanning across the entire economy and society and has progressively continued decoupling of its economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bhatt.
US backs India-uk Green Grids initiative
London: The US has partnered with the UK and India-led Green Grids Initiative of a global energy grid launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. At a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Green Grids Initiative earlier this week, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the US was excited to be back in the climate conversation and to partner with the new initiative.