Rio de Janeiro [Brazil]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (local time) reaffirmed India’s commitment to sustainable development, highlighting the nation’s status as the “first” to fulfil its Paris Agreement commitments.
Addressing the G20 Session on ‘Sustainable Development and Energy Transition’ at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, PM Modi underscored India’s initiatives across key sectors such as housing, water resources, energy, and sanitation to promote sustainability.
At the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro today, I spoke on a topic which is very important for the future of the planet- Sustainable Development and Energy Transition. I reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to the Sustainable Development Agenda. Over the past decade, India has… pic.twitter.com/6JtfGWjiSS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 19, 2024
Summarising his address on social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, “At the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro today, I spoke on a topic which is very important for the future of the planet–Sustainable Development and Energy Transition. I reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to the Sustainable Development Agenda. Over the past decade, India has undertaken numerous initiatives in sectors like housing, water resources, energy, and sanitation which have contributed to a more sustainable future.”
PM Modi emphasised that India achieved its Paris Agreement goals ahead of schedule. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty aimed at combating climate change and adapting to its effects.
“We in India, guided by our cultural values, have been the first to fulfil the Paris Agreement commitments ahead of schedule. Building on this, we are accelerating towards more ambitious goals in sectors like renewable energy. Our effort in implementing the world’s largest solar rooftop programme is an example of this commitment,” PM Modi said.
He also highlighted India’s collaboration with the Global South to foster a sustainable future and noted the country’s efforts through initiatives such as the Global Biofuels Alliance and the tree-planting programme ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.’
“India is sharing its successful initiatives with the Global South, focusing on affordable climate finance and technology access. From launching the Global Biofuels Alliance and promoting ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ to planting a billion trees under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,’ we continue to work actively towards sustainable progress,” he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared further details of PM Modi’s participation in the third session of the G20 Brazil Summit, where he underlined the importance of accelerating efforts for a cleaner, more sustainable future. Initiatives such as the ‘Varanasi Principles on LiFE,’ the International Solar Alliance, and the Global Biofuels Alliance were highlighted as pivotal contributions to this goal.
“PM Modi underlined the importance of accelerating efforts to ensure a cleaner, more sustainable future for all, including through mainstreaming ‘Varanasi Principles on LiFE’ and initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, One World-One Sun-One Grid, and the Global Biofuels Alliance,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi posted on X.
Earlier, PM Modi held significant bilateral meetings with global leaders, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, US President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He shared updates from these discussions on X, highlighting the strengthening of global partnerships.