India ready to lead on climate change: Sushma tells UN
WASHINGTON : India has told the UN it is willing to take the lead in combating climate change, saying its commitment is rooted in history and ethos and current plans and the vision for the future.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj made the offer at a climate change event hosed on Wednesday by UN secretary general Antonio Gueterres, within hours of a UN body naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron joint winners of one of the world body’s top six environment honours called Champions of the Earth.
“India is willing to take the lead in climate action,” Swaraj said. “Our commitment to combat climate change is rooted in our ethos, which considers the Earth as mother.”
India is the world’s sixth largest producer of renewable energy, and the fifth largest producer of solar energy, Swaraj cited as evidence of India’s commitment, and went on to detail her government’s plans to generate 175 gigawatts of solar and wind energy by 2022.
“We have installed over 300 million LED bulbs, saving US$ 2 billion and 4 GW of electricity,” she said, and mentioned Kochi airport, the world’s first solarpowered airport. It is among seven entities named as winners of the Champions of the Earth awards.
Swaraj reiterated India’s commitment to meeting the emission reduction target it set for itself under the 2015 Paris Accord — to cut emissions intensity of GDP by 25% below 2005 levels by 2020, and further by 33-35% by 2030. India is among the countries that came out early in support of the accord when it was jolted briefly by the exit of the US in the early days of the Trump administration.
The accord remains in force with China, France and all other countries determined to preserve a hard-fought consensus. The US is the only country out of it now, after Syria, the only other holdout, joined late in 2017.
Swaraj spoke at length about the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an initiative launched jointly by India and France during the signing of the Paris Accord, which is working towards mobilising solar technology and lowering prices — 68 countries have signed on already. India is hosting the inaugural meeting of its general assembly next week.
SUSHMA HOLDS TALKS ON CHOKSI, WARNS OIC
India discussed the extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi with Antigua and Barbuda in bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and sternly reminded third-party entities such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) they had no “locus standi” on Kashmir.
The 53-member OIC’S contact group on Kashmir, which met in New York on Wednesday, heard a presentation by Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and renewed its call for self-determination for Kashmir. It also sought a UN probe into alleged rights abuses.
India regrets “that a matter which is very internal to Indian affairs was again discussed at the OIC”, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told a news briefing. “We reject such references ... (and as) we have said in the past, OIC has no locus standi to comment on internal affairs of India.”
Pakistan raises its dispute with India at every forum and in discussions with third-party countries. It also brings it up at the UN General Assembly debate but has found no traction yet. A showdown of sorts is expected over the weekend as Swaraj and Qureshi will address the assembly on Saturday. The Indian leader goes first and might choose not to attack Pakistan by name as she raises the issue of cross-border terrorism. But Qureshi will not hold back his punches as Pakistani officials have already made clear, specially in view of the cancellation of a meeting of the two leaders in New York.