It is time to act on the climate threat
India needs sensitive policies, more finances, and a movement
If there was one common thread that ran through the United Nations Climate Action Summit (September 21-23) in New York, it is that the world is running out of time to act against the phenomenon, which is devastating to natural resource base and human lives. Two persuasive speakers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and young Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, spoke at the high-profile special meet, which has been convened to identify urgent and concrete solutions. While Mr Modi outlined the steps that his government has taken to mitigate climate change, Ms Thunberg took world leaders to task, by saying that business as usual strategies will not work.
Mr Modi’s speech covered four important aspects of India’s climate action — the push for renewable energy, electric mobility, mixing of biofuel to reduce consumption of fossil fuels, and the Jal Jeevan Mission. He also spoke of the need for behavioural change. “Need, not greed, is our guiding principle,” he said. He is right, for only a more sustainable development model can work. No man probably understood or pushed for low-carbon footprint lifestyle as much as the Mahatma himself, whose 150th birth anniversary India is celebrating this year. Less wasteful behaviour, which the PM spoke about at the climate meet, can tackle India’s, and the world’s, huge waste challenge, which is polluting air, soil and water, and adding to climate woes.
While India is shouldering its share of the climate burden, despite problems in climate finance flow, the government also needs to strengthen its climate adaptation plans. In this year’s Union Budget, ~100 crore was allocated to the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), only a fraction of the total budget of over ~2,900 crore allotted to the Union environment ministry. This is 16% lower than the budget allocated to the NAFCC in 2017-18. India is correct in arguing that developed countries must do more, but a combination of policy, budgetary support, and a people’s movement is needed to battle the globe’s greatest challenge. Every citizen is affected, but the poor and marginalised most so. It, indeed, cannot be business as usual.