India solar plans exemplary, Johnson tells climate meet
MODI SPEAKS AT THE VIRTUAL SUMMIT AS POLITICAL LEADERS AND COMPANIES PLEDGE CARBON INITIATIVES
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson praised India’s solar energy projects as he cautioned that climate change was far more of a threat to the planet than the coronavirus pandemic.
Addressing the Climate Ambition Summit, co-hosted by the UK to mark the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement, the British prime minister last weekend reiterated the UK’s pledge to radically cut dependence on fossil fuels.
“We’re going ahead with a massive solar programme, even though we can’t hope to emulate the incredible things being done by India, Australia or Morocco for instance,” Johnson said.
“Today, we’re putting our foot to the accelerator – in a carbon friendly way of course – with a 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution. We want to turn the UK into the Saudi Arabia of wind power generation, enough wind power by 2030 to supply every single one of our homes with electricity… hydro of course – we’re liberating the awesome potential of hydrogen, whether for homes or all sorts of uses.”
The summit was held ahead of the UK’s hosting of the United Nations’ COP26 summit in November 2021.
Last Saturday (12), the UK prime minister said advances in renewable energy technologies would “save our planet and create millions of high-skilled jobs” as the UK announced an end to support for the fossil fuel sector overseas.
Described as a significant move as in the past four years, the UK government supported £21 billion of UK oil and gas exports through trade promotion and export finance. The new policy will be implemented after a short period of consultation and is intended to come into force as soon as possible before COP26 next year.
“Together we can use scientific advances to protect our entire planet – our biosphere – against a challenge far worse, far more destructive even than the coronavirus. And by the promethean power of our invention, we can begin to defend the Earth against the disaster of global warming,” said Johnson.
The UK recently also announced a new commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
Business secretary and president of COP26, Alok Sharma, said, “Have we made any real progress at this summit? And the answer to that is: yes.
“But have we done enough to put the world on track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and protect people and nature from the effects of climate change? To make the Paris Agreement a reality? Friends, we must be honest with ourselves, the answer to that, is currently: no. As encouraging as all this ambition is. It is not enough,” he said.
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi was among around 70 heads of state and government who addressed the virtual summit. Godrej & Boyce, and Indian manufacturing company, announced commitments which included advancing energy efficiency and an ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Another Indian company, Dalmia Cement, was among 40 of the world’s leading producers of cement to have issued an industry commitment to deliver carbonneutral concrete by 2050. It established a roadmap to become carbon negative by 2040 and is working globally to meet its 100 per cent renewable energy objectives.
United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres warned leaders the world was heading for a “catastrophic” 3 degrees Celsius of warming, as he urged them to declare a state of climate emergency in their countries until they become carbon neutral.