PM Modi announces India-US climate and clean energy Agenda 2030 partnership at Leaders’ Summit on Climate

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are hosting a virtual climate change summit on Thursday and Friday with 40 world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Speakers scheduled to be featured include Pope Francis, Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg. President Biden said, “Today I’m bringing together leaders from around the world to meet this moment of climate peril, and extraordinary opportunity. No nation can solve this crisis on its own, and this summit is a step on a path to a secure, prosperous, and sustainable future.”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi  is participating in the Leaders’ Summit on Climate at the invitation of President of U.S.A. Joseph R. Biden, being held virtually on 22-23 April 2021. John Kerry, the US Special Presidential envoy for Climate was in India earlier this month and had held discussions with Prime Minister during the visit.  Prime Minister Modi made his remarks in the Leaders’ Session 1 today,  at 5.30 PM IST on “Our Collective Sprint to 2030”. Nearly 40 other world leaders are participating in the Summit. They will represent countries which are members of the Major Economies Forum (India is a member), and those vulnerable to climate change, among others. The Leaders will exchange views on climate change, enhancing climate actions, mobilising finance towards climate mitigation and adaptation, nature based solutions, climate security as well as technological innovations for clean energy. The Leaders will also deliberate on how the world can align climate action with inclusive and resilient economic development, while respecting national circumstances and sustainable development priorities.

In his address PM Modi announced, “President Biden and I are launching the ‘India-US climate and clean energy Agenda 2030 partnership’. Together, we will help mobilise investments, demonstrate clean technologies, and enable green collaborations.” The PM added, “Today, as we discuss global climate action, I want to leave one thought with you. India’s per capita carbon footprint is 60% lower than the global average.It is because our lifestyle is still rooted in sustainable traditional practices. So today, I want to emphasise the importance of lifestyle change in climate action. Sustainable lifestyles and a guiding philosophy of “Back to Basics” must be an important pillar of our economic strategy for the post-Covid era.”

The Summit is a part of a series of global meetings focusing on climate issues, being held in the run up to COP26 in November 2021. Prime Minister Modi will be participating in the summit being held in London.