India making great strides on green growth, says PM at G20 energy meeting

India is moving ahead strongly on its climate commitments by making great efforts in green growth and energy transition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, adding that the country has shown leadership in climate action.

Addressing via video message the G20 energy ministers’ meeting underway in Goa, the Prime Minister called on member nations of the grouping to advance sustainable, affordable and clean energy transition to ensure that countries of the global south are not left behind.

“India is the most populated nation and the fastest-growing large economy in the world. Yet, we are moving strongly on our climate commitments. We achieved our non-fossil installed electric capacity target nine years in advance. We have now set a higher target and plan to achieve 50% non-fossil installed capacity by 2030. India is also among the global leaders in solar and wind power,” Modi said.

“The world looks up to this G20 group for advanced, sustainable, just, affordable, inclusive and clean energy transition,” he said. “While doing this, it is important that our brothers and sisters in the Global South are not left behind. We must ensure low-cost finance for developing countries.”

Calling for strengthening collaboration on fuels for the future, the Prime Minister said, “We must find ways to bridge technology gaps, promote energy security and work on diversifying supply chains.”

He also stressed the need to have transnational grids and interconnections to enhance energy security.

“Transnational grid and interconnections can enhance energy security. We are promoting this mutually beneficial cooperation with our neighbours in this region and we are seeing encouraging results,” Modi said. “Realising the vision of inter-connected green grids can be transforming. It will enable all of us to meet our climate goals, stimulate green investment, and create millions of green jobs.”

The Prime Minister also invited the delegates to join the international solar alliance’s green grids initiative — “One Sun, One World, One Grid”.

Addressing the inaugural session of the meeting, Union power and renewable energy minister RK Singh called on developed countries to help developing and poorer nations to achieve energy transition.

“Availability of affordable energy plays a pivotal role in our policy. Developing world needs more funds for energy transition,” Singh said.

Providing affordable electricity to people, who do not have access, is one of the greatest challenges before us, the minister said.

“Challenges of supply chain disruption is another issue we need to focus on. Importance of low-cost finance to emerging and developing countries is needed for faster energy transition,” Singh said. “I would like to request the developed world to come forward and fund such projects. We need to cooperate, collaborate and share the green technology to achieve the energy transition for the world.”