India, UAE stand as partners in shaping greener and more prosperous future, says PM Modi ahead of COP28

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Dubai to attend the COP28 Summit, said India and the UAE stand as partners in shaping a greener and more prosperous future and both nations remain steadfast in their “joint efforts to influence the global discourse on climate action.” PM Modi, who is on his sixth visit to UAE since becoming Prime Minister, in an interview to Dubai newspaper Aletihad said," India’s partnership with the UAE in this key area is going from strength to strength, driven by a futuristic vision." The Prime Minister further said India and the UAE, which enjoy robust and enduring relations, can join forces in establishing a common grid to enhance energy security, leveraging each other’s strengths in the energy sector, and providing support to the International Solar Alliance’s Global Solar Facility. PM Modi also said India is optimistic that COP28, hosted by UAE this year, will inject fresh impetus into effective climate action. India and the UAE have emerged as leaders in global renewable energy efforts, PM Modi said. ‘Climate change a collective challenge’ PM Modi said he always maintained that climate change is a collective challenge that demands a unified global response. “It is essential to recognise that developing countries have not contributed in the creation of the problem. Yet developing countries are willing to be a part of the solution,” the PM said “But, they cannot contribute without access to the financing and technology needed… I have, therefore, advocated strongly for global cooperation for ensuring requisite climate financing and technology transfer,” PM Modi said emphasising the importance of ensuring that climate financing flows to the developing world in a practical, assured manner. “I believe climate action must be based on equity, climate justice, shared obligations and shared capacities. By adhering to these principles, we can forge a path toward a sustainable future that leaves no one behind,” PM Modi said. The Prime Minister stressed that as nations pursue climate action, “we must ensure that development priorities of the Global South are not compromised”. “I am happy that during the recent New Delhi G20 Summit, this aspect has been properly addressed, including through a recognition of the need to rapidly and substantially scale up investment and climate finance from billions to trillions of dollars globally from all sources,” PM Modi noted. The implementation of commitments of developed countries to provide technological and financial support to developing countries needs to be at the forefront of the agenda at COP28, PM Modi stressed, adding that rising ambitions on climate action must see matching progress on climate finance. “At COP28, we hope to have credible progress on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance,” he said. ‘Panchamrit’ Over the last nine years, India has demonstrated by example that the country is at the forefront of doing its part to address climate change. “At COP26, I presented ‘Panchamrit’ – five ambitious commitments of India – as our contribution to global climate action,” the Prime Minister said. The five ambitious commitments include the following: reaching 500GW Non-fossil energy capacity by 2030; ensuring 50 per cent of its energy requirements are met by renewable energy sources by 2030; reducing the total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes between now and 2030; reducing the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 per cent by 2030 over 2005 levels; and achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2070. Translating its promises into action, India submitted its updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) prior to COP27, and submitted the Long Term-Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), which put forward its Net Zero pathways, during COP27, according to the Prime Minister. “We are the only G20 country that is on track to achieving our NDCs,” he said. “Unfortunately, on a global level, the climate outlook is not that positive, and there are concerns that we will not achieve our 2030 targets as a global community.” PM Modi also brought attention to the first Global Stocktake envisaged during COP28, highlighting it as an important opportunity to undertake a mid-point review of global efforts. “I hope that this event will energise the global community to undertake a course correction and redouble efforts to ensure that we return on track to achieve our 2030 targets,” PM Modi said. Read PM Modi’s full interview here.