India leads in protecting biodiversity, says Modi

CHENNAI: India has consistently been at the forefront in taking action on biodiversity conservation, protection, restoration and enrichment, and has set the bar even higher through the updated targets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

Addressing the G20 Environment, Climate Sustainability Ministerial Meeting via video conferencing, the Prime Minister said he was proud to say that India has led the way through its ambitious “Nationally Determined Contributions.”

“India achieved its installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, nine years ahead of the target of 2030. And, we have set the bar even higher through our updated targets. Today, India is one of the top five countries in the world, in terms of installed renewable energy capacity,” he said.

“We have also set a target of attaining “Net Zero” by 2070. We continue to collaborate with our partners through alliances including International Solar Alliance, CDRI, and the “Leadership Group for Industry Transition,” the Prime Minister said.

India is a mega-diverse country and the nation has consistently been at the forefront in taking action on biodiversity conservation, protection, restoration and enrichment. “Through the ‘Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap and Platform’, you are recognising restoration in priority landscapes impacted by forest fires and mining,” he said.

India has recently launched the “International Big Cat Alliance” for conservation of seven big cats of our planet based on our learnings from Project Tiger, a pioneering conservation initiative. As a result of Project Tiger, 70 percent of the world’s tigers today are found in India, Modi said.

India’s initiatives are powered by people’s participation, he pointed out.