By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI:Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Conference on “The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics” today at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister highlighted the nation’s profound historical connection to nature, emphasizing how ancient cultural wisdom is actively shaping modern climate solutions and inspiring global collective action. He commended the National Green Tribunal for steadfastly advancing this critical mission and extended his congratulations to the organizers. “India is now providing solutions to modern climate challenges,” asserted Shri Modi.
Addressing the flawed global narrative regarding carbon footprints, the Prime Minister pointed out that developing nations are unjustly blamed, despite developed nations emitting up to six times more carbon per capita than India. He detailed how the nation uses international platforms to assert this historical truth and showcase its traditional environmental strengths, recalling the launch of the “Convenient Action- Continuity for Change” book at COP-21 and the creation of platforms like One Sun, One World, One Grid, the International Solar Alliance, CDRI, the Global Biofuel Alliance, and the International Big Cat Alliance. “We are establishing new benchmarks for environmental protection by taking the world along,” affirmed Shri Modi.
Bridging ancient philosophy with modern execution, the Prime Minister detailed the extraordinary progress made across every environmental sector over the past dozen years, specifically highlighting a massive strategic pivot toward renewable energy. He proudly stated that the nation proudly occupies a unique position within the G-20 for having achieved its COP-21 commitments ahead of schedule, setting global benchmarks in non-fossil fuels and solar capacity. “India’s performance on every parameter is a topic of discussion in the world today,” noted Shri Modi.
Presenting stark evidence of the nation’s solar revolution, the Prime Minister cited the leap from a mere 2 gigawatts of capacity a dozen years ago to over 160 gigawatts today, fueled by the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana which has solarized over 50 lakh homes with financial assistance of up to 80,000 rupees per household. He added that 30 lakh farmers have received solar pumps under the Kusum Yojana, while the completed One Nation-One Grid project has successfully prevented 200 million tonnes of carbon emissions. “We have started a mission to make homes themselves the center of solar power generation,” asserted Shri Modi.
Expanding on the massive strides in the broader clean energy landscape, the Prime Minister highlighted the threefold increase in wind capacity, significant hydro expansions, and a newly energized focus on nuclear power generation that now welcomes private players. He noted that these combined efforts have nearly quadrupled the nation’s non-fossil energy capacity while advancing cleaner technologies like Coal Gasification. “India has achieved major milestones in other sectors of clean energy as well,” noted Shri Modi.
Celebrating the dawn of advanced clean mobility, the Prime Minister proudly announced the recent launch of the country’s first Hydrogen Train, which also holds the record as the world’s longest. He described this technological leap as a foundational milestone for the future of green transportation. “This is the beginning of a new era of clean mobility,” affirmed Shri Modi.
Detailing the massive adoption of green vehicles, the Prime Minister highlighted a staggering 950-fold increase in Electric Vehicles, jumping from under three thousand sales before 2014 to roughly 25 lakh last year. He also pointed out that the modern FASTag system on highways and expressways has drastically reduced fuel wastage by minimizing wait times at toll booths. “India is embracing this opportunity of the EV revolution with full force,” noted Shri Modi.
Showcasing the sweeping modernization of public transport infrastructure, the Prime Minister contrasted the meager five-city, 250-kilometer metro network of 2014 with today’s expansive system operating in over 20 cities. “India has joined the ranks of those countries in the world that have a metro network of more than a thousand kilometers,” asserted Shri Modi.
Underscoring the eco-friendly transformation of heavy logistics, the Prime Minister explained how the near-total electrification of the railways has saved crores of liters of diesel from being burned. He highlighted the massive environmental benefits of the newly inaugurated 3,000-kilometer Dedicated Freight Corridor, where historic double-stack container trains are replacing hundreds of polluting trucks per journey. “You can imagine on what a large scale this is helping the environment,” observed Shri Modi.
Pointing to alternative eco-friendly transport modes, the Prime Minister celebrated the operationalization of approximately 5,000 kilometers of inland waterways across the country. He explained that a single standard inland vessel navigating these routes can carry a load equivalent to dozens of trucks. “This too is providing great help in environmental conservation,” noted Shri Modi.
Summarizing the collective impact of these transit upgrades, the Prime Minister emphasized that the sweeping changes across the entire mobility sector serve as undeniable proof of the nation’s balanced growth trajectory. He stated that rapid progress is entirely compatible with environmental preservation. “Our development is speedy as well as sustainable,” affirmed Shri Modi.
Praising the unprecedented mass participation in water conservation, the Prime Minister celebrated the construction of over 70,000 Amrit Sarovars and 1.5 crore rainwater harvesting structures under the Catch the Rain campaign. He noted that modern irrigation techniques under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and ‘Per Drop, More Crop’ are actively saving water for over 2 crore farmers. “Unprecedented work is being done on water conservation in India,” noted Shri Modi.
Championing the global revival of millets, the Prime Minister explained how promoting the cultivation of water-efficient Shree Anna has boosted domestic production and increased exports to 1.5 lakh tons, simultaneously creating economic opportunities and conserving water. He credited these relentless national efforts for inspiring the global celebration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets. “Because of this model, the world is also joining us,” remarked Shri Modi.’
Underscoring the massive scale of ecological agriculture, the Prime Minister detailed the establishment of 24,000 natural farming clusters across 12.5 lakh hectares under the National Mission on Natural Farming. He also highlighted the successful development of 3,000 climate-resilient crop varieties and the strategic promotion of agro-forestry to reduce the national footprint. “By promoting agro-forestry, we are also reducing carbon footprints,” asserted Shri Modi.
Illustrating the comprehensive nature of the country’s environmental efforts, the Prime Minister shared that the very dense forest cover has increased by more than 22 percent over the last 12 years. He praised the ongoing ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign for inspiring citizens to plant crores of trees in a continuous, nationwide drive.
Addressing the critical challenge of plastic pollution, the Prime Minister reiterated the national ban on single-use plastics and the strong push toward a Circular Economy based on reducing, reusing, and recycling thousands of tons of daily waste. He cited the Gobardhan Yojana as a prime example of converting rural organic waste into valuable resources through a Wealth from Waste model. “Our endeavor is that instead of treating waste as a problem, it should be transformed into a resource,” affirmed Shri Modi.
Elevating the significance of the nation’s environmental achievements, the Prime Minister stated that these robust statistics represent far more than domestic progress. He framed the nation’s developmental data as monumental, direct contributions to the survival and prosperity of the entire human race. “These are also figures of India’s contribution to the future of humanity,” asserted Shri Modi.
The Prime Minister underscored the profound relationship between the earth and its inhabitants that drives these responsible actions. He concluded his address on an optimistic note, expressing deep confidence that the conference deliberations would yield innovative solutions, and offered his final felicitations. “India is also working to build a responsible and sustainable future,” affirmed Shri Modi.
