New Delhi: The Union government has taken enough efforts to fulfil the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2021 Glasgow climate summit (COP26) and the PM himself is taking the lead on the issue, the Centre told the Delhi high court on Thursday.
Responding to a petition filed by lawyer Rohit Madan seeking to constitute an expert committee for the realisation of the promises made by India at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last year, additional solicitor general (ASG) Chetan Sharma informed the court that all the timelines were in place and several committees have been constituted to look into the issues.
“It is the Prime Minister himself who has taken the lead. India from the back benches is today dictating and setting the road map, including zero emissions by 2070. All timelines are in place. There are committees headed by the PMO, secretaries. There are inter-ministerial committees in hand. Everything is in place,” the ASG told a bench headed by high court’s chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma.
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{{/usCountry}}In a status report, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change said that India has launched a major futuristic PPP (public private participation) mode initiative for clean energy — “Mission Integrated Bio-refineries” centered on technology advancement and cooperation, zero waste bio-refinery for cost effective production of sustainable bio-fuels with co-production of bio-based chemicals and materials, using bio-technological interventions.
The ASG told the bench, also comprising justice Subramonium Prasad, that a report has been finalised and will be submitted to the United Nations Secretariat on Climate Control on Friday. He also cast aspersions on the motive of the petition and alleged that the prayer was “impliedly insinuate”.
Due to the allegations as made in the petition, the country’s image is tarnished in sensitive issues like the environment, the ASG argued.
However, appearing for the petitioner, his counsel denied the allegations, saying he has the highest regard for the Prime Minister. The petitioner further said that in wake of the status report filed by the environment ministry his plea could be treated as representation.
The petition was subsequently withdrawn.
In the petition, filed through advocate Akshay R, the petitioner said that like several countries, India also made certain commitments during the 2021 UNFCCC in Glasgow, which included reaching 500GW non-fossil capacity by 2030, fulfilling 50% of energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030, and the same must be fulfilled.
“These commitments were made before a formal international forum of which India is also a member and a signatory. These commitments involve a shift to renewable and green energy from current coal-based energy. All businesses in India will have to adjust their practices, and make necessary changes anticipating the shift. The state is bound by the promises it made and must deliver on the same,” the petition claimed.
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The plea also said that the commitments should not be lost with efflux of time and groundwork needs to be laid down to avoid any delay.
“To meet such a deadline, which is only eight years away, groundwork needs to be laid down immediately and coordinated action be undertaken by various departments of the government of India… In view of the commitment made by India to reduce its carbon footprint by 2030 by 50% and reduce the energy consumption and dependency on fossil fuels by 2030, a clear roadmap needs to be prepared now considering the fact that fossil fuels still dominate our energy needs,” the petition said.