In a statement issued on November 14, Union Power Minister RK Singh emphasised that while developed nations champion environmental regulations, they have historically contributed significantly to the deterioration of the global environment. He pointed out that India cannot compromise on its energy requirements and stressed the need for a fair and equitable approach in addressing environmental concerns.
Singh’s remarks come amid international debates on climate change and the push for global cooperation to mitigate its effects. As a rapidly developing nation, India faces increasing pressure to adopt cleaner energy sources. However, Singh’s statement underscores the nation’s determination to prioritise its energy needs while calling for a more balanced and inclusive approach to addressing environmental issues on the global stage.
“Those developed nations who lecture us on imposing regulatory norms on the usage of fossil fuels today are responsible for the poor state of the environment. Around 85 per cent of the carbon dioxide load in the atmosphere is because of industrialization, which was started by these developed countries,” Singh said while speaking to reporters while inaugurating the Power Ministry Pavilion at the 42nd India International Trade Fair on Tuesday.
The Power Minister said that India’s per capita emissions are one-third of the world average while those of the developed countries are three times the world average.
“India contributes to 17 per cent of the world population, while our contribution to carbon dioxide load is only 3.5 per cent. Our per capita emissions are one-third of the world average, whereas the developed countries are three times the world average,” Singh said.
The Power Minister said that the developed countries need to cut down their emissions first. “It is the developed countries that need to cut down their emissions first before talking about anything else,” he said.
The Union Minister said that India will not be compromising on its energy needs since the developed nations have prospered by burning fossil fuels. “Yes, we are using coal and will continue to do so because we need electricity. We won’t compromise on the availability of electricity. You have developed by using fossil fuels. We need to develop now,” Singh said.
The Power Minister said that India needs cement and steel to construct crores of square meters. However, he said that India will develop with responsibility. “We have to construct crores of square meters. We need cement and steel to construct residential places, commercial places and industries. However, we will develop with responsibility,” he said.
Singh said that India has achieved its Nationally Determined Contributions pledge ahead of its time limit and has further revised its targets. “We have pledged in the NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) that by 2030, 40 per cent of our total electricity generation will be from renewable sources. We have achieved that in 2021 itself,” the Power Minister said.
“We had said that we will be decreasing our emissions intensity by one-third by 2030. We achieved that in 2019. In Glasgow, we said that by 2030 we will decrease our emissions intensity by 45 per cent and by 2030 our total electricity generation capacity will be from renewable energy. We will achieve that,” Singh added.
The minister’s stance reflects India’s commitment to finding sustainable solutions that consider the developmental needs of emerging economies. As discussions on environmental policies continue, India remains firm in its resolve to strike a balance between economic growth and ecological responsibility.
