Climate change is a pertinent crisis of our time. Natural calamities are becoming more intense. Global temperature is rising. Sea levels are going up and all of this is forcing us to ask ourselves — “Are we doing enough?”
Every country is fighting its own battle against climate change and so is India. In the past few years, since the devastating impacts of climate change have become noticeable, India has been one of the leading nations to commit to fighting this battle by making environmental policies. In 2015, the government of India set the following goals:
- To reduce carbon emissions intensity by 33-35% by 2030
- To increase its non-fossil fuel energy generation capacity by 2030
- To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
Working upon these three goals, significant progress has been made. We are already the world’s fifth-largest wind power producer. We are working cooperatively with other countries through an international solar alliance to increase solar power generation on a large scale. We are taking action to clean our rivers and manage wastes more efficiently. Following this progress, the United Nations awarded Indian Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi with ‘Champion of Earth’ Award in 2018.
“This award is an honour to our country’s old traditional practices which treats earth itself as a living being. Which pays respect to the five elements- earth, sky, fire, water and air,” said PM Modi while being felicitated.
The Cochin International Airport, which became the first fully solar-powered airport in the world, has won the UN Environmental Vision Award. The government’s effort to reduce the usage of single-use plastic has been commendable. It is hoped that we will reach the target of 0% by 2021.
Organic farming and per-drop more crop are being heavily promoted in the country. National Highways and Expressways are becoming eco-friendly. Railways dependence on fossil fuels is being decreased rapidly. A number of policies have been made and efforts are constantly being made by India to fight climate change. But will that be enough for the seventh-largest country of the world with a population of 1.3 billion?
Sadly, no. Despite numerous efforts, India still remains one of the worst-hit countries by climate change. Air pollution levels in Indian cities are among the world’s worst. According to a report, 15 out of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are Indian. Clearly, we are still far from achieving the goals.
Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, India has observed a significant decrease in carbon emissions. The national capital is seeing a clear blue sky and fresh air after a long time. This can be seen as a wonderful opportunity to retain such conditions by switching to renewable energy sources. Therefore, it is our sole responsibility that once the lockdown is lifted, we do our best to fight climate change. Indians have shown it earlier and will show it again — the utmost respect and care for mother nature.
About the author: Aaditya is an inquisitive Class XII science student from Eastwood International School, Doomwali, Punjab. He is a nature lover, and has his own YouTube channel ‘The Viking Show’.