On February 10-12, 2021, the 20th World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2021 was held on the theme “Redefining our common future: Safe and secure environment for all”. This three days long event was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event was also attended by Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
- It should be noted that WSDS is an annual flagship event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) instituted in 2001.
- The WSDS 2021 is supported by India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Ministry of Earth Sciences while its country partner was the United Kingdom (UK).
- During the summit the discussions were held on the topics energy and industry transition, adaptation and resilience, nature based solutions, climate finance, circular economy, clean oceans and air pollution.
- WSDS 2021 closes with a promise to achieve a common goal of green growth, and net-zero by 2050.
Key highlights from PM Modi & Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Address:
–India has already decreased its emissions intensity by 24% on the lines of its commitment to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33% to 35% from 2005 levels. With this, India is on track to exceed its Paris Agreement commitments.
–India’s 2nd target is increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based energy sources to the country’s cumulative power generation of 40% by 2030. Notably India already reached 38%.
–India is also setting up 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy generating capacity by 2030.
–PM Modi highlighted that the road to fighting climate change is through climate justice.
–The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has connected over 34 million households with tap connections in just about 18 months.
–Through PM Ujjwala Yojana, over 18 million households below the poverty line have access to clean cooking fuel.
–Over 80 million households in need were provided access to clean cooking fuel , which has led to energy saving of about 47 billion kWh per year and reduction of 38 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
–The renewable energy installed capacity in India has grown 162% in the last five years.
–US highlighted India as a red-hot investment opportunity for clean energy transition
The United States (US) Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry highlighted India as its clean energy transition due to its commitment to address the challenge posed by climate change.
- John Kerry is the first official on climate to be inside the US National Security Council.
Key Points:
–The focus of the Summit is to bring together a wide number of governments, business leaders, academicians, climate scientists, youth, and the civil society to find long-term solutions for the benefits of the global community.
–The discussion will carry forward to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) in Glasgow, UK to be held in November 2021.
Additional Info:
–British Politician Alok Sharma is the COP26 President-Designate.
–India is the third largest pollution emitter in the world behind the US and China.
Other Participants: Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea; Mohamed Nasheed, Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Republic of Maldives; Amina J Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations (UN), and Prakash Kehav Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Recent Related News:
i.On January 7-8 2021, the two-day Virtual International Akhand Conference ‘EDUCON 2020’ held which was inaugurated by Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Ministry of Education (MoE). The Chief Guest of the Valedictory Ceremony was Prof Dhirendra Pal Singh, Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi.
ii.On January 11, 2021,4th edition of One Planet Summit (OPS) 2021 was virtually organized by France, the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank from Paris (France) to prepare negotiations for setting global biodiversity targets in order to protect nature in the next decade. The theme of the summit is “Let’s act together for nature!”.
About The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Chairman– Nitin Desai
Director General– Dr Ajay Mathur
Headquarter– New Delhi
