New Delhi: Environmental experts Monday cautiously welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pledge to double India’s renewable energy target to 450 gigawatts 9GW). They said that while his aim is ‘ambitious’, its implementation may not be easy.
Narendra Modi, speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit, gave a clarion call for a ‘global people’s movement’ to bring about a behavioural change to deal with climate change as he made a path-breaking pledge to more than double India’s non-fossil fuel target to 450 gigawatts.
Environmentalist Chandra Bhushan said the Prime Minister has given a ‘positive roadmap’ for India. He said that 450 gigawatts target was the most ambitious one set so far.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a very positive and ambitious roadmap for India to tackle climate change. The pledge of increasing renewable energy capacity to 450GW means the PM is serious about reducing the carbon emissions. 450 GW is the most ambitious target ever set,” Bhushan said.
However, some environmentalists felt that renewable energy was costly and achieving the set target might not be easy.
“The move to increase non-fossil fuel is very good. I appreciate his (Modi’s) speech. But we are yet to see how will it be done and where will the funds be raised from as renewable energy is costly,” NGO Social Action for Forests and Environment founder Vikrant Tongad said.
Another environment activist and advocate, Gaurav Bansal, however, opined differently, saying the need of the hour was to ensure that the renewable energy does not harm the environment.
“Instead of blindly making target of increasing renewable energy, government must look into the concern that it does not harm the environment. Renewable energy can be used to generate electricity and according to recent reports, power lines have become the reason for killing several species of birds. Implementation of the highly ambitious target is also to be seen,” pointed out Bansal.
In his short speech, Modi also talked about his government’s ambitious ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ for water conservation, rainwater harvesting and for the development of water resources. He pointed out that India will spend USD 50 billion on the project in the next few years.
“The PM’s aim to spend USD 50 billion for water conservation shows how serious he and the country are about the impact of climate change,” Bhushan said. “There is already an existing water crisis. So money needs to be spent,” said Bhushan.
PTI