India is doing an amazing job with its climate goals and has the chance to improve even more by using clean energy, says UN climate chief Simon Stiell. In an interview, he highlighted that because India has a large population and diverse geography, many people are at risk from climate change. It’s important to invest in making sure that people, communities, buildings, and businesses can withstand these changes.
India has already made significant progress, such as installing 100 gigawatts of solar energy quickly and providing electricity to every village. Stiell believes India can grow even faster by using clean energy and industries, which will lead to more jobs, better health, more affordable energy, and improved living standards for its people.
However, the country’s size and population diversity also mean that many people face environmental challenges like melting glaciers, stronger storms, and food insecurity. Stiell praised India as a “solar superpower” and encouraged it to create a strong climate plan for its entire economy. He noted that while some countries only talk about climate action, India takes real steps.
As part of its climate strategy, India aims to cut down greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 45% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. It also plans to get half of its electricity from non-fossil fuels by the same year and create a significant carbon sink through more forests. India has already managed to reduce its emissions intensity by 36% between 2005 and 2020. As of December 2024, more than 47% of India’s power generation comes from non-fossil sources, and it has already created about 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sinks since 2005.
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