United Nations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India was one of the leading nations in the fight against climate change although its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions was "very low".
In his address at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Modi elaborated on the steps taken by his government to fight climate change.
"On one hand, we are working towards achieving the target of 450 gigawatts of renewable energy, and on the other hand, we have also taken the initiative to create the International Solar Alliance," he said.
Modi said one of the effects of global warming was the increasing number and severity of natural disasters, and at the same time "they are appearing in new areas and in new forms".
"In view of this, India has initiated the formation of the 'Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure' (CDRI). This coalition will help build infrastructure which can withstand natural disasters," he said.
Modi said from the historic and per capita emission perspective India's contribution to global warming was "very low" but the country was one of the leading nations in the fight against climate change.
"As I came in here, on a wall at the entrance to this building, I noticed the call to make the United nations free of single use plastic I am pleased to inform this august assembly that even as I am addressing you today, a very large campaign is being started across the entire country to make India free of single use plastic," Modi said.
The prime minister said in the next five years apart from promoting water conservation, the Indian government would ensure water supply to 150 million homes. In the same period, the government will lay over 1,25,000 km of new roads, he added.
"By the year 2022, when India celebrates its 75th Independence Day, we plan to build 20 million houses for the poor," the prime minister said.
Modi said the world has set the target of eradicating tuberculosis by 2030, but in India the government is working towards eradicating the disease by 2025.
In his speech at the global climate summit here on Monday, Modi gave a clarion call for a "global people's movement" to bring about a behavioural change to deal with climate change.
During this speech, Modi had announced India's doubled non-fossil fuel target, which now stood at 450 gigawatts.
Modi had said, "We must accept that if we have to overcome a serious challenge like climate change, then what we are doing at the moment is just not enough. The time for talking is over. The world needs to act now."
The Climate Action Summit aims to boost action to implement the Paris Agreement, which was signed in 2015.
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