Bhupender Yadav, the newly appointed Union Environment minister, asserted on Tuesday that the Modi government would persist in striking a balance between development and environmental protection. His role becomes pivotal as India proposes to host the international climate talks (COP33) in 2028, potentially marking the nation's next major global conference after last year's G20 Summit.

Yadav highlighted India's achievements under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, noting that the nation had met the quantitative and qualitative targets outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - the national climate plan aligned with Paris Agreement goals - nearly a decade ahead of schedule. He emphasized the significant milestones achieved in emission reduction and renewable energy sectors during the Modi government's tenure.

Moreover, Yadav expressed contentment with the progress of the cheetah project and highlighted Prime Minister Modi's initiatives, including Mission Life launched at COP26 in Glasgow to advocate mindful resource consumption and encourage tree planting to combat rising temperatures, desertification, and biodiversity challenges. He stressed the importance of both planting and safeguarding trees.

India celebrated 50 years of Project Tiger and 30 years of Project Elephant last year, initiating the MISHTI program to preserve mangrove ecosystems. Yadav mentioned key environmental reforms and initiatives launched by India, such as the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilience and Infrastructure, and International Big Cat Alliance.

Under India's first NDCs, the country achieved two quantifiable targets ahead of schedule: reducing GDP emissions intensity by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels and attaining 40 percent installed power capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030. India now aims to further reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45 percent by 2030 and achieve 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by the same year, ultimately striving for a net-zero economy by 2070.

Kirtivardhan Singh, BJP MP from Gonda, has been appointed Union Minister of State for Environment, while Yadav, who took over as Environment minister in July 2021, continues to lead the ministry. Yadav's tenure has been marked by India's strengthened climate actions, as evidenced by the country's fourth strongest performance in the annual performance index released by Germanwatch in 2023. His initiatives also include bans on single-use plastic items and an expansion of Ramsar sites in India. However, some amendments to forest, wildlife, and environmental laws have drawn criticism from opposition parties and environmentalists. (Source: ET Energy)