The burning issue of ending fossil fuel dependence in order to reduce global warming has become a point of contention between developed and developing nations. India is working hard to keep its promise of converting 30 per cent of its passenger fleet to electric vehicles by 2030, which will aid towards the country’s mission of net zero emission by 2070. In this regard, a large allocation of 10 thousand crore for sustainable or green energy in the recent interim budget is a positive step forward. The allocated fund should be aimed at exploring all possible avenues of renewable energy to reduce the nation’s dependence on harmful fossil fuels to a large extent. As envisaged in the budget, the amount will largely be spent to tap solar energy as India has an abundance of sunshine throughout the year. A plan has also been chalked out to provide one crore households with free electricity up to 300 units per month with rooftop solarisation. Successful implementation of this plan will greatly curtail the demand of thermal power for domestic purposes. It must be noted that during the last 12 years India has been able to increase its renewable energy production capacity by 10 per cent, which is no mean achievement by any standard.
It is important to note that the transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy is a very costly affair. The effects of global warming is being felt by all of mankind and thus it is expected that the entire world will unite to stave off the threat of global warming. Unfortunately, the world’s nations are yet to reach a conclusive agreement despite conducting several climate meets. While poor and developing countries are demanding that the developed world pay more for damaging the environment during the industrial revolution and following decades, rich and advanced nations are not prepared to carry the larger share of the financial burden needed for the transition. The situation is such that a signatory of the developed world even backed out from an international climate treaty on the pretext that it will have to spend more money than any other country, willfully ignoring the fact that its per capita carbon emission is much higher than most nations. Such biased mindsets are further pushing the planet to the brink of destruction as rich and mighty nations put their singular interests ahead of global interests. In this context, it is noteworthy that India has chalked out a path of its own. The country has already announced its hydrogen mission with an aim to replace fossil fuels. At the same time, India is working hard to shift towards renewable energy to become a net zero emissions nation. For India, the immediate aim should be to meet the 2030 dateline by producing at least 50 per cent of the required energy from renewable sources. It is hoped that India will be able to successfully achieve its target and inspire other developing nations to adopt the Indian model to combat global warming.
