Climate change has emerged as the greatest threat to humanity today and it is expected to wreak further havoc on the planet for future generations. All stakeholders around the globe are looking at ways to curb this menace as it affects the planet’s health and well-being due to extreme weather events like changing rainfall, rising sea levels, extreme heat patterns, famines, water scarcity, distressed agriculture harvest, etc.

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow has set the following goals: 

1. Secure global net-zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
3. Mobilise finance
4. Work together to deliver

India is an emerging economic powerhouse. India has 17% of the world’s population but is responsible only for 5% of total emissions at the global stage. India has already started taking effective measurements to cut 1 billion tonne emissions from now until 2030. This will further help to achieve the vision of Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi’s target for net-zero emissions by 2070.  

Our first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted under the Paris Agreement has been rated by observers as compatible with a 2 degrees Celsius trajectory, and we are ahead of schedule in meeting our contribution. Even at the COP26 Summit on Climate Change – the world’s attention was focused on countries responsible for the highest carbon emissions. India ranks third, after U.S and China, although its per capita CO2 emissions are less than 60% of the global average. There is definite scope for improvement in terms of the specificity, strength, and rigor of our contribution in the domestic mitigation measures we take to accomplish these goals.  

To build a low-carbon future and curb climate change, the Indian government is committed to adopt an array of ambitious climate actions. Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, our country has made good progress towards meeting its Paris Agreement targets. Various initiatives have been taken by multiple stakeholders to achieve the target of renewable energy installations towards hydrogen, solar, wind and other possible resources as per the requirement of the 21st century.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman and Managing Director Shri Mukesh Ambani while addressing the International Climate Summit 2021 had said that RIL is committed to the cause and will create or enable at least 100 GW out of 450 GW renewable target of India by 2030.

RIL has also committed to invest Rs 75,000 crore over the next three years in green energy initiatives, including a 5000-acre Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex in Jamnagar. This would be one of the world’s largest green energy facilities with four giga factories to produce solar integrated photovoltaic units, advanced batteries to store energy, electrolysis to produce green hydrogen and a fuel cell plant to convert that hydrogen to green energy.

Global warming or climate change, is the critical challenge that humankind is facing today. However, I believe challenges will keep coming but we all have to take it as an opportunity to change & adapt and move ahead so as to save Mother Nature from further destruction. I am sure that ‘WE CAN & WE WILL SAVE OUR PLANET EARTH’.