India already exceeding key climate targets, can grow faster using clean energy: UN climate chief
India is making significant strides in meeting its climate targets, and UN Climate Change Chief Simon Stiell believes the country can grow even faster by leveraging clean energy and industry. India has already installed 100 GW of solar power in record time and provided electricity to every village, exceeding key targets.
Stiell praises India’s efforts, calling the country a “solar superpower.” However, he also emphasizes the need for India to develop an ambitious climate plan covering its entire economy. This plan would help India address its unique challenges, such as melting glaciers, stronger storms, and food insecurity, which affect huge numbers of people due to the country’s large population and diverse geography.
India has set ambitious targets, including reducing GDP emission intensity by 45% by 2030, achieving 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover by 2030 ¹.
The country has already made significant progress, with a 36% reduction in GDP emission intensity between 2005 and 2020, and over 47% of its power generation capacity coming from non-fossil fuels as of December 2024 ¹.
India is making significant strides in meeting its climate targets, and UN Climate Change Chief Simon Stiell believes the country can grow even faster by leveraging clean energy and industry. India has already installed 100 GW of solar power in record time and provided electricity to every village, exceeding key targets.
Stiell praises India’s efforts, calling the country a “solar superpower.” However, he also emphasizes the need for India to develop an ambitious climate plan covering its entire economy. This plan would help India address its unique challenges, such as melting glaciers, stronger storms, and food insecurity, which affect huge numbers of people due to the country’s large population and diverse geography.
India has set ambitious targets, including reducing GDP emission intensity by 45% by 2030, achieving 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover by 2030 ¹.
The country has already made significant progress, with a 36% reduction in GDP emission intensity between 2005 and 2020, and over 47% of its power generation capacity coming from non-fossil fuels as of December 2024 ¹.
