Narendra Modi criticized the narrative on Saturday that places the responsibility for carbon emissions on developing countries while Western nations are absolved of their role as historical polluters. He affirmed his country's commitment to climate action and noted that India has the best track record among G20 nations.
During the international symposium 'Future of Environmental and Climate Dynamics,' organized by NGT, Modi stated: 'Carbon emissions per capita in developed countries are six times higher than in India... India firmly presents this fact on global platforms... We are setting new benchmarks for environmental protection, involving the entire world.'
These remarks came amid the world's preparation for the global climate conference scheduled for November in Turkey. Despite India being the third-largest emitter, Modi stressed that its per capita emissions stand at 2.2 tons per person annually, which is less than half the global average (4.7 tons per person per year), and six times lower than the per capita emissions in the USA (14.2 tons) and Russia (14 tons).
India has consistently raised these issues in all multilateral forums, emphasizing fairness and the need for major polluters—who developed through burning fossil fuels over the last two centuries, leading to global warming—to reduce emissions. Nevertheless, India has never shied away from its responsibilities and has fulfilled its commitments to climate action under the Paris Agreement.
