India’s Climate Leadership: Low Per‑Capita Emissions & New Solutions

At a two‑day gathering organised by the National Green Tribunal in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the opening session to remind the world that India has been “guiding the world on nature and the environment for centuries”. He said that legacy now translates into concrete solutions for today’s climate crisis.

While unveiling the NGT Mobile App – a tool meant to help citizens report pollution in real time – Modi added, almost as an aside, that developing nations often get the short end of the stick when it comes to blame for carbon emissions. “Many of my friends from the Global South are here,” he noted, “yet the facts show India’s per‑capita emissions are still under half the global average.”

He went on to point out a stark contrast: the average citizen in a developed country emits roughly six times more CO₂ than an Indian does. That, he argued, is a reality that should temper any accusations tossed at the Global South.

Speaking about India’s own environmental record, Modi said the past twelve years have seen “extraordinary progress” across every sector tied to the climate. The government’s push for renewable energy – especially solar and other non‑fossil‑fuel sources – has been the main engine behind that advance.

“We are the only G‑20 nation that has already met its Paris (COP‑21) commitments ahead of schedule,” he declared, a point that, according to him, is being talked about in diplomatic circles worldwide. He stressed that this isn’t just a policy win; it’s a testament to what he called “the power of New India”.

During the conference, key figures such as Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Attorney General R. Venkataramani and NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava were present, underscoring the event’s importance.

The meeting, titled “The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics”, brings together judges, policymakers, legal experts and environmentalists to hash out the challenges ahead. For Modi, it’s another platform to reiterate India’s stance: that climate action must be equitable and that the world should recognise the lower per‑capita emissions of developing economies.

In a closing remark that felt part‑political, part‑personal, the prime minister urged every Indian to “show the same determination” that the government has shown on the global stage, hinting that citizen involvement – through tools like the new NGT app – will be crucial in keeping the momentum going.