Welcoming the speech by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the World Leaders Summit at COP26 in Glasgow today, Professor Lord Stern of Brentford, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said: “This was a very significant moment for the summit, with Prime Minister Modi pledging stronger action by India on climate change, with five new targets. These include a further increase in clean energy to 500 gigawatts by 2030, a reduction in emissions intensity of its economy by 45 per cent by 2030, and net zero emissions by 2070. Together this might mean that India’s annual emissions of greenhouse gases could peak by 2030. This demonstrates real leadership, based on a track record of action and ambitious targets, that can deliver on both economic development and climate change, from a country whose emissions per capita are about one-third of the global average. The rich world must respond to Prime Minister Modi’s challenge to deliver a strong increase in international climate finance.”

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