India contributing to climate action with the urgency it demands: Bhupender Yadav

New Delhi: India is deeply committed to contributing to climate action with the urgency it demands, despite its minimal role in the climate crisis, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Friday.

Addressing the first edition of 'Sagarmatha Sambaad', a global dialogue on climate change and its impact on mountainous regions, the minister said the global carbon budget is rapidly being depleted with developed nations continuing to disproportionately grab the meagre remaining share.

The global carbon budget is the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted into the atmosphere while keeping the rise in average global temperature since the industrial revolution below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Yadav said the developed countries' commitments to providing climate finance, technology transfer and capacity building have been profoundly neglected, intensifying the climate crisis for which they bear far greater responsibility.

The dialogue, he added, is not just a forum for discussion but a call for collective concerted action.

"India, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, is deeply committed to contributing to climate action with the urgency it demands, despite our minimal role for the crisis it faces," Yadav said.

He said that India is walking the talk on climate action, integrating sustainability into the very fabric of its development paradigm, guided by Mission LiFE, an initiative focusing on the sustainable and mindful use of resources.

The minister said the Himalayas bear a significant part of the burden of the environmental crisis.

"We in India, with our significant Himalayan territory, witness these impacts firsthand. We share the concerns of the mountain states and their people. Our environmental futures are intrinsically linked," he said.

But, he stressed, these futures also depend on the collective action of all nations in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

He said that South Asia has been responsible for only 4 per cent of global cumulative carbon dioxide emissions until 2020, despite being home to nearly 25 per cent of the global population.

The minister expressed hope that the dialogue would pave the way for enhanced scientific cooperation on climate change in mountain regions, building climate resilience and ensuring adequate and predictable climate finance for mountain nations.

He said India is committed to working closely with Nepal and all Himalayan nations, as well as with other global partners, on the issue.

Yadav also mentioned that as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa ke Naam' campaign, 1.42 billion saplings have been planted in India, including 72.1 million trees in the Indian Himalayan Region.

The country also has a dedicated national mission focused on sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem, promoting climate-resilient agriculture and enhancing disaster preparedness.