Raising questions over the feasibility of net-zero targets announced by developed countries, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh said these nations need to lower their per capita carbon emissions below the global average.

“We hear carbon neutrality goals for 2050-2060,” he said at the IEA-COP26 Net Zero Summit on Wednesday. “2060 sounds good, but it’s just a pie in the sky. We want to know what they will do 5-10 years down the line. When are you going to bring your emissions down to the world average or below the world average?,” he said.

“It is important for all the developed countries to talk not about net zero, but net negative,” he said.

Singh’s searing critique of the developed world comes at a time when US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is on Asia tour from April 1-9, during which he will also visit New Delhi in a bid to establish US leadership on global climate action.

“The developed world has occupied almost 80 per cent of the carbon space already,” Singh said. “You have 800 million African people who do not have access to electricity. We (India) will achieve whatever has to be achieved because we get investments. What about those (African) countries?”

“They also want to build skyscrapers. They also want a high standard of living for their people,” he said.

While the US per capita emissions stand at 16.38 tonnes of carbon dioxide, India’s is 1.81 tonnes, less than half the global average.

comment COMMENT NOW