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Defining New India
India has now 5th largest solar energy capacity in the world, 4th largest wind energy 6th largest hydroelectricity. It has set a higher target now of 50 percent non-fossil installed capacity by 2030.
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New India is defined now a days based on headlines. One of the recent headlines is: ‘India has entered in 2023 as the most populous country in the world’. Second, ‘India has become fifth largest economy in the world overtaking United Kingdom , the country that not only ruled India but left it as one of the poorest countries in the world in middle of 20th century.’
I define India based on its vibrant ancient practices like yoga that unites mind and body. Its unparalleled soft power in IT leveraged by the huge demographic advantage of the highest number of young minds are now defining India as a solution to address formidable ecological challenges. Today India is the fastest growing economy among all the large economies of the world. New India emerging out of COVID-19 pandemic is confident to face new climate pandemic, through net zero resolve.
Air Pollution and Climate Change are the two sides of the same coin called ‘fossil fuel’. India’s air is notoriously polluted mainly in metro-cities. Action on air-pollution is now considered by the government under Prime Minister Modi as a tool to derive huge benefits from saving health related costs and keeping high productivity. The over-dependence on fossil fuel is therefore being reduced though massive drive for solar energy and ethanol as biofuel. India has now 5th largest solar energy capacity in the world, 4th largest wind-energy 6th largest hydroelectricity. India has achieved the target non-fossil installed electric capacity target (promised to UN) nine years in advance. It has set a higher target now of 50 percent non-fossil installed capacity by 2030.
The larger canvass shows a bit dismal picture. India still ranks quite low in 2023-SDG ranking (112th). Only eight years left to achieve the global goals, the he country is off-track. Many will point out the ‘rude and rudimentary’ common criteria used to rank the countries across the board on SDGs without its historical constraints and global climate-injustice. However , ranking is the way to know darker side and even the silver lining.
Keeping up the much needed rate of economic development for their 1.4 billion diverse population, pulling out remaining 15 percent of population out of poverty ( as compared to 25 percent 5 years back), looking after their wellbeing and maintaining the natural resources in balance is the triple challenge before Indian policy makers. But it is being addressed through bold and innovative policies, like the ones that helped to not only conserve but enhance the population of wild-life like tigers, lions, elephants.
Partnership is the key tool for acceleration of the implementation and co-creation is the mechanism that India has adopted for finding the lasting solution for addressing these challenges. India-France Solar Alliance and cooperation with Norway on Green Hydrogen are examples.
Its 7500 kms of coastal area, 2500 kms of Himalayan range and 1600 km of Western mountains are not only defining entities of India’s weather pattern, but also the treasure of India’s wealth. Coastal area is literally the mine of ‘tidal energy’, northern Himalayan range is the possible source of rare earths including lithium much needed for clean energy storage and central and eastern Himalayan ranges are the opportunities for massive water-harvesting. 250,000 sq km of its desert is solar-mine which is already being exploited through incentives. India’s soft power in IT and its space technology endeavours would be the framework for acceleration of implementation.
It’s not just ‘largeness’ of numbers attached to India of today that matters the most. The values, that the people of India have harnessed over thousands of years and engrained in their DNA to create the recipe of ‘New India’. These values have been suppressed and remained invisible due to foreign invasions for more than 10 centuries. The drivers for addressing ecological challenges are embedded in these very values.
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