US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change John Kerry on Tuesday said that India’s global leadership has been critical in delivering Covid-19 vaccines to the world, adding that the country is “getting the job done” on climate.
Kerry is on a four-day visit to India, during which he is scheduled to interact with key ministers and others.
Addressing the South Asian Women in Energy Leadership Summit, Kerry said, “India’s global leadership has been critical across a range of issues including on delivering Covid-19 vaccines to the world, but I am particularly grateful that India is getting the job done on climate, pushing the curve. You are indisputably a world leader already in the deployment of renewable energy.”
Calling the US a “friend and partner” of India, Kerry said that this was an “advantage” the US did not have when it was developing its economy.
“Not just benefits of decades of scientific and technical advancement, you also have the United States as your friend and partner. We are here to support you through this path of sustainable future,” he said.
Kerry also hailed India’s “remarkable transformation” on poverty alleviation and called for “decisive action” on climate change.
Praising India’s recent budget announcement of a National Hydrogen Energy Mission and the country’s commitment to producing 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, Kerry, quoting the International Energy Agency forecasts, said that if India drives even more aggressively towards a clean energy transition it will create half a million additional jobs more than business as usual.
Earlier in the day Kerry, met Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, discussing the enhancement of “climate finance” from developed countries and joint research and collaboration on technologies.
Javadekar, who led an eight-member team at the meeting, tweeted, “Had an engaging and fruitful discussion with Mr.@JohnKerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. We discussed a range of issues including #ClimateFinance, joint research and collaboration, etc.”
