Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the responsibility for carbon emissions was often and unfairly placed on developing nations, despite per capita emissions in developed countries being six times higher than India’s. He was speaking at the National Green Tribunal’s international conference on the future of environment and climate dynamics, attended by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Attorney General R Venkataramani and NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava.

Modi said India’s per capita carbon emissions remained less than half the global average. He also defended the government’s plans to expand nuclear energy, noting that groups that advocate environmental protection had opposed some clean energy projects through court proceedings. He urged Indians to present the country’s emissions record and development approach more firmly to the world.

The Prime Minister highlighted the International Solar Alliance, Global Biofuel Alliance and International Big Cat Alliance as examples of India’s global initiatives. He said India was the only G20 country to fulfil its COP21 Paris climate commitments ahead of schedule. Solar power capacity has increased from 2 GW in 2012 to 160 GW, while 3 mn farmers have received solar pumps under the Kusum scheme. The One Nation One Grid project, he said, had prevented 200 mn tonnes of carbon emissions.

Modi also pointed to progress in clean mobility. Annual electric vehicle sales have risen to 2.5 mn from 3,000 in 2014, while metro networks have expanded from five cities and fewer than 250 km before 2014 to more than 1,000 km across 20 cities. He added that 100 per cent railway electrification, inland waterways and about 3,000 km of dedicated freight corridors were helping reduce fuel consumption.

Surya Kant said courts were increasingly focused on harmonising conservation and development, while recognising climate-related rights. Yadav said the choice was between sustainable development and growth that could not be sustained. He also cited gains in tiger, elephant and lion populations, along with conservation efforts for the Great Indian Bustard and vultures.