International News
Net zero emissions by 2070, India’s strong pledge: Climate advocates
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the global climate talks in Glasgow announced net zero by 2070 for India. This makes India as one of the last major economies to join the countries committing to net zero goals, climate experts said on Tuesday.
In addition, Modi called on developed countries to dramatically raise their financial help to developing countries for the transition to clean energy and protection against climate impacts.
Responding to announcements made on Monday at World Leaders Summit of a stronger climate target with 50 per cent of its energy requirements to be met by renewables by 2030 and a commitment to cut one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) President and CEO Manish Bapna told IANS India is making a vital contribution in the global march against climate change, which disproportionately harms the world’s vulnerable people the most.
“Its bold pledges to cut climate pollution by a billion tonnes, in large part by meeting 50 per cent of its energy requirements with renewable energy by 2030, signals India’s resolute commitment to a healthier and clean future, for the people of India and the world.
“The world’s fifth-largest economy and fourth-largest carbon emitter has set a high bar for stronger climate commitments by key countries at COP26.”
Rhetorics ran high as the UN Climate Change Conference named COP26 in Glasgow on Monday.
There is a deficit of credibility and surplus of confusion over emissions reductions, said the UN Secretary General. Leaders’ speeches spoke about how climate change “is tearing us apart, and we need a new momentum, a quantum leap in the fight against climate change”.
On India’s bold announcemets, International Solar Alliance Director General Ajay Mathur said: “Prime Minister Modi cut through the rhetoric and delivered a big promise of climate action from India.
“Reducing 1 billion tonnes of emissions by 2030 and expanding non-fossils capacity to 500 GW are enormous and transformative steps. Fifty per cent of electricity generation from renewable energy sources speaks to India’s leadership and commitment to climate action.”
Describing it the real climate action, Council for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) CEO Arunabha Ghosh told IANS: “India has clearly put the ball in the court of the developed world. Now India demands $1 trillion in climate finance as soon as possible, and will monitor not just climate action but also climate finance.
“Most importantly, India has called once again for a change in lifestyle. If we cannot fix how we live, we can’t fix how we live on this planet.”
Chandra Bhushan, CEO, iForest, said: “India’s announcement of an ambitious 2030 target and a net zero target is a big step for climate collaboration.”
It’s a tremendous leadership gesture, says R.R. Rashmi, Distinguished Fellow, TERI.
“One billion tonne of reduction in absolute terms is massive. Compare this with the entire GHG inventory which is less than three billion tonne today, and will be 4.5 billion tonne in 2030. Committing to one billion is 25 per cent of the inventory in 2030.
“This shows a tremendous leadership gesture and commitment to act now and fix the road to 2030. It also sets the stage for carbon markets. In a way this means absolute emission reductions and this also means that India has set itself to commit to a peak in emissions without saying so explicitly.”
Dave Jones, Global Lead, Ember, said: “The world’s top 10 coal power countries have now all committed to net zero, as India announces a net zero pledge at COP26. But coal will need to end one, two or even three decades before the net zero dates that have been laid out. These net zero ambitions now need to transform into near-term action on coal. Failing to act on coal will undermine the credibility of net zero pledges.”
For Vibhuti Garg, Energy Economist and India lead with IEEFA, India’s pledge to increase the share of electricity generation from renewable energy sources to 50 per cent by 2030 would also reduce the emissions intensity of the economy by at least 45 per cent from its 2005 levels.
New Delhi-based Climate Trends Director Aarti Khosla said by announcing a commitment for achieving net zero targets by 2070, India has responded positively to the global call and it was the best climate action in Glasgow.
The commitment of 500GW of renewable energy by 2030, which is more than twice the installed capacity of coal currently, should set the stage for a quick transformation of the energy sector, the kind of which hasn’t been witnessed so far, she added.
Tehran, July 27: Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on said Ukraine’s attack on an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea “cannot go unanswered.”
In a post on the social media platform X, Araghchi accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of ordering “a blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war.”
He said he had “made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED” in phone calls with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday and Sunday respectively, Xinhua news agency reported.
He made the remarks on Saturday in a phone call with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, in which the two sides discussed the latest regional developments, according to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Araghchi condemned the Ukrainian attack, urging the EU, UN Security Council, and international community to hold its “perpetrators” and supporters to account, according to the statement.
The two sides also addressed developments in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need for diplomatic initiatives to manage regional tensions, it added.
In a separate statement, the ministry said it summoned Ukraine’s charge d’affaires in Tehran on Saturday over the attack, formally delivering a note of protest condemning the “hostile and criminal” act.
According to the Iranian foreign ministry, the attack took place at 3:00 a.m. local time on Saturday (2330 GMT on Friday) and led to the vessel’s explosion as well as a sailor’s death.
The semi-official Mehr news agency on Sunday reported that three sailors were also injured in the attack.
Citing the Governor of Iran’s northern Gilan province Hadi Haghshenas, it said that the steel-laden vessel was en route from Russia’s Astrakhan Port to Iran’s Anzali Port in Gilan when it came under attack.
The ship’s bridge was destroyed, leaving it unable to continue its voyage, Haghshenas said, adding that the incident would be pursued through domestic and international legal channels.
Zelensky said on Saturday that his country’s forces had hit a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
Tehran, July 26: Iran and Oman held several rounds of technical talks in Tehran to discuss arrangements for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Sunday that the talks were “useful and forward-looking” and progress had been made.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Baqaei said the talks were held on Friday and Saturday at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers, during which, they discussed common principles and practical mechanisms for ensuring safe maritime traffic through the strategic waterway while respecting the sovereign rights of the two littoral states, Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
Baqaei added that Oman delegation left Iran on Saturday. However, the two nations would continue the technical and political consultations.
When asked regarding the current situation about navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that there had been no change in the status of maritime traffic in the waterway, IRNA reported.
The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying oil and liquefied natural gas exports from major Gulf producers to international markets.
The talks between the two nations come amid renewed tensions in West Asia following military exchanges between the US and Iran.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the United States’ naval blockade against Iran remains fully in effect, announcing that American forces have redirected multiple commercial vessels, boarded ships for verification, and disabled one tanker that allegedly attempted to violate the blockade.
In a post on social media platform X, CENTCOM added: “The US naval blockade against Iran remains in full effect. As of July 25, CENTCOM has redirected 12 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 2 that didn’t comply, and boarded 2 to ensure total compliance.”
The US Central Command said that US forces earlier completed a verification boarding of the Comoros-flagged tanker M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea.
Describing the operation, CENTCOM said: “Earlier today, US forces completed a verification boarding aboard Comoros-flagged M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea, and the tanker is now continuing its journey.”
CENTCOM also announced action against another vessel, saying American forces had disabled the Mozambique-flagged tanker M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after its crew allegedly attempted to breach the blockade.
According to the command, “CENTCOM forces disabled Mozambique-flagged M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman on July 24 after the crew attempted to violate the blockade multiple times and ignored repeated warnings. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.”
The military command emphasised that US forces remain prepared for further operations in the region, saying: “American forces remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.”
International News
Iran’s FM urges EU to take ‘decisive’ action against Ukraine’s attack on Iranian ship
Tehran, July 26: Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called on the EU to take “decisive” action against Ukraine’s targeting of an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea.
He made the remarks on Saturday in a phone call with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, in which the two sides discussed the latest regional developments, according to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Araghchi condemned the Ukrainian attack, urging the EU, UN Security Council, and international community to hold its “perpetrators” and supporters to account, according to the statement.
The two sides also addressed developments in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need for diplomatic initiatives to manage regional tensions, it added, reports Xinhua news agency.
In a separate statement, the ministry said it summoned Ukraine’s charge d’affaires in Tehran on Saturday over the attack, formally delivering a note of protest condemning the “hostile and criminal” act.
Earlier in the day, the ministry said the Ukrainian attack had caused the vessel to explode, killing a sailor and wounding another.
The ministry said Iran has never intervened in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, adding the strike could further “spread the flames of the war and insecurity in a dangerous manner.”
Also on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country’s forces had hit a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
Earlier, the ministry said in a statement that the attack, carried out by the Ukrainian government, violated the UN Charter and constituted an “act of aggression.”
Iran has never intervened in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the ministry said, adding the strike could further “spread the flames of the war and insecurity in a dangerous manner.”
It stressed Iran will not hesitate to defend its national interests and security, warning that Ukraine will be responsible for the consequences of its “adventurism.”
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