A Pioneer of Global Climate Action

India@100 paints a picture of a sustainable, climate-resilient and inclusive economy that is well on its way to net zero

- BY ANJALI BANSAL

The future is green. Solar panels on every rooftop. Electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads. Factory-scale vertical farms spread across hundreds of acres. Green hydrogen plants powering large industries.

India@100 paints a picture of a sustainable, climate-resilient and inclusive economy, well on its way to net zero. The next 25 years will be critical in defining our path, one that will tread a fine balance between people, profits and the planet. India has one-fifth of the world’s population, and, as per some estimates, is already the most populous country worldwide. Nearly 75 per cent of our population is based in rural areas, while 200 million people live below the poverty line—that places inclusiveness and equity on the centre stage. We are also the fifth-largest economy globally and will continue to grow at 7-9 per cent annually for the foreseeable future, bringing our per capita consumption up from the present levels (it is currently only one-fifth of the global average). In terms of emissions, currently we are the third-largest globally, with 7 per cent contribution to the total global footprint.

India will grow to become a $25-trillion economy as it continues to bolster manufacturing, farm incomes, domestic consumption and create access to critical goods and services for the masses. It will also bring people out of poverty and create systems for urbanisation to achieve equitable development. However, unlike its predecessors and contemporaries, India has the unique opportunity to do so without creating further adverse impact on climate and without poisoning its natural resources of soil, air and water.