Government Introduces ‘Green India’ Initiative to Tackle Climate Change

Launched in New Delhi, the program aims at planting millions of trees and promoting clean energy across the country. It’s a courageous step to reduce pollution and save the planet for future generations.”

The initiative comes amid rising heat waves, floods and air pollution in India. It aims to plant 10 million trees by 2030, starting in rural areas. It will also invest in solar and wind energy projects to displace coal use. This adds to India’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, a target made during the 2021 COP26 summit. But officials say it’s a practical fix for a warming world.

“Green India is action, not a grammar, not a poetry,” Environment Minister Priya Sharma said at a press conference. “We’re putting people to work planting trees and getting them homes powered by clean energy. It is a victory for nature and our communities.” The program will be employ thousands of workers and especially and villages to plant trees and will care trees. Schools and local groups will also participate.

The timing is key. India just experienced its hottest-ever summer in 2024, including temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in some areas. Climate experts say farming and water supplies could face greater suffering without rapid changes. Green India is a sub-mission of the National Action Plan on Climate Change launched in 2008. It’s a new attempt to make that plan function more effectively.

What’s next? The government plans to launch tree-planting drives this spring. Solar panels will sprout in five states by July. Other countries could be encouraged to follow India’s playbook, experts say. If it works, Green India could cool the planet — and teach the planet how to fight climate change with simple steps.

References

• Climate Action Tracker
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• National Action Plan on Climate Change

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