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Global Trade Shifts Open Doors For India, It’s Time To Lead Cleantech: Amitabh Kant

Geopolitical instability has disrupted global trade, creating a vacuum that India must use to boost its cleantech manufacturing and economic growth, former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday. In his address at the annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue organised by the Centre for Science and Environment, Amitabh Kant highlighted India’s potential to become a global leader in battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler, and three-wheeler production, and other sustainable industries. “It’s a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil,” he said. He recalled how China stepped up when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2016. As a result, China now controls 80 per cent of the world’s critical minerals. Amitabh Kant believes a similar opportunity is emerging, and India should seize it to strengthen its clean-tech sector. However, he also pointed out weaknesses in India’s municipal governance, stating that poor management has worsened pollution and urban challenges. “If 42 of the cities in India are amongst the 50 worst polluting cities in the world, then there is a huge failure of municipal governance,” he said. He added that it has nothing to do with finances or the Central government. He stressed the need for better pricing of water and electricity to prevent wastage, contending that free electricity has led to excessive groundwater extraction. He suggested a pricing model where those who consume less should pay lower rates, while heavy consumers should pay significantly more. “I entirely agree that water needs to be priced because India, with 17 per cent of the world’s population, has just 4 per cent of water,” he noted. He added that 90 per cent of water is being consumed by agriculture. “That means rice and sugar cane are consuming all your water. And we are actually exporting virtual water in the name of basmati rice,” he noted. Citing Singapore’s transformation from a per capita income of $600 in 1965 to $90,000 today, he said India can achieve similar success through governance and economic reforms.

13th in India: Bengal scores better in SDG ranking

Nimli, Alwar (Rajasthan): West Bengal showed a marginal improvement in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) ranking, achieving an overall score of 72.1 in 2023-24, compared to 70 in 2022-23 and 62 in 2021-22. According to the latest State of India's Environment Report 2025 by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Bengal ranked 13th among 28 Indian states, with notable progress in some SDGs while lagging behind in others. Uttarakhand topped the rankings with a score of 79.2, while Bihar was at the bottom with 56.9. The report was released on Feb 14 at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue '25 in Nimli, Rajasthan, by former Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, and CSE director general Sunita Narain. It highlights India's efforts to align SDGs with flagship govt schemes, emphasising the urgency to achieve 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. "The clock is ticking," said Narain. "India must bridge the data and policy gaps to meet the 2030 Agenda effectively." The UN General Assembly designed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. The SDGs are a part of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. West Bengal performed well in certain SDGs, ranking first in SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water) among coastal states. It also secured the 4th position in SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). However, the state struggled in critical areas, ranking 22nd in SDG 1 (No Poverty), 17th in SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), 21st in SDG 5 (Gender Equality), 25th in SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 26th in SDG 13 (Climate Action). "As the world's most populous nation, home to over 1.4 billion people, India's progress on SDGs matters not just for itself but for the planet," said Richard Mahapatra of CSE, who led the study. He pointed out that between 2019 and 2022, India's SDG performance fell behind global trends, and while 2023 saw a slight recovery, the country's 2024 ranking remains a concern at 109th out of 167 countries assessed. The study highlights several shortcomings in India's SDG tracking system. The 2023-24 govt assessment removed the indicator for eradicating extreme poverty under SDG 1. SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) lacks a direct measure for water quality, while SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) does not include global indicators such as carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion or the share of renewable energy in total consumption. The report underscores need for focused interventions, as 16 states and UTs, including populous regions like UP, Gujarat, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, have met less than half of their targets in 30-43% of SDG indicators.

India must seize global supply chain disruption as opportunity: Amitabh Kant

Former Niti Aayog CEO and India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday that while geopolitical instability has fractured global trade, India must capitalize on this "vacuum" to accelerate clean-tech manufacturing and economic growth. Addressing the Centre for Science and Environment's annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue here, he said India has the potential to dominate sectors like battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler and three-wheeler production, and other sustainable industries. "You have a war going on for over 1,000 days in the heart of Europe. So, the period of stability which was created after World War Two has come to an end. And you have a breakdown of global supply chains across the world," Kant said. "But whatever is happening, I personally am of the view that this is a huge, huge opportunity for India, because there is a vacuum," he said. He said that when Donald Trump exited the Paris Agreement (for the first time in 2016), China stepped up and now controls 80 per cent of the world's critical minerals. A similar vacuum is emerging, and India must take the lead in clean-tech manufacturing, Kant said. "It's a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil," he cautioned.

Climate Justice: A Dirty Word in Today's Political Climate?

Environmentalist Sunita Narain has raised concerns about the erosion of climate justice amid shifting global politics and trade conflicts. Speaking at the Centre for Science and Environment's Anil Agarwal Dialogue, she criticized US President Donald Trump's policies for worsening the climate change battle. Narain discussed the historical shift since the 1990s, where wealthy nations outsourced industrial production to countries such as China and India, thus maintaining consumption levels without reducing emissions. She expressed concern over the rising backlash against climate action, with rhetoric demanding jobs and manufacturing to return to richer nations. The environmental implications are significant, she warned, particularly for the global carbon budget. There is a lack of apology for past appropriations of carbon space, turning 'climate justice' into a contested term. In India, however, environmental issues are gaining traction as influential political topics, with voters prioritizing issues like air quality and water conditions in decision-making.

Pollution politics: Can BJP deliver where AAP fell short?

The recently concluded Assembly elections for Delhi, finally allowed the oft-ignored air pollution issue to take centre stage. During the campaigns, three major political parties i.e., the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made numerous competing promises to address the prolonged health emergency in the national capital. As per the recently carried out Lokniti-CSDS Survey, covering 3,137 respondents across 28 assembly constituencies, more than eight of every 10 respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with the air pollution and nonavailability of clean drinking water. Even beyond Delhi’s border, several parts of Northern India were blanketed in a toxic and poisonous haze for months, with AQI levels worsening with each passing day, leaving Delhi’s residents with little cohesive response from key political actors. The recent Delhi elections took place amid one of the worst air pollution crises. Leading up to the elections, the well-known environmental think tank, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released a report highlighting the concerns related to public health due to the worsening levels of the Air Quality Index (AQI). Even beyond Delhi’s border, several parts of Northern India were blanketed in a toxic and poisonous haze for months, with AQI levels worsening with each passing day, leaving Delhi’s residents with little cohesive response from key political actors. While the issue has been persistently featured in manifestos and speeches, the question remains whether these promises will materialise into positive outcomes.

India must seize global supply chain disruption as opportunity: Amitabh Kant

Alwar (Rajasthan), Feb 26 (PTI) Former Niti Aayog CEO and India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday that while geopolitical instability has fractured global trade, India must capitalize on this "vacuum" to accelerate clean-tech manufacturing and economic growth. Addressing the Centre for Science and Environment's annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue here, he said India has the potential to dominate sectors like battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler and threewheeler production, and other sustainable industries. "You have a war going on for over 1,000 days in the heart of Europe. So, the period of stability which was created after World War Two has come to an end. And you have a breakdown of global supply chains across the world," Kant said. "But whatever is happening, I personally am of the view that this is a huge, huge opportunity for India, because there is a vacuum," he said. He said that when Donald Trump exited the Paris Agreement (for the first time in 2016), China stepped up and now controls 80 per cent of the world's critical minerals. A similar vacuum is emerging, and India must take the lead in clean-tech manufacturing, Kant said. "It's a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil," he cautioned. Kant also expressed concern over the poor state of municipal governance in Indian cities, which he said has exacerbated pollution and mismanagement. "If 42 of the cities in India are amongst the 50 worst polluting cities in the world, then there is a huge failure of municipal governance. It has nothing to do with finance. It has nothing to do with the central government," he asserted. Kant also said that water and electricity in India should be priced properly to prevent wastage. "I entirely agree that water needs to be priced because India, with 17 per cent of the world's population, has just 4 per cent of water. Secondly, 90 per cent of water is being consumed by agriculture. That means rice and sugar cane is consuming all your water. And we are actually exporting virtual water in the name of basmati rice," he said. He added that free electricity has encouraged excessive groundwater extraction. Those who consume less should pay less, and those who use more must pay significantly more. This is how Singapore transformed itself, Kant said, citing its shift from a per capita income of USD 600 in 1965 to USD 90,000 today through governance and economic reforms. PTI GVS ZMN

India must seize global supply chain disruption as opportunity: Amitabh Kant

Former Niti Aayog CEO and India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday that while geopolitical instability has fractured global trade, India must capitalize on this "vacuum" to accelerate clean-tech manufacturing and economic growth. Addressing the Centre for Science and Environment's annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue in Rajasthan's Alwar, he said India has the potential to dominate sectors like battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler and three-wheeler production, and other sustainable industries. "You have a war going on for over 1,000 days in the heart of Europe. So, the period of stability which was created after World War 2 has come to an end. And you have a breakdown of global supply chains across the world," Kant said. "But whatever is happening, I personally am of the view that this is a huge, huge opportunity for India, because there is a vacuum," he said. He said that when Donald Trump exited the Paris Agreement (for the first time in 2016), China stepped up and now controls 80 per cent of the world's critical minerals. A similar vacuum is emerging, and India must take the lead in clean-tech manufacturing, Kant said. "It's a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil," he cautioned. Kant, along with CSE's Director General Sunita Narain and former deputy chairperson of the erstwhile Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, launched the State of Environment - 2025 report. Narain said there is both good and bad news as we move ahead in 2025. "The good news is that environmental consciousness is increasing. The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections showed that voters were concerned about issues such as clean air, a clean Yamuna, and garbage on the streets. Governments are introducing environmental programmes; farmers care about their soil and water and industries seek resource security without conflicts. "On the 'bad news' front, we are burdened with programmes that lack ambition, institutions that remain weak and an approach to environmental management that is costly and non-inclusive," she said. Kant expressed concern over the poor state of municipal governance in Indian cities, which he said has exacerbated pollution and mismanagement. "If 42 of the cities in India are amongst the 50 worst polluting cities in the world, then there is a huge failure of municipal governance. It has nothing to do with finance. It has nothing to do with the central government," he asserted. Kant also said that water and electricity in India should be priced properly to prevent wastage. "I entirely agree that water needs to be priced because India, with 17 per cent of the world's population, has just 4 per cent of water. Secondly, 90 per cent of water is being consumed by agriculture. That means rice and sugar cane is consuming all your water. And we are actually exporting virtual water in the name of basmati rice," he said. He added that free electricity has encouraged excessive groundwater extraction. Those who consume less should pay less, and those who use more must pay significantly more. This is how Singapore transformed itself, Kant said, citing its shift from a per capita income of USD 600 in 1965 to USD 90,000 today through governance and economic reforms. Citing an example from Nagpur, Kant said that even poor women in the city's poorest slum areas expressed their willingness to pay for water after receiving a piped water supply. "People want to pay for water; it's the politicians and administrators who do not want to charge for it," he said. Kant also criticized populist policies that offer free services without ensuring sustainability. "Everybody has got used to free doles and the Kejriwal system of governance of giving free doles and buying out everybody. And everybody must realize, including women, that if you keep getting free doles, you will make the country go bust," he said. He urged a shift towards efficiency and accountability at all levels of government. "I am a very strong believer that the failure of India is not about finance. It is a failure of good governance at all levels. That must be the hallmark of India," he said.

Climate Justice: A Dirty Word in Today’s Political Climate?

Environmentalist Sunita Narain has raised concerns about the erosion of climate justice amid shifting global politics and trade conflicts. Speaking at the Centre for Science and Environment’s Anil Agarwal Dialogue, she criticized US President Donald Trump’s policies for worsening the climate change battle.

Global trade shifts open doors for India, it’s time to lead cleantech: Amitabh Kant

Geopolitical instability has disrupted global trade, creating a vacuum that India must use to boost its cleantech manufacturing and economic growth, former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday.In his address at the annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue organised by the Centre for Science and Environment, Amitabh Kant highlighted India’s potential to become a global leader in battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler, and three-wheeler production, and other sustainable industries. “It’s a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil,” he said. He recalled how China stepped up when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2016. As a result, China now controls 80 per cent of the world’s critical minerals. Amitabh Kant believes a similar opportunity is emerging, and India should seize it to strengthen its clean-tech sector.

Climate justice has become a ‘dirty word’ amid geopolitical shifts: Environmentalist Sunita Narain

Environmentalist Sunita Narain said on Wednesday that the concept of climate justice is being undermined as global trade conflicts and political shifts reshape climate action. Addressing the Centre for Science and Environment’s annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue here, the CSE director general said that US President Donald Trump’s policies, coupled with economic deglobalization, have turned climate justice into a “dirty word”. Narain said that starting from the 1990s, rich countries shifted industrial production to emerging economies like China and India which allowed rich nations to maintain high consumption levels without cutting their emissions. Now, as countries are finally forced to act on climate change, backlash is growing. “There is anger against the government, against renewable energy, against electrification. Trump has only capitalized on this anger,” she said. “They want their jobs back. They say they want manufacturing back. But where will the labour come from? And more importantly, will bringing back manufacturing does not lead to more emissions in their own countries?” Narain said that this has serious implications for the global carbon budget, which is the amount of carbon dioxide the world can emit from 1850 to 2030 to keep temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. “The US, which had a 24 per cent share of the budget, was expected to reduce it to 22 per cent. But with Trump, its share will actually increase. China was at 13 per cent and was expected to rise to 16 per cent. This leaves no space for the rest of the world,” she said. “The appropriation that was done … There are no apologies about it. The word ‘climate justice,’ the word ‘climate equity’ has become a dirty word. But what happens to us? We need to grow, we need to develop, we need more energy. Where will that come from?” She said there was good news on the domestic front, pointing out that in the 2025 Delhi Assembly election, a survey by CSE revealed that voters considered issues like the Yamuna’s condition, air quality, and garbage as key factors in their decision to vote out the AAP government. She said that this marked a shift, as environmental concerns were no longer limited to elite, middle-class neighbourhoods. A large section of the population now recognized these problems as important, showing that they had become mainstream political issues, she said.

प्रौद्योगिकी क्षेत्र में तेजी से आगे बढ़ने से भारत में बदलाव आएगा : अमिताभ कांत

अलवर (राजस्थान), 27 फरवरी (भाषा) भारत के जी-20 शेरपा अमिताभ कांत ने कहा कि प्रौद्योगिकी क्षेत्र में तेजी से आगे बढ़ने से भारत में बदलाव आएगा। साथ ही देश को वैश्विक व्यवधानों के बीच स्वच्छ प्रौद्योगिकी विनिर्माण में अग्रणी बनने के अवसर का लाभ उठाना चाहिए। ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट’ के वार्षिक अनिल अग्रवाल संवाद कार्यक्रम से इतर यहां ‘पीटीआई-भाषा’ को दिए साक्षात्कार में कांत ने यह भी स्वीकार किया कि जलवायु परिवर्तन के लिए ऐतिहासिक रूप से जिम्मेदार विकसित देशों से वित्तीय सहायता की कमी विकासशील देशों के नए जलवायु लक्ष्यों को प्रभावित कर सकती है। कांत ने कहा कि वैश्विक व्यापार में व्यवधानों ने भारत के लिए एक महत्वपूर्ण अवसर उत्पन्न किया है।

भारत के पास वैश्विक आपूर्ति श्रृंखला में महत्वपूर्ण भागीदारी का बड़ा अवसर: अमिताभ कांत

अलवर (राजस्थान), 26 फरवरी (भाषा) भारत के जी-20 शेरपा अमिताभ कांत ने बुधवार को कहा कि वैश्विक स्तर पर अस्थिरता ने दुनिया के व्यापार को खंडित कर दिया है, ऐसे में भारत के पास इस खालीपन का लाभ उठाते हुए स्वच्छ प्रौद्यागिकी विनिर्माण और आर्थिक वृद्धि में तेजी लाने की दिशा में काम करने का बड़ा अवसर है। उन्होंने यहां सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के वार्षिक अनिल अग्रवाल संवाद कार्यक्रम को संबोधित करते हुए कहा कि भारत के पास बैटरी विनिर्माण, इलेक्ट्रिक दोपहिया और तिपहिया उत्पादन और पर्यावरण अनुकूल अन्य उद्योगों में अपना दबदबा कायम करने की क्षमता है। कांत ने कहा, ‘‘यूरोप में 1,000 दिन से अधिक से युद्ध चल रहा है। इसलिए, द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के बाद जो स्थिरता बनी थी, समाप्त होती दिख रही है। और आपके पास दुनियाभर में वैश्विक आपूर्ति श्रृंखलाएं टूट गई हैं।’’ उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘लेकिन जो कुछ भी हो रहा है, मेरा निजी तौर पर मानना ​​है कि यह भारत के लिए एक बहुत बड़ा अवसर है, क्योंकि इन सबसे एक खालीपन उत्पन्न हुआ है।’’ कांत ने कहा कि जब डोनाल्ड ट्रंप (पहली बार 2016 में) पेरिस समझौते से बाहर निकले, तो चीन ने कदम बढ़ाया और अब दुनिया के 80 प्रतिशत महत्वपूर्ण खनिजों पर उसका नियंत्रण है।

भूराजनीतिक बदलावों के बीच ‘गंदा शब्द’ बन गया है आपराधिक न्याय :पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण

अलवर (राजस्थान), 26 फरवरी (भाषा) पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण ने बुधवार को कहा कि वैश्विक व्यापार संघर्षों और राजनीतिक बदलावों के कारण जलवायु न्याय की अवधारणा कमज़ोर हो रही है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवॉयरमेंट (सीएसई) के वार्षिक अनिल अग्रवाल संवाद को संबोधित करते हुए, सीएसई महानिदेशक ने कहा कि अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रंप की नीतियों और आर्थिक विवैश्वीकरण (डीग्लोबलाइजेशन) ने जलवायु न्याय को ‘गंदे शब्द’ में बदल दिया है। नारायण ने कहा कि 1990 के दशक से ही अमीर देशों ने औद्योगिक उत्पादन को चीन और भारत जैसी उभरती अर्थव्यवस्थाओं में स्थानांतरित कर दिया, जिससे अमीर देशों को अपने उत्सर्जन में कटौती किए बिना उच्च उपभोग स्तर बनाए रखने की अनुमति मिल गई। अब, जब देशों को अंततः जलवायु परिवर्तन पर कार्रवाई करने के लिए मजबूर किया जा रहा है, तो प्रतिक्रिया बढ़ रही है। उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘सरकार के खिलाफ, नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के खिलाफ, विद्युतीकरण के खिलाफ गुस्सा है। ट्रंप ने केवल इस गुस्से को भुनाया है।’’ नारायण ने कहा, ‘‘वे अपनी नौकरियां वापस चाहते हैं। वे कहते हैं कि वे विनिर्माण वापस चाहते हैं। लेकिन श्रम कहां से आएगा? और सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात यह है कि क्या विनिर्माण को वापस लाने से उनके अपने देशों में अधिक उत्सर्जन नहीं होगा?’’ उन्होंने कहा कि इसका वैश्विक कार्बन बजट पर गंभीर प्रभाव पड़ेगा, जो कि कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड की वह मात्रा है जिसे दुनिया 1850 से 2030 तक तापमान को 1.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे रखने के लिए उत्सर्जित कर सकती है। सीएसई महानिदेशक ने कहा, ‘‘अमेरिका, जिसका बजट में 24 प्रतिशत हिस्सा था, उसे घटाकर 22 प्रतिशत करने की उम्मीद थी। लेकिन ट्रंप के आने से, उसका हिस्सा वास्तव में बढ़ जाएगा। चीन 13 प्रतिशत पर था और उसके बढ़कर 16 प्रतिशत होने की उम्मीद थी। इससे बाकी दुनिया के लिए कोई जगह नहीं बचती।’’ उन्होंने कहा कि घरेलू मोर्चे पर अच्छी खबर है जहां 2025 के दिल्ली विधानसभा चुनाव में, सीएसई द्वारा किए गए एक सर्वेक्षण से पता चला है कि मतदाताओं ने यमुना की स्थिति, वायु गुणवत्ता और कचरे जैसे मुद्दों को आप सरकार को बाहर करने के अपने फैसले में प्रमुख कारक बताया। उन्होंने कहा कि यह एक बदलाव का संकेत है, क्योंकि पर्यावरण संबंधी चिंताएं अब केवल कुलीन, मध्यम वर्ग के इलाकों तक सीमित नहीं हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि आबादी का एक बड़ा हिस्सा अब इन समस्याओं को महत्वपूर्ण मानता है, यह दर्शाता है कि वे मुख्यधारा के राजनीतिक मुद्दे बन गए हैं।

Climate justice has become a 'dirty word' amid geopolitical shifts Environmentalist Sunita Narain

Environmentalist Sunita Narain said on Wednesday that the concept of climate justice is being undermined as global trade conflicts and political shifts reshape climate action. Addressing the Centre for Science and Environment's annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue here, the CSE director general said that US President Donald Trump's policies, coupled with economic deglobalization, have turned climate justice into a "dirty word". Narain said that starting from the 1990s, rich countries shifted industrial production to emerging economies like China and India which allowed rich nations to maintain high consumption levels without cutting their emissions. Now, as countries are finally forced to act on climate change, backlash is growing. "There is anger against the government, against renewable energy, against electrification. Trump has only capitalized on this anger," she said. "They want their jobs back. They say they want manufacturing back. But where will the labour come from? And more importantly, will bringing back manufacturing does not lead to more emissions in their own countries?" Narain said that this has serious implications for the global carbon budget, which is the amount of carbon dioxide the world can emit from 1850 to 2030 to keep temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. "The US, which had a 24 per cent share of the budget, was expected to reduce it to 22 per cent. But with Trump, its share will actually increase. China was at 13 per cent and was expected to rise to 16 per cent. This leaves no space for the rest of the world," she said. "The appropriation that was done ... There are no apologies about it. The word 'climate justice,' the word 'climate equity' has become a dirty word. But what happens to us? We need to grow, we need to develop, we need more energy. Where will that come from?" She said there was good news on the domestic front, pointing out that in the 2025 Delhi Assembly election, a survey by CSE revealed that voters considered issues like the Yamuna's condition, air quality, and garbage as key factors in their decision to vote out the AAP government. She said that this marked a shift, as environmental concerns were no longer limited to elite, middle-class neighbourhoods. A large section of the population now recognized these problems as important, showing that they had become mainstream political issues, she said.

Global trade shifts open doors for India, it’s time to lead cleantech: Amitabh Kant

Geopolitical instability has disrupted global trade, creating a vacuum that India must use to boost its cleantech manufacturing and economic growth, former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday. In his address at the annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue organised by the Centre for Science and Environment, Amitabh Kant highlighted India’s potential to become a global leader in battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler, and three-wheeler production, and other sustainable industries. “It’s a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil,” he said. He recalled how China stepped up when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2016. As a result, China now controls 80 per cent of the world’s critical minerals. Amitabh Kant believes a similar opportunity is emerging, and India should seize it to strengthen its clean-tech sector. However, he also pointed out weaknesses in India’s municipal governance, stating that poor management has worsened pollution and urban challenges. “If 42 of the cities in India are amongst the 50 worst polluting cities in the world, then there is a huge failure of municipal governance,” he said. He added that it has nothing to do with finances or the Central government. He stressed the need for better pricing of water and electricity to prevent wastage, contending that free electricity has led to excessive groundwater extraction. He suggested a pricing model where those who consume less should pay lower rates, while heavy consumers should pay significantly more. “I entirely agree that water needs to be priced because India, with 17 per cent of the world’s population, has just 4 per cent of water,” he noted. He added that 90 per cent of water is being consumed by agriculture. “That means rice and sugar cane are consuming all your water. And we are actually exporting virtual water in the name of basmati rice,” he noted. Citing Singapore’s transformation from a per capita income of $600 in 1965 to $90,000 today, he said India can achieve similar success through governance and economic reforms.(Agency)