The time to limit global warming is melting away

This is an incredibly difficult time for the world. The world is facing two momentous challenges: COVID-19 and climate change.
Hence both need us to come together globally to find a way forward.

India has a strong record in tackling of climate change which includes:

Impressive domestic targets to have 450GW of renewable energy by 2030.
Establishment of International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
India played a critical role in the landmark Paris Agreement and is working closely with the United Kingdom for COP 26th to be hosted at Glasgow, in 2021.
India and the UK are also working on a Roadmap to work together on the best ways to drive the green growth agenda.
India has an opportunity to show that a different development path is possible.
India has innovation and political will to do so. It has already proved this by quadrupling wind and solar capacity in the last decade.

UK who will be holding Conference of Parties this year is handling climate change through

Setting ambitious short-term targets backed up by a net zero target so as to have a low carbon footprint in future.

It provides a moment to address the enormous threat of climate change and build a cleaner, brighter future for everyone as:

Every fraction of a degree makes a difference. An average global temperature rise of 2°C as compared to 1.5°C would see hundreds of millions more people affected.
As per estimates of Climate Action Tracker, with present countries’ current emissions reduction targets world average temperature rise will be of about 2.4°C. Hence, to limit warming to 1.5°C, we must halve global emissions by 2030.
COP-26 is an opportunity for this to happen.

Increasing climate vulnerabilities which is visible from cyclones, Tauktae and Yaas, that hit India last month, shows that we must act on the very real need for flood defences, warning systems and other vital efforts to minimise, avert and address the loss and damage caused by climate change.
India’s CDRI in which the U.K. is also a partner needs to be strengthened with global participation.
Developed countries have promised to deliver the right flow of finance ( $100 billion annually) and technology to support developing countries such as India in their transition. Hence, there is a need to push developed countries to honor their commitment as it is a matter of trust.
Last but not the least, all which includes governments, businesses and civil society must come forward to deliver the goal of limiting world temperature through building consensus among governments for an ambitious, balanced and inclusive outcome.

COP26 is our last chance to keep hopes of limiting global warming to 1.5°C alive, of building a brighter future, of green jobs and cleaner air.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-time-to-limit-global-warming-is-melting-away/article34731302.ece

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