India is helping shape global change, says Bhupender Yadav at CII Conference

INdia is portion forge world-wide exchange, unification environment minister, Bhupender Yadav said on Monday at Confederation of Indian Industry (CII’s) conference on ‘Future of the Global Economy, Industry and Society, and the Vision for India@100.’“In many ways, this is not merely an era of change; it is a change of era. In this emerging global order, nations that combine innovation with resilience, economic strength with social harmony, and growth with sustainability will lead the 21st century,” he said, adding that India is not just participating in global change, India is helping shape it. “India’s renewable energy sector has made the goal of self-reliance in energy a reality,” Yadav said.India stands third globally in renewable energy installed capacity as of March 2026, after China and the USA. India’s cumulative solar capacity stands at 150 gigawatts (GW), up from just 2.82 GW in 2014 — a 53-fold increase in 12 years. Around 50% of India’s installed electricity capacity now comes from non-fossil fuel sources. At the same time, India has reduced the emissions intensity of its GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020, reflecting steady progress towards decarbonisation, he said.“As a responsible Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, India released its first Biennial Transparency Report in April 2026,” Yadav said, adding that the report highlights a 37.38% reduction in emissions intensity, continued low per capita emissions, and early achievement of non-fossil capacity targets,” he added.During his address to CII, he also said that corporate funding is essential to support critical areas of big cat conservation such as habitat restoration, technology-driven monitoring and surveillance, community-based conservation, capacity building, and conservation awareness. CII has an MoU with the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an inter-governmental international organisation launched by India in 2023 to protect seven major big cat species — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, jaguar, puma, and cheetah — and their ecosystems.“I urge you all to come forward to save the big cats because in saving their future, we are also saving our own because as apex predators and umbrella species. The big cats maintain ecological balance, protecting vast landscapes, biodiversity, and water resources,” Yadav said.South-South cooperation at Big Cat SummitIndia is expected to present a “global vision for big cats” at the first IBCA Summit 2026 on June 1 and 2, according to officials.The summit will be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Around 13 heads of states are expected to make statements on the status of big cat conservation, which will include sharing national experiences and priorities. Officials are also expecting member countries to adopt the first ever “Delhi Declaration on Big Cat Conservation”The Summit will be a major milestone in highlighting the central role of biodiversity conservation in climate resilience and sustainable development, officials said.“Since most big cat countries are in the Global South, this summit is an opportunity for South-South collaboration. It is also very important to note that with IBCA, we are able to focus on big cat habitats and conserve them. That acts as climate mitigation,” said a senior official of the Union environment ministry.There are 95 big cat range countries across America, Africa and Asia. India is the only range country with five big cat species including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah.The seven pillars of big cat conservation, likely to be highlighted at the summit, are strengthening global cooperation; showcasing best practices and innovations in big cat management; promoting policy and institutional synergy for habitat conservation; catalysing community engagement; mobilising resources and partnerships for wildlife conservation; evolving strategies to promote human-wildlife coexistence; and advancing biodiversity conservation and protection through big cat efforts.Officials said big cats face growing threats, including habitat fragmentation and loss of landscape connectivity; increased human–wildlife interface; climate-induced impacts on ecosystems and emerging and transboundary wildlife diseases.“For example, India already has experience in reintroduction of cheetahs, the best practices can be shared with other countries. This is to facilitate better understanding of processes related to conservation of species and habitats,” an official said.