Jennifer Morgansaid that both countries can work together in the areas like renewables, green hydrogen and energy efficiency at a time when the world is vulnerable…writes Ayushi Agarwal
Calling India and Germany’s collaboration deep, German Special envoy for international climate action Jennifer Morgan on Wednesday hailed India’s climate goals. She said that both countries can work together in the areas like renewables, green hydrogen and energy efficiency at a time when the world is vulnerable.
“I think German Indian collaboration is long and deep, at least 60 years of collaboration and I think we’re very honoured to work in that partnership with India, which we benefit from quite a lot and really been here to listen, understand, and see how we can deepen our collaboration. We are far away from what is needed on our climate on implementing the Paris agreement. And I think right now having time to sit and listen to each other and see how we can work together is very, very important” said Morgan, the special envoy in the German Foreign Ministry. She further said, “The Indian government’s pathway like the net zero goal to 2070 and the impressive non-fossil goals that have been set. We’re looking to see how we can work together more. We have lots of collaboration on areas like renewables, green hydrogen Energy Efficiency. I think the G20 presidency is preparing that in a very sound way, having the climate change issue really integrated across the various working groups, very impressive.”
The envoy while highlighting Russia – Ukraine war also pointed out Europe’s less dependency on ‘one country’ and “the link between fossil fuel imports, energy, climate security and peace.”
“We know how vulnerable we all are. I watched with great concern the heat waves that happened here last year and Germany has also had quite extreme events. The suffering that happens here is just one small example of the losses of Damages that are occurring and therefore, Germany has really prioritized in the climate negotiations, supporting loss and damage adaptation finance,” Jennifer Morgan.
Morgan further said, “But we also know that the more we’re able to reduce emissions, we’re able to transform our economies to zero carbon and less impacts there will be. So, we take our responsibility very seriously.”
Morgan said that Germany in 2022 accelerated the energy transformation. She said that Germany passed the largest legislative package on energy.
Morgan said, “We have a 2045 greenhouse gas neutral climate law, binding law, which looked are all targets to be in climate neutral by 2045. And last year, we actually accelerated that energy transformation. We passed the largest legislative package on energy. To scale up renewable energy to 80 per cent by 2030.”
“We’re at about 48 to 49 per cent right now, and we decided to do this for a range of reasons. I think Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine just clearly highlighted the link between fossil fuel Imports and energy and climate security and peace. A year ago, fifty per cent of our imports of gas came from Russia and now we’re down to zero Imports of fossil fuels from Russia and so we’ve been diversifying our Imports, she added.
Stressing upon Germany’s climate plan, the envoy said that her country “takes climate finance commitments very seriously’ and ‘how the economies can be growing and investing in renewable energy and Energy Efficiency resilience’.
“You need to remember that the developed countries pledged to 100 billion in Copenhagen and unfortunately that commitment has yet to be made, to be met. Germany takes our climate Finance commitments very seriously, and I think we will continue to do that but we need to step it up,” Morgan said.
She added, “I think it’s not only about that. We really need to be looking at how we can unlock the trillions because that’s how our economies can be growing and investing in renewable energy and Energy Efficiency resilience building shifts and transport as well.”
Upon her arrival in India, Jennifer Morgan in a statement earlier said that “India is a climate policy giant that still has one foot firmly on the ground of the old world of fossil fuels, while also looking to the future. India has recognised the potential that a climate-neutral world offers and wants to tap this for itself.”
“The country has ambitious plans for developing renewable energies and vast potential for solar and wind power and green hydrogen, with great opportunities for investment”, she added. (ANI)