India helps shape global change, Bhupender Yadav tells CII Conference

Officials said the first IBCA Summit 2026 will be held on June 1-2, presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with around 13 heads of state expected to speak. The summit is anticipated to adopt the Delhi Declaration on Big Cat Conservation, underscoring biodiversity conservation as a climate resilience and sustainable development priority and emphasizing South-South collaboration.

At the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conference on ‘Future of the Global Economy, Industry and Society, and the Vision for India@100,’ Bhupender Yadav said India is shaping global change, not merely participating in it. He highlighted a renewable energy-led path to energy self-sufficiency, noted that around half of installed capacity is from non-fossil sources, and cited the 36% reduction in emissions intensity between 2005 and 2020. He also referenced the release of India’s Biennial Transparency Report in April 2026 and stressed corporate funding for big-cat conservation through CII’s MoU with IBCA.

As a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, India released its first Biennial Transparency Report in April 2026, highlighting a 37.38% reduction in emissions intensity, continued low per capita emissions, and early achievement of non-fossil capacity targets.

India stands third globally in renewable energy installed capacity as of March 2026. Cumulative solar capacity reached 150 GW, up from 2.82 GW in 2014 (a 53-fold increase in 12 years). About 50% of installed electricity capacity now comes from non-fossil sources.

The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched by India in 2023 to protect seven major big cat species — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, jaguar, puma, and cheetah — and their ecosystems. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has a memorandum of understanding with IBCA.