India is helping to shape global change, Union Environment Minister Bhupinder Yadav on Monday said at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conference on ‘The Future of Global Economy, Industry and Society and India@100 Vision’.
“In many ways, this is not just an era of change; it is an era of change. In this emerging global order, countries that combine innovation and resilience, economic strength with social harmony, and growth with sustainability, will lead the 21st century,” he said, adding that India is not only participating in global change, India is helping to shape it. “India’s renewable energy sector has made the goal of energy self-reliance a reality,” Yadav said.
India ranks third globally in installed renewable energy capacity as of March 2026, after China and the USA. India’s cumulative solar capacity stands at 150 GW, up from just 2.82 GW in 2014 – a 53-fold increase in 12 years. Now about 50% of India’s installed electricity capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources. Meanwhile, India reduced the emissions intensity of its GDP by 36% between 2005 and 2020, reflecting steady progress towards decarbonisation.
“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 decline in per capita emissions, and early achievement of non-fossil energy targets.
During his speech to CII, he also said that corporate funding is needed to support areas critical to big cat conservation such as habitat restoration, technology-based monitoring and monitoring, community-based conservation, capacity building, and conservation awareness. CII has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an intergovernmental intergovernmental organization launched by India in 2023 to protect seven major species of big cats – leopard, lion, leopard, snow leopard, jaguar, puma and cheetah – and their ecosystems.
“I urge you all to come forward to save the big cats because by saving their future, we are also saving our future, because as predators and umbrella species, big cats maintain ecological balance, protecting vast landscapes, biodiversity and water resources,” Yadav said.
South-South Cooperation at the Big Cat Summit
India is expected to present a “global vision for big cats” at the first IBCA Summit 2026 on June 1-2, according to officials.
The summit will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. About 13 heads of state are expected to make statements on the state of big cat conservation, which will include sharing experiences and national priorities. Officials also expect member states to adopt the first Delhi Declaration on the Conservation of Big Cats.
Officials said the summit will be a major milestone in highlighting the central role of biodiversity conservation in climate resilience and sustainable development.
“Since most big cat countries are located in the Global South, this summit represents an opportunity for South-South cooperation. It is also very important to note that with the IBCA, we are able to focus on and conserve big cat habitats. This serves as climate change mitigation,” said a senior EU Environment Ministry official.
There are 95 countries where big cats live in America, Africa and Asia. India is the only grassland country that is home to five species of big cats including tiger, lion, cheetah, snow leopard and cheetah.
The seven pillars of big cat conservation, which are likely to be highlighted at the summit, promote global cooperation; Showcasing best practices and innovations in big cat management; Strengthening synergies between policies and institutions for habitat conservation; Stimulate community participation; Mobilizing resources and partnerships for wildlife conservation; Develop strategies to promote human-wildlife coexistence; And promote the conservation and protection of biodiversity through significant efforts.
Officials said big cats face increasing threats, including habitat fragmentation and loss of connection to the landscape; Increase human-wildlife interaction; Climate impacts on ecosystems and emerging and transboundary wildlife diseases.
“For example, India already has experience in reintroducing cheetahs, and best practices can be shared with other countries. This is to facilitate a better understanding of the processes involved in conserving the species and habitats,” an official said.
