NewDelhi April 3 :Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Friday Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted US President Joe Biden’s invitation to attend Leaders’ Summit on Climate.
“US President Joe Biden has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Leaders’ Summit on Climate. PM Modi welcomed Joe Biden’s initiative and accepted the invitation,” news agency PTI quoted Bagchi as saying at an online media briefing.
The two-day Leaders’ Summit on Climate will be held virtually on April 22-23 and will be telecasted live for public viewing. The summit will reconvene the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP.
Besides, US’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is set to visit India next week — from April 5-8.
During his visit, Kerry will discuss the upcoming Leaders’ Summit on Climate hosted by Joe Biden as well as key climate issues in the context of the COP26 meet to be held later this year, the MEA said on Friday.
Responding to questions on Kerry’s India visit, Bagchi said the special presidential envoy on climate will visit Delhi from April 5-8.
The purpose of his visit would be to discuss this forthcoming leaders’ summit on climate.
Bagchi said climate issues in general in the context of the UN climate change summit COP26, which is to be held later this year, will also be on Kerry’s agenda.
“We expect that during his visit, Mr Kerry will be interacting with several ministers, including the external affairs minister as well as ministers of finance, petroleum and natural gas, environment, power and new and renewable energy,” PTI quoted Bagchi as saying.
Joe Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including PM Modi, to a US-hosted virtual summit on climate to underscore the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action, the White House said.
Joe Biden will host the two-day climate summit of world leaders starting on Earth Day, April 22, in which he will outline the US’ goal for reductions of carbon emissions by 2030 — known as the nationally determined contribution under the historic Paris accord.
The summit will reconvene the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP.