US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry on Monday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for setting ambitious climate targets and said India has demonstrated that economic development and clean energy can go hand in hand. While congratulating India for making significant progress in climate targets, Kerry said that the 450 gigawatts renewable energy goal will be reached by India, according to ANI news agency. 

The US special envoy announced Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation dialogue to serve as a powerful avenue for US-India collaboration.  Kerry is on an official visit to India from September 12-14.

"PM Modi has set very ambitious targets in India. The target of 450 GW by 2030, of renewable energy, is one of the most powerful goals in the world. You have already reached about 100 GW. I congratulate India for a remarkable milestone," said Kerry.

"We are absolutely confident that the 450 gigawatts as a goal can and will be reached and we look forward to partnering with India," he added.

He further said that India is a "world leader" in demonstrating economic development and clean energy isn't a choice, "you can do them both at same time."

"I look forward to seeing this ambition hopefully given its proper due credit at COP in Glasgow," he added.

Kerry also met Power Minister RK Singh as part of his India trip to address the climate crisis. 

The US special envoy - whose efforts at working with China on climate change mitigation were rebuffed by Beijing - will meet with India counterparts and private sector leaders to discuss efforts to raise global climate ambition and speed India's clean energy transition, the US State Department informed in a statement.
 
The special envoy's travel will bolster the US bilateral and multilateral climate efforts ahead of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held October 31 to November 12, 2021, in Glasgow, United Kingdom.