PM Modi Opens NGT International Conference 2026 on Environment and Climate in New Delhi

Key facts

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Green Tribunal (NGT) International Conference on 'The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics' on 19 September 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The two-day conference (19-20 September 2026) has participation from 17 countries and international organisations including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• The inaugural session was attended by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Attorney General R. Venkataramani, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava.
• PM Modi launched the NGT Mobile Application during the inaugural session.
• PM Modi stated that India's per-capita carbon emissions remain less than half the global average and that India fulfilled its COP21 Paris Summit commitments ahead of schedule among G20 countries.
• India's solar capacity increased from around 2 gigawatts to more than 160 gigawatts over the past 12 years, per the Prime Minister's address.
• Over 50 lakh homes have rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and around 30 lakh farmers have received solar pumps under the PM-KUSUM scheme.
• Electric vehicle sales rose around 950-fold, from fewer than 3,000 before 2014 to approximately 25 lakh in the previous year, and India's first Hydrogen Train was recently launched.
• The metro network expanded from about 250 kilometres across five cities in 2014 to over 1,000 kilometres across more than 20 cities.
• More than 70,000 Amrit Sarovars and around 1.5 crore rainwater harvesting structures were built under the Catch the Rain campaign.
• Very dense forest cover increased by more than 22% over the preceding 12 years, according to the Prime Minister.
• CJI Surya Kant traced Indian environmental jurisprudence, citing Articles 48A and 51A of the Constitution, the right to a pollution-free environment under Article 21, and principles including the Precautionary Principle, Polluter Pays Principle, absolute liability and the Public Trust Doctrine.
• CJI Surya Kant noted that adverse effects of climate change can implicate fundamental rights relating to equality, livelihood and health.
• CJI Surya Kant referred to comparative environmental cases from Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Brazil, Thailand, the United States and Australia.