PM Modi inaugurates NGT conference on environment and climate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated a two-day international conference on “The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics”, organised by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.The conference, being held on September 19 and 20, brings together environmental experts, members of the judiciary, senior government officials and representatives of environmental institutions from India and abroad. It aims to facilitate dialogue on critical environmental and climate challenges and explore ways to strengthen environmental governance and institutional cooperation.
The inaugural session was attended by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav, Attorney General R Venkataramani and NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava.Judges from the Supreme Court and High Courts, District Court judges, ministry secretaries, senior government officials, representatives of State Judicial Academies and State Legal Services Authorities are participating in the conference. Representatives from State Expert Appraisal Committees, State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities and State Wetland Authorities are also taking part.The international conference also features eminent judges and judicial representatives from 17 countries, providing a platform for exchanging judicial approaches, scientific knowledge, environmental governance practices and institutional experiences across jurisdictions.
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Modi said the responsibility for carbon emissions has often been wrongly placed on developing countries. He pointed out that India’s per-capita carbon emissions remain less than half the global average.He said developed countries have significantly higher per-capita carbon emissions compared with India, highlighting the need to consider historical and per-capita dimensions while discussing global climate responsibility.

VIDEO | Delhi: Addressing at the International Conference on 'The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics', PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi ) says, "And those who keep giving long lectures on the environment, when I advance the work on nuclear energy, will go and stand in the… pic.twitter.com/DRzh7nfjcJ

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2026

Modi also spoke about India’s efforts to expand clean and low-carbon energy sources, including nuclear power. He said India’s non-fossil energy capacity has increased nearly fourfold, while emphasising the need to balance development with environmental responsibility.The Prime Minister also referred to the opposition to nuclear energy projects, saying that those who speak about environmental protection sometimes approach courts when work on nuclear power is advanced. He said a pathway has also been created for private participation in the sector.
Focus on Environmental Governance
According to the NGT, the conference will address key environmental and climate challenges, policy gaps and ways to strengthen institutional cooperation. Four technical sessions will cover climate resilience, circular economy, biodiversity and sustainable energy.The discussions aim to develop a roadmap for emerging environmental challenges while strengthening environmental justice and cooperation.According to agency reports, President Droupadi Murmu will attend the valedictory session on Sunday, along with Union Minister Manohar Lal, Supreme Court Judge Justice P S Narasimha, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.