The members of UN Climate Action Summit were in for a surprise when US President Donald Trump, on Monday popped in at the event, after previously refusing to attend the same. According to international news reports, Trump spent about 15 minutes at the Summit. Reports state that he had scheduled an appearance at a religious freedom event at the same time as the same event. He reportedly listened to PM Modi and Chancellor Angela Merkel's address before exiting the venue.

Trump makes an appearance at the UN Climate Summit

Previously on Sunday, talking to reporters outside the White House, he reportedly said that he was not snubbing the climate change event by not attending it. "It’s not a snub at all. I’m very busy, I’m going on the flights today," he said. Trump had flown down to Houston to review the flood damages in the area, before joining PM Modi at the mega 'Howdy Modi' event. Highlighting his Houston visit, he said, "The floods are very important to me, and uh, climate change -- everything is very important,” outside the White House to reporters. Trump has famously denied climate change calling it a 'Chinese Hoax'.

WATCH | PM Modi upps ante on renewables, targets 450 GW after '175 GW by 2022'

175GW renewable capacity by 2022

Meanwhile, at the  United Nation 's Climate Action Summit, PM Modi set a 450 GW target for India's renewable energy generating capacity. Stating that the protection of nature is a part of Indian tradition he said that it is also a part of India's future. Putting principles into action, he said that India plans to increase its capacity to 175 GW by 2022. He also highlighted India's motto 'Need not greed'.

"This is my first speech on Climate. Behavioural change is needed with regards to climate change as an international effort. Protection of natural resources has been our (India) tradition and our future plan. Need not greed has been our motto.  An ounce of practice is worth a ton of preaching. Hence, India is not only talking but has come up with a road map. By 2022, we plan to take renewable energy capacity till 175 GW and aim to increase it till 450 GW," he said. 

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UN Climate Action Summit 2019

According to the press release, leaders from government, business, and civil society announced potentially far-reaching steps to confront climate change at the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in New York. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had directed participating countries to come with concrete and realistic plans, to enhance their nationally determined contributions by 2020. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050. The UN estimates that the world would need to increase its efforts between three- and five-fold to contain climate change to the levels dictated by science – a 1.5°C rise at most – and avoid escalating climate damage already taking place around the world.

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