India will be able to meet its net-zero goals even before the current target of the year 2070, considering the progress the country has made so far in key areas like renewable energy development, a top global expert on climate change and sustainability says.

''Look at India’s achievements in solar energy for example -- surpassing set goals (2030) by years and now poised to increase those targets. We are also seeing the same kind of action on the overall net zero goals,'' Katie McGinty, vice-president & chief sustainability and external relations officer, Johnson Controls, told Fortune India in an exclusive interaction.

Katie, former chairperson of the 'White House Council on Environmental Quality' and served as deputy assistant to former U.S. president Bill Clinton, is now a member of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Steering Committee and Independent Standards Board, headquartered in the U.S. The GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardised frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions.

She said India has a high level of adoption of digital capabilities and technologies and it will help to lead to emissions reduction. When data and digital platforms enhance operating systems, it significantly cuts emissions, energy and water use. Hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel or chemicals require innovation across industries, especially in the built environment, which contributes nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Through efficiency, electrification, and digitalisation, it is possible to convert that 40% to net-zero emissions and even net-positive energy contributors, she said.

''We must start with energy efficiency - maximising well-being with minimal cost and resources. This foundation allows us to meet remaining energy needs with renewable and distributed assets and must address these needs through scalable solutions, ensuring sustainable growth across communities globally,'' she said.

India net-zero goals

Exclusive: India can hit net-zero well before 2070, says climate expert