Govt unlikely to implement 20 to 28 degrees AC temp range immediately: Union environment minister
NEW DELHI: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday said the government is unlikely to implement the air conditioner temperature range of 20 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius anytime soon and that it will be introduced gradually over time.
Asked at the India Climate Summit when the new AC temperature range would be implemented, Yadav said any such situation "may arise only after 2050".
"I do not think it will happen immediately; capacities will be gradually built for it over time," he said.
Yadav said that achieving climate targets must be done in line with national circumstances and the CBDR-RC (Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities) principle.
India's nationally determined contributions (NDCs), or national climate plan, submitted to the UN climate body, emphasise ensuring "access to energy to its people", he said.
The principle of CBDR-RC means all countries must fight climate change, but developed nations should do more because they have historically contributed more emissions and have greater resources.
Earlier this month, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said air conditioners in India will soon be required to operate within a fixed range of 20 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius, and settings below or above this limit will be prohibited.
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