##s goal - wise scores on the 16 sdgs for each state and uts. overall state and ut scores are generated from goal - wise scores to measure aggregate performance of the subnational unit based on its performance across the 16 sdgs. this index was launched in december 2018. for the year 2020 - 21, kerala came first on the index whereas tamil nadu and himachal pradesh shared the second place. niti aayog, in collaboration with united nations, is also fostering competition among states and uts by ranking them on global developmental goals. as our states compete for a place in the sun, they will nurture business growth, put in place the best physical and social infrastructure and provide us with improved basic amenities, clean energy, and better health and societal outcomes. along with foreign investment bringing in new technologies and ideas, we are moving into a national ethos of wider consumer choices and a better standard of living. decarbonisation climate change is manifesting itself at an alarming scale and pace globally. extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, inflicting increasing damage on human lives and the environment, globally and in india. the intensifying concern now is that climate change is heavily influenced by human activity. in fact, the period from the mid20th century has been defined as the " anthropocene " epoch, marking a significant impact on earth's climate due to the increased use of fossil fuels. india and other developing economies are highly vulnerable to climate change due to their limited capabilities in climate science and technology and insufficient funding for adaptation and mitigation. the relative costs of transitioning to a greener path are higher for them than for the advanced economies ; undertaking the transition can even push them several places down the development ladder. from the developing world, india has emerged as a leading voice on global climate action that is mindful of climate equity and justice considerations. india has taken numerous policy initiatives in this direction. in 2015, india submitted its nationally determined commitments ( ndcs ) to the united nations framework convention on climate change ( unfccc ) with targets up to 2030. at cop26 in 2021 15, india updated its ndcs, which now represent the framework for its transition to cleaner energy for the period from 2021 to 2030. it has committed to the five - fold strategy of panchamrit, which include raising its non - fossil - fuels - based energy capacity to 500 gw by 2030 ; raising

in life 2, there is a tide in the affairs of nations which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. india is poised on the crest of a tide in its history that will take it to its full potential in securing its aspirational goals for the future of its citizens and in its role in global affairs, albeit amidst several challenges. it is in that context and spirit that i thought i will spend some time envisioning the dawn of india ’ s age. demographics according to the united nations 3, india has become the most populous country in the world this year, attesting to the flowering of the demographic dividend that set in from 2018. there is a paradigm shift in our thinking on the subject. once considered a drag on development in the tradition of thomas malthus4, our large population is now regarded as an asset and an opportunity in a world in which many countries are confronting aging and even population decline. by contrast, our population is young – the median age is 28 years. every sixth working age ( 15 - 64 years ) person in the world is an indian. the potential for boosting saving and investment that this entails considerably enhances india ’ s emergence as the world ’ s economic powerhouse of the future. in fact, this momentous development 2 william shakespeare, julius caesar. https : / / www. un. org / development / desa / dpad / publication / un - desa - policy - brief - no - 153 - india - overtakeschina - as - the - worlds - most - populouscountry / # : ~ : text = in % 20april % 202023 % 2c % 20india's % 20population, to % 20grow % 20for % 20several % 20decades “ the power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. — thomas malthus, 1798. an essay on the principle of population. chapter vii, p. 61. has been termed as ‘ shifting the world ’ s centre of gravity ’ 5 because it could be heralding a tectonic change in india ’ s role in the global order. moreover, india ’ s population is expected to keep growing for the next four decades, peaking at under 1. 7 billion in 2063. more than a sixth of the increase of the world ’ s working age population between