India will formally join the Paris Agreement on climate change at the United Nations on Sunday, an Environment Ministry official told The Associated Press. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his approval Wednesday for India to ratify the Paris Agreement on October 2, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, India’s independence leader who believed in a small carbon footprint.

While the the Paris Agreement has met the first of two requirements to enter into legal force — joining on by at least 55 countries — it still needs participation from countries representing just over 7% of the world’s emissions to meet the second target — joining on by countries representing 55% of the world’s emissions. India, the world’s third largest greenhouse gas emitter, accounts for 4.5% of the world’s emissions, so its ratification will bring the agreement ever closer to entry into force.

India has committed that by 2030, at least 40 percent of its electricity will be generated from non-fossil sources, including 175 gigawatt renewable energy capacity by 2022.

Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the World Resources Institute, said that India “has one of the boldest renewable energy targets in the world, making it destined to be a major player in solar and wind markets.”

The Associated Press reports, “Money will be a big challenge for India, which says it will require over $2.5 trillion to meet all of its targets. It says it will achieve the targets only if other countries give it money and discounts on new technology.”

Image: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R) meets with Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India in September of last year | Image Credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas