Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday reiterated India’s commitment to fighting the impacts of the climate crisis and assured support to developing countries in achieving their development goals.
Yadav also met Japan environment minister Akihiro Nishimura to discuss India’s global mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) and marine and plastic waste among other issues.
Speaking at the two-day Voice of Global South Summit, Yadav said that developed countries have consumed a significant share of climate resources and it is time for them to take accountability for their past actions.
“Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of UN secretary general António Guterres at the Statue of Unity. First proposed by the Prime Minister at COP26, Mission LiFE is envisioned as a global mass movement that will nudge individual and collective action to protect and preserve the environment. India seeks to lead by example and invites the global community to be a part of Mission LiFE for individual, family and community-based actions,” he said.
“India is committed to tackling the impact of climate change and supporting the efforts of developing countries to achieve their developmental goals through necessary developmental and technical assistance. India has always encouraged a global initiative that champions the interest and concerns of developing countries,” he added.
Yadav also said that while economic growth, since the industrial revolution, has granted countries greater prosperity and opportunities, it has come at a huge cost to the environment.
“The developmental path followed by most developed nations during the course of history has been ruthless. It led to excessive consumption of resources both at home and subjugate colonies,” he said.
The minister said urgent global climate action is indeed the need of the hour.
“The development of a country and the conservation of its biodiversity and ecosystems are two important aspects, neither of which can be ignored. As such, there is a need for development policies to be inclusive and sustainable to reduce inequality and contribute to empowerment and improvement of the quality of people’s lives,” he said.
On the global climate action, he said: “This must be guided by the principles of climate justice, including equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”
Equity means that each country’s share of carbon dioxide emissions is equal to its share of the global population.
In his meeting with Nishimura, Yadav said both Japan and India have taken over presidencies of the G7 and G20 summits, respectively, and this presents an opportunity for both countries to set the agendas and priorities for shaping the future of the world towards a “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or one earth.
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