G20: First Environment and Climate Sustainability meeting to begin in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The First G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group Meeting under India G20 Presidency will begin in Bengaluru on Thursday.

The three-day meeting will be hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the conference will be chaired by the Secretary of the ministry, Leena Nandan.

With the goal of adopting an integrated, comprehensive and consensus-driven approach to tackling the challenges of climate change, several delegates from G20 countries along with representatives of international organisations will participate in this meeting.

Briefing media the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Richa Sharma said the issues concerning biodiversity will be top on the agenda for deliberations.

Land degradation and biodiversity loss, marine pollution, conservation of mangroves and coral reefs are some of the core areas of deliberations in the three days event said the officials

As a matter of priority, the working group will also be focusing on promoting a sustainable and climate-resilient blue economy; and encouraging resource efficiency and circular economy.

LiFE is an “important and cross cutting” theme across all three priorities, officials said, adding that the three-day meeting includes an event on ecosystem restoration and biodiversity enrichment practices.

The subsequent meetings will take place at Gandhinagar, Mumbai and Chennai.

The delegates will visit Kalkere, Arboretum and Bannerghatta National Park to showcase the forest restoration model adopted in India.

Over 142 delegates from G20 countries and 19 member countries and the European Union, 25 from 10 guest countries and 21 representatives of international organisations are slated to meet and hold global discourse during the meet.