New Delhi: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Monday said that India of the 21st century is moving forward with a very clear roadmap for climate change and environmental protection.
Addressing the meet on World Environment Day through video conference here, Prime Minister Modi said, “During the last 9 years, India has made an unprecedented focus on green and clean energy”.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India organized the World Environment Day on 5th June 2023 with a thrust on the Mission LiFE.
The concept of LiFE, means Lifestyle for Environment was introduced by The Prime Minister at the World Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow at COP26, when he gave a clarion call to rekindle a global pursuit to adopt environment friendly lifestyles and practices.
Underlining that India has created a balance of Present Requirements and Future Vision, the Prime Minister stated that necessary help has been provided to the poorest of the poor while huge steps have been taken keeping in mind the energy needs of the future.
Underlining the theme of this year’s Environment Day – the campaign to get rid of single-use plastic, the Prime Minister expressed happiness that India has been working continuously in this direction for the past 4-5 years.
He informed that India started working on two levels to get rid of single-use plastic in 2018.
“On the one hand, we have banned single-use plastic while on the other hand, plastic waste processing has been made mandatory”, he added.
Prime Minister said that there has been a compulsory recycling of about 30 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging in India which is 75 percent of the total annual plastic waste produced in India, and around 10 thousand producers, importers and brands have come under its ambit today.
“In the last 9 years, the number of wetlands and Ramsar sites in India has increased almost 3 times as compared to earlier”, the Prime Minister said, …adding that two more schemes have been launched today that further the campaign of Green Future, Green Economy.
Speaking about mission LiFE i.e. Lifestyle for Environment becoming a public movement, the Prime Minister highlighted that the mission is spreading a new consciousness about lifestyle changes to combat climate change.
Mission LiFE is equally important for the bright future of the entire humanity, for our future generations”, Modi added.
The Prime Minister said that, the developing and underdeveloped countries of the world are suffering from the flawed policies of a few developed countries.
“For decades, there was no country to stop this attitude of some developed countries”, the Prime Minister said as he expressed delight that India has raised the issue of Climate Justice in front of every such country.
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav graced the occasion and walked through an exhibition comprising Paintings and Digital exhibition on LiFE and also addressed the gathering.
Speaking on the occasion, Yadav recalled The Prime Minister’s Global Call for Plastic solution on World Environment Day celebrated in 2018.
In line with this clarion call, India has banned manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single use plastic items in 2022.
Yadav also released three compendiums prepared by NITI Aayog; namely, Thinking for Our Planet, Mindful Living, and Thought Leadership for LiFE
On Monday the global community is celebrating World Environment Day 2023, ( June 05) to raise awareness and encourage efforts to protect the environment.
The theme pertains to ‘solutions to plastic pollution’ under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day after it was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.
The World Environment Day, this year is being hosted by Côte D’Ivoire – or the Ivory Coast in West Africa.
