P20 Summit: Parliamentarians of G20 countries delebrate on challenges posed by climate change

New Delhi: Parliamentarians from G20 countries on Thursday deliberated upon the contemporary challenges posed by climate change and how to address them at national and international in New Delhi.

The decisions were held at the Parliamentary Forum on LiFE (Mission Lifestyle for Environment), on the day preceding the grand opening of the ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20).

The lawmakers also shared their perspectives on new ways to deal with contemporary challenges imposing by the climate change and its geographical and socio-economic impacts on huminity.

Addressing the Parliamentary Forum, Speaker of the House Om Birla, said that “No country is untouched by the impact of climate change”.

The Lok Sabha Speaker said that in today’s times, climate change and its impact is deeply interlinked with the common future of humanity. Hence it is only natural that upon India’s initiative, environment-related issues have been unanimously placed at the centre of the discussions during the P-20 conference.”

Highlighting the need for concrete efforts to deal with the challenges facing the world, the Speaker underlined that it is the need of the hour to confront climate change head-on.

Talking about the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) Mission mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Birla said, has given the world a new way to deal with contemporary challenges such as climate change, and ensure sustainable development, health security, food security and energy security”.

The Speaker said that Mission LiFE is a comprehensive approach to environmental protection which empowers every person to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Noting that LiFE has now become a global movement, Birla added that based on this idea, many countries are making policies and action plans according to their geographical and socio-economic conditions.

Mentioning legislative initiatives taken by the Parliament of India on the topic of lifestyle for environment, Birla said that extensive discussions have been held in the Parliament in this direction and laws have also been made.

Emphasizing individual responsibility, he said that only policies and laws are not enough to deal with the problem of climate change; rather, everyone needs to contribute collectively by modifying their everyday routine.

“It is necessary that everyone adopts such an approach in their lifestyle which causes no harm to the environment. It is everyone’s personal as well as collective responsibility to do this” he added.

Mr Birla urged Presiding Officers that the topic of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) must be discussed by all Parliaments to ensure that the message of this Mission is shaped into a people’s movement, leading to the building of a better world.

During the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, Ms. Leena Nandan made a presentation on “LiFE”, followed by the showing of a short film on the Mission.

On Friday, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi will inaugurate the 9th P20 Summit at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, Delhi.

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla will grace the occasion. Besides Presiding Officers of Parliaments of G20 Nations, Presiding Officers of Parliaments of invited countries will also attend the Summit.

The President of the Pan African Parliament will be making their inaugural participation in the P-20 Summit hosted in India.

The two-day P20 Summit will deliberate on the following subjects of contemporary relevance: Agenda 2030 for SDGs: Showcasing Achievements, Accelerating Progress; Sustainable Energy Transition Gateway to Green Future; Mainstreaming Gender Equality- From Women’s Development to Women led Development; Transformation in Peoples’ Lives through Public Digital Platforms