New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the World Sustainable Development Summit 2021 on Wednesday via video conferencing. The theme of the Summit is ‘Redefining our common future: Safe and secure environment for all’. ALSO READ | Why Has SC Put Stay On Dismantling Of Decommissioned INS Viraat? Know Here
"Global platforms like these are important for our present and future," the prime minister said at the beginning of his speech. "The health of our people and the health of our planet are interlinked," he added.
"The scale of the challenge we face is widely known but conventional approaches do not resolve them," he said as he proposed that the road to fighting climate change is through "climate justice".
"At the root of climate justice is being large-hearted," PM Modi said while he talking about how the crisis impacts the poor the most and giving developing countries enough space to grow are elements to be considered.
"We are on track to exceed our targets," the Prime Minister said as he lauded India's work so far elaborating the steps taken in the nation to deal with the environmental crisis.
"We committed to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35 percent from 2005 levels. You'll be happy to know that a drop of 24% of emission intensity has already been achieved... The Jal Jeevan Mission has connected over 34 million households with tap connections in just about 18 months. Through PM Ujjwala Yojana, over 18 million households below the poverty line have access to clean cooking fuel," he said.
"I'd like to applaud our private sector and several individuals who are contributing to this. India is also increasing the usage of ethanol. Sustainable development is incomplete without equitable access," PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister also talked about India being among the top 3 countries to have gained in forest areas in the last decade. He emphasised that enhancing disaster management capability is also an area that needs to be focus on. This requires a focus on human resource development and technology, he said.
The list of attendees for the event includes Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea; Mohamed Nasheed, Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Republic of Maldives; Amina J Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations, and Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
About The Summit
The 20th edition of The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) flagship event, the World Sustainable Development Summit, will be held online from 10th to 12th February 2021.
The Summit brings together a wide number of governments, business leaders, academicians, climate scientists, youth, and civil society in the fight against climate change.
India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Ministry of Earth Sciences are key partners of the Summit. Energy and industry transition, adaptation and resilience, nature-based solutions, climate finance, circular economy, clean oceans and air pollution, are amongst the range of topics to be discussed during the Summit.