India News | Environment, Development Two Sides of Same Coin, Must Proceed Hand-in-hand: Bhupender Yadav
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Environment and development are just two sides of the same coin and they must proceed hand-in-hand, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Wednesday while reiterating that climate goals under the Paris Agreement cannot be reached unless there is equity in climate actions.
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) Environment and development are just two sides of the same coin and they must proceed hand-in-hand, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Wednesday while reiterating that climate goals under the Paris Agreement cannot be reached unless there is equity in climate actions.
In his opening address at the inaugural session of the 21st World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) organised by TERI, he said nature can no longer be taken for granted.
"Nature can no longer be taken for granted. Ever since 2014, when this government took over from the previous one, our tree and forest cover is only increasing and our jungles are filled with life.
"The population of tiger, lion, elephant, rhino and the like has been increasing. It is based on such achievements that I want to re-assert that both environment and development are just two sides of the same coin and must proceed hand-in-hand. For development, we don't have to necessarily dismantle or look down upon our green assets," the minister said in his virtual address.
The theme for the three-day summit is 'Towards a Resilient Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future'.
Yadav stressed that "to address global environmental challenges, including climate change, we must act now on the basis of globally agreed rules taking into account the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities".
"The Paris Agreement goals cannot be reached unless equity is implemented by all countries staying within their fair share of the global carbon budget. Our goal should be equitable sustainable development and equity in climate actions. Only then, climate justice can be achieved," he said.
The minister added that the approach to utilisation of resources must be based on 'mindful and deliberate utilisation' and not mindless and destructive consumption.
"The goal of LIFE (Lifestyle for the Environment), which the prime minister unveiled at COP26 at Glasgow, should be adopted by the world to safeguard humanity and the planet. Those who have contributed the most in taking the world in the wrong direction must also make the maximum effort to come back to the path of sustainability," he said.
Considering the critical need for saving the environment, the minister underlined that while the industrial revolution has brought prosperity to countries, it has come at a huge cost to the environment.
"Notwithstanding the adverse impact of the (COVID-19) pandemic on the economy, India has, in fact, enhanced its climate ambition. India is spearheading one of the most ambitious clean energy transitions in the world," he said.
Stressing on the need for equity, Yadav said, "The developed countries must respond on their part with due ambition and meet both their promises -- of reducing emissions drastically by changing their lifestyles and providing the developing countries with increased finance and technology support."
The path to development followed by most developed nations during the course of history has been ruthless, he said, adding that it led to excessive consumption of resources both at home and in subjugated colonies.
"This included destroying forests at home and in the colonies, and pollution of the environment everywhere, for creating wealth and well-being. Even today, it is the unsustainable lifestyles of the developed nations that are putting the whole world at risk.
"At a time people in the developed world were thinking about the destruction they had caused, some even calling it an 'inconvenient truth', the then chief minister of Gujarat and currently our dear and respected prime minister, was actually laying down the path for the way forward with 'convenient actions'," Yadav said.
Lauding India for the initiatives taken towards tackling climate change, the environment minister said the country is striving to walk the path with its vision of inclusive low-carbon growth and development in its domestic policies and through international cooperation.
"Apart from our resolute domestic actions, we have reached out to all nations globally in our vision of 'One Sun, One World and One Grid' as part of our pioneering International Solar Alliance.
"We have also shown our commitment to adaptation in action, rather than mere words, by setting up and promoting the 'Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure'. India has not contributed to aggravating the problem of global warming into a crisis. Our cumulative emissions are only about 4 per cent from the pre-industrial period, though we have about 17 per cent of the world's population," he said.
India's per capita annual emissions are only about one-third of the world average, he said, adding that the country's way forward will continue to be that of low-carbon development, based on the responsible use of its natural resources, within the equitable share of the global carbon budget.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)