Page 46 - Mann Ki Baat, October 2022
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INDIA LEADS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                                     Alternative  Towards Affordable
                                                                                       Transportation)
                                                                                                              boosting
                                                                                                        for
                                                                                       production and availability of
                           FROM CLIMATE CHANGE TO CLIMATE ACTION                       Compressed Bio-Gas, Gobardhan
                                                                                       Scheme, and National Hydrogen
                                                                                       Mission have transformed the
                                                                                       energy landscape of the country.
                                                                                           Even though it supports the
                                                                                       second largest population in the
                                              The world is in a climate
            I am very happy to see                                                     world, India’s sustained efforts
                                           emergency – “a code red for
        the increasing enthusiasm                                                      have ensured that its per capita
                                           humanity”.  The  concentration
        for environmental protection                                                   CO  emissions are much lower (1.8
                                                                                          2
        in  different  parts  of  the      of  greenhouse  gas  emissions  in          tonnes) than the global average
        country. A few days ago, in        the atmosphere and continually              (4.5 tonnes). Today, India has the
        India, Mission LiFE, dedicated     rising temperatures are fuelling
                                                                                       fourth largest renewable energy
        to protect the environment,        environmental     degradation,
                                                                                       capacity in the world with an
        has also been launched. The        frequent   natural    disasters,
                                                                                       increase of about 290 per cent in
        simple principle of Mission        extreme   weathers,  depletion
                                                                                       the last 7-8 years. India has also
        LiFE is — promote such a           of   natural  resources   and
                                                                                       given institutional solutions for
        lifestyle, which does not harm     ecosystems, loss of biodiversity,
        the environment. I urge you        and food and water insecurity.              cooperation at a global level with
        to also know (about) Mission       And that is not all. As quoted in a         the  initiation  of  the International
        LiFE and try to adopt it.                                                      Solar Alliance. As of August 2022,
                                           NITI Aayog document, the global
                                                                                       over 150 GW of renewable energy
        -Prime Minister Narendra Modi      economy could lose up to 18%                capacity projects have been
         (in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address)   of GDP by 2050 without urgent               installed in the country, with solar
                                           action  to  mitigate  the  climate
                                                                                       power having the highest share
                                           crisis.                                     (nearly 60 GW).
                                              Climate change is happening                  India’s    recently-updated
                                           even more quickly than we feared.           Nationally          Determined
                                           It has become imperative, now               Contribution   translates   the
             "Each  one of  us  should     more than ever, to take collective          ‘Panchamrit’ of its climate actions,
         understand that we need           action  towards   sustainability.           announced by the Prime Minister,
         to make peace with nature,        Under the able leadership of the            into enhanced climate targets,     related   matter.  Recognising
         reduce our carbon footprints,     Hon’ble Prime Minister, India is            which includes the long-term goal   the power of janbhagidari and
         and to have a lifestyle that is   leading the world in transitioning          of reaching net-zero emission by   janandolan, the Prime Minister
                                           from climate crisis to climate
         compatible with a sustainable                                                 2070. India is implementing the    has brought the world’s attention
                                           action.                                     National Action Plan on Climate    towards   changing   individual
         society and economy. And
                                              India   has    progressively             Change    which   provides  an     and community behaviour that
         this initiative of Prime Minister
                                           decoupled   economic    growth              overarching policy framework       can  have  a  significant  impact
         Narendra Modi, Mission LiFE,
                                           from greenhouse gas emissions.              for all climate actions. It has also   on environmental and climate
         will mobilise citizens from all   Initiatives such as Faster Adoption         spearheaded a Coalition for        crises. At the 26  session of the
                                                                                                                                         th
         over the world to understand      and Manufacturing of (Hybrid                Disaster  Resilient Infrastructure   Conference of the Parties (COP26)
         that they have a role to play."   &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) to              for climate adaptation.            to the United Nations Framework
                   -António Guterres       accelerate the decarbonisation of               While the Government is        Convention on Climate Change
                                           transport, Ethanol Blended Petrol           taking several crucial steps,      (UNFCCC), he introduced ‘Mission
                UN Secretary-General
                                           Programme,  SATAT (Sustainable              climate change is not just a policy-  LiFE: Lifestyle for Environment’ as a
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