New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said climate justice should guide the efforts against climate change, considering its disproportionate impact on the most-vulnerable communities. Addressing the World Sustainable Development Summit organised by independent think tank TERI, Dhankhar highlighted India’s leading role in global environmental protection and climate justice initiatives. He said,
Global leadership must drive the mainstreaming of environmental protection and climate justice at all levels, embedding these principles in the very fabric of our societies.
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Mr Dhankhar said climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and “hence, climate justice needs to be the North Star”. He said India has consistently shown commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship, and suggested that the country’s tradition of sustainable practices can serve as a guiding light for the world in adopting eco-friendly and inclusive development models.
With its ambitious renewable energy goals and initiatives harmonising economic growth and ecological preservation, India stands as a “beacon of inspiration” for countries globally, the vice president said.
He said the key to sustainable development is the shift towards clean and renewable energy sources.
India’s dedication to renewable energy not only addresses the challenges of climate change but also creates opportunities for economic growth, job generation and technological advancement, Dhankhar said.
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Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said India is committed to both fighting climate change and ensuring climate justice. He said,
As a nation upholding climate justice, we believe that access to energy is the right of all citizens and therefore, energy must be affordable and clean.
Minister Yadav said between 2017 and 2023, India added around 100 GW of installed electricity capacity, with 80 per cent of it coming from non-fossil fuel resources. He stressed that challenges related to technology transfer and finance, crucial for helping developing countries combat and adapt to climate change, are “yet to be addressed”.
Minister Yadav said no country can make the planet safe for humanity on its own, and equity and climate justice should be the guiding principles in the fight against climate change.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
