Reduce, reuse and recycle for a sustainable future, says PM

The impact of climate change is evident as unexpected disasters are being experienced in the last few decades, he noted.

Highlighting the significance of the launch taking place in Gujarat, the Prime Minister said Gujarat was the first state in the country to initiate steps in the direction of renewable energy and climate protection — “be it installing solar panels on canals or initiating water conservation projects for the drought-affected areas, Gujarat has always come forward as a leader and a trendsetter.”

Mission LiFE will be essential and promising for the world to save the Earth from this difficult period of crisis, said Guterres. Warning against overconsumption, which is at the root of the triple crisis of climate change, he urged all individuals and communities to be a part of the solution to protect the collective future of the planet. “We are using the equivalent of 1.6 planet earth to support our lifestyle. This great excess is compounded by the great inequality. I am encouraged by India’s commitment to environment-friendly policies and significant increase in investment in renewable energy,” he said.

The launch of Mission LiFE comes a month ahead of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (CoP27), the mega UN climate meet, which will be held in Egypt.

Championing the international solar alliance, he said that the revolution of renewable energy needed to be unleashed and the United Nations was eager to work with India. At the upcoming CoP27, an in-depth discussion will be held to advance this agenda, he said.

The UN chief expressed confidence that India can play an important “bridging role” to the impacts of climate change and its larger economy. India’s presidency of the G20 will help usher in a new era of full relevance to the country’s history, culture and tradition, he said. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, Guterres said, “The world has enough resources for everyone’s needs, but everyone is greedy today.”

Various world leaders, including UK’s Liz Truss, Guyana President Mohammed Irfaan Ali, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth and Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, also extended support to the initiative and gave their suggestions through video messages.

Raising concerns over the “times marked not only by a pandemic but also by a profound inequality”, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez urged attention to the concentration of wealth in a few and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war that has led to the problem of food security.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and French President Emmanuel Macron raised concerns about the global energy crisis. Kallas said the crisis triggered by Russia’s war against Ukraine had underlined ” the need to move towards renewable energy and sustainability”.