Sustainability Discourse Focuses on Environmental Preservation, Economic Growth, and Social Equality
Shri Bhupender Yadav, the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, recently addressed the 19th Sustainability Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi on 17 September 2024.
During his speech, Shri Yadav highlighted that India has achieved two out of three quantitative Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets of the Paris Agreement nine years ahead of schedule. This significant milestone underscores India's commitment to combating climate change.
The minister also discussed the importance of energy for global development and emphasised that sustainability is a social goal, encompassing the three key concerns of environment, economy, and equity. He stressed that government policies, schemes, programs, and initiatives must adopt a balanced approach that considers these three dimensions.
In line with this, Shri Yadav mentioned the Government's initiative of engaging students in promoting sustainable living through the concept of LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). The LiFE initiatives focus on themes such as saving food, water, and energy, managing e-waste, adopting healthy lifestyles, and enforcing a complete ban on single-use plastics (SuP).
Recognising the need for a more proactive approach to climate change, Shri Yadav called for a shift in the debate from emission management to evaluating the cost of per capita emissions. He also emphasised the need for an AI-based risk assessment tool to forecast extreme weather events and other climate-related risks.
The CII Report on Building Climate Resilience for Indian Industry, launched by Shri Yadav during the special plenary session, echoes these sentiments. The report recommends strengthening extreme-weather forecasting capabilities, regularly reviewing and updating building codes and regulations, and establishing standards for extreme weather resilience.
Moreover, the report includes a Physical Climate Risk Assessment Framework (PCRAF) to help Indian industries prioritise adaptation actions across sectors and regions to mitigate risks from extreme weather events. The report also stresses the importance of integrating health and essential services into resilience and recovery planning, and enhancing social resilience to ensure communities can effectively respond to and recover from climate-related events.
Furthermore, the report suggests further incentivising the use of the PCRAF framework to enable Indian industries to play a key role in climate resilience. It also recommends the Government's continued support in the development and implementation of waste management regulations, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), to foster a circular economy and climate resilience.
Since its inception in 2006, the CII Sustainability Summit has been a platform for discussions on global regulations, policy reforms, and sustainability practices. The 19th Sustainability Summit, with its focus on tangible actions for driving sustainable change across industries and societies, continues this tradition.
The search results do not contain information about which organisation organised the 19th Sustainability Summit on September 17, 2024, in New Delhi, involving Shri Bhupender Yadav. Nonetheless, the event serves as a testament to the ongoing dialogue and action towards a sustainable and resilient future for India.
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