Must not fight climate change in silos: PM Modi in G20 Summit

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the importance of reforms in multilateral organisations to ensure better global governance for faster post-Covid recovery at the G20 Summit on Sunday.

The PM also highlighted India’s efforts for inclusive development through a participatory approach.

He emphasised that an Aatmanirbhar Bharat will be a strong pillar of a resilient post-Covid world economy and global value chains.

While addressing a side meeting on climate change at the G20 Summit, Modi said India is not only meeting targets set at the Paris Agreement but is also exceeding them while calling for an integrated approach to tackling climate change.

“It is important to keep our focus on fighting climate change. Climate change must be fought not in silos but in an integrated, comprehensive and holistic way,” Modi said.

Modi said India aims to restore around 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

“Inspired by our traditional ethos of living in harmony with the environment and commitment of my government, India has adopted low carbon and climate-resilient development practices. India is not only meeting our Paris Agreement targets but also exceeding them,” the prime minister said.

Speaking about reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, he said that the government’s Ujjwala Scheme is helping in the endevour by providing smoke free kitchens.

It was important that each individual must proposer for the prosperity of humanity as a whole, Modi said.

Workers must not be considered merely as a unit of labour but their dignity of labour must be preserved, he added.

Sunday was the final day of the two-day G20 Summit. India will host the G20 in 2023,  a year later than what was decided earlier.

India was slated to host the summit in 2022 as per the Osaka declaration of the G20 last year. But it was decided on Sundat that the G20 presidency will be held by Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024.