Narendra Modi’s leadership a big boost in global fight against climate change: Boris Johnson

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday thanked his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, for hosting the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI). He also lauded Modi’s “fantastic leadership in areas such as renewable energy” and said it would be a big boost in the global fight against climate change.

The three-day international conference on disaster resilience, to discuss several aspects of disaster preparedness including health and digital infrastructure resilience, began on Wednesday.

Addressing the ICDRI, virtually inaugurated by Modi, Johnson said, “I applaud my friend Prime Minister Modi for his commitment to this excellent initiative, the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure (CDRI). The UK is proud to be its co-chair and I am delighted that since its launch, the coalition has made such a great start with 28 countries and organisations now signed up.”

He highlighted how the UK embarked on its journey to make its infrastructure more disaster-resilient over 10 years ago and is investing 5.2 billion pounds in bolstering flood defences and has a “wealth of expertise to share”.

“If our battle with COVID-19 has taught us anything over the past year, it’s that we must be ready for whatever challenges may be coming next.

“And, as the world’s climate changes, we must not only do everything in power to strive for Global Net Zero, an ambitious 2030 emissions reductions target, but we must also adapt to its damaging effects and build more resilience to disasters – our roads, our bridges, powerlines, our schools and hospitals – all the infrastructure that we rely on to keep our economies moving and our communities safe. They must be made ready,” Johnson said.

“As we look forward to COP26 in Glasgow this November, we are working hard to help countries adapt to the effects of climate change. Let’s take action now so that as we build back better from the pandemic, we do so cleaner and greener, making all our communities stronger and more resilient,” he added, in reference to the United Nations climate conference being hosted by the UK later this year.

Johnson also said that UK and India’s shared vision for a sustainable future will be among the issues on the agenda for talks with “friend” PM Modi during his upcoming visit to New Delhi next month.

Addressing the event, Modi said the COVID-19 pandemic has taught that in an interdependent and interconnected world, no country — whether rich or poor, in the east or west, north or south — is immune to the effect of global disasters.

On the one hand, the pandemic has shown us how impacts can quickly spread across the world, and on the other, it has shown how the world can come together to fight a common threat, Modi said.

Addressing the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. https://t.co/S5RVIl2jqn

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 17, 2021

“Just as the fight against the pandemic mobilised the energies of the world’s seven billion people, our quest for resilience must build on the initiative and imagination of each and every individual on this planet,” Modi said.

(With inputs from PTI)