NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that every country in the world should rise above vested interests for protection of world climate, and pointed out how flawed policies of a few developed countries are making developing and underdeveloped countries suffer.
Addressing a gathering at Vigyan Bhawan via video message on World Environment Day, Modi noted that even though such countries (rich nations) achieved the goals of development, it was the environment of the whole world that paid the price.
“For decades, there was no country who could object to this attitude of some developed nations,” the Prime Minister said as he expressed delight that India has raised the issue of climate justice in front of every such country. “For a long time, the model of development in big and advanced countries was contradictory. In this developmental model, the thinking was that we first develop our country then we can think about the environment,” the PM said.
Citing a number of examples from India, Modi noted that the country has successfully shown how both development and environmental protection can go hand-in-hand. “It has been the philosophy of Indian culture for thousands of years to lay emphasis on both ‘prakriti’ (nature) and ‘pragati’ (progress),” he said while flagging India’s attention towards both ecology and economy.
“If the country on one side is expanding its 4G and 5G connectivity, on the other side it has increased its forest cover. If the country built four crore houses for the poor, it at the same time also increased wildlife sanctuaries and wildlife in record numbers,” PM Modi said. He also cited examples of increasing footprints of clean energy in the country over the past nine years.
Underlining the theme of this year’s World Environment Day — the campaign to get rid of single-use plastic, Modi expressed happiness that India has been working continuously in this direction for the past 4-5 years, and shared how these efforts have now made recycling compulsory for about 30 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging, which is 75% of the total annual plastic waste produced in India, and brought around 10 thousand producers, importers and brands under its ambit.
The Prime Minister also spoke about Mission LiFE (lifestyle for environment) that was launched last year for pursuing environmentally conscious lifestyle. He said every step taken towards Mission LiFE will become a strong shield for the environment in the times to come.
Addressing a gathering at Vigyan Bhawan via video message on World Environment Day, Modi noted that even though such countries (rich nations) achieved the goals of development, it was the environment of the whole world that paid the price.
“For decades, there was no country who could object to this attitude of some developed nations,” the Prime Minister said as he expressed delight that India has raised the issue of climate justice in front of every such country. “For a long time, the model of development in big and advanced countries was contradictory. In this developmental model, the thinking was that we first develop our country then we can think about the environment,” the PM said.
Citing a number of examples from India, Modi noted that the country has successfully shown how both development and environmental protection can go hand-in-hand. “It has been the philosophy of Indian culture for thousands of years to lay emphasis on both ‘prakriti’ (nature) and ‘pragati’ (progress),” he said while flagging India’s attention towards both ecology and economy.
“If the country on one side is expanding its 4G and 5G connectivity, on the other side it has increased its forest cover. If the country built four crore houses for the poor, it at the same time also increased wildlife sanctuaries and wildlife in record numbers,” PM Modi said. He also cited examples of increasing footprints of clean energy in the country over the past nine years.
Underlining the theme of this year’s World Environment Day — the campaign to get rid of single-use plastic, Modi expressed happiness that India has been working continuously in this direction for the past 4-5 years, and shared how these efforts have now made recycling compulsory for about 30 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging, which is 75% of the total annual plastic waste produced in India, and brought around 10 thousand producers, importers and brands under its ambit.
The Prime Minister also spoke about Mission LiFE (lifestyle for environment) that was launched last year for pursuing environmentally conscious lifestyle. He said every step taken towards Mission LiFE will become a strong shield for the environment in the times to come.
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