Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Thursday reiterated the J&K government’s commitment to support sustainable development and lead action against climate change.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that addressing the Y20 consultation conference on ‘Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life’ at the University of Kashmir (KU), the LG said that massive participation in this Y20 consultation conference signals the encouraging prospect of a new energy in a global partnership on environment, development, and our collective effort to ensure equity, global prosperity, and better quality of life for all.
Welcoming the national and international delegates, the LG said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear to the global family that climate change cannot be fought from conference tables alone. It has to be fought from the dinner tables in every home.”
He said that PM Modi had called upon the global community to transform the effort of tackling climate challenge into a mass movement and promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle.
“I firmly believe under the leadership of PM Modi, India will guide the world in building a sustainable society that will both be an economic powerhouse and a major contributor in restoring the delicate balance of nature,” the LG said.
He said that by adopting ‘Green Growth’ as one of the seven key priorities (Saptarshi), PM Modi had shown the world that India stands firm on its resolve to achieve the goal of zero carbon emission by 2070.
At the Y20 consultation, the LG called upon the youth to ensure ideas to create productive harmony between the nature and the humans is translated into action and it contributes to a better world.
“Youth will lead the world in offering pragmatic solutions to climate and global challenges of the 21st century. I believe the young generation will synergise innovative ideas and actions to preserve natural resources and also become stakeholders in policymaking for sustainable development,” he said.
In his address, the LG also talked about the vision of India’s G20 presidency and collective responsibility of the global community to nurture the nature for benefit of humanity.
“Vision of India’s G20 presidency focuses on our shared responsibility to tackle two great challenges – protect climate and promote sustainable development. As one family, we need to nurture earth that sustains life and commit for inclusive development to transform lives of common man,” he said.
The LG also highlighted the values and principles as enshrined in the ancient Indian scriptures on sustainable living and environment protection.
“The sustainable living is Indian way of life. Long before the global community realised the importance of sustainable living our forefathers dedicated Prithvi Sukta, in Atharv Veda to mother earth highlighting its resources and urging the people to utilise them in a sustainable manner. Thousands of years before the term sustainable lifestyle was popularised across the world, Yajurveda mentioned about harmonious living with earth, water, trees and to prioritise the use of natural resources,” he said. “The vision of our forefathers was not merely ideas confined to the books but focused on action from the community as every ancient Indian scripture calls for selfless act.”
The LG said that there was a need to adopt a balanced and holistic approach between development and nature to manage the challenges of accelerated growth and ecological sustainability.
“Our rights on natural resources are not absolute, it is temporary. This thinking should become part of our daily habit to ensure prosperous earth for our future generations,” he said.
Advisor to LG Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, in his address, called upon the youth and other stakeholders to join the efforts in achieving the sustainable development goals.
KU Vice Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan; Director Department of Youth Affairs, GoI, Pankaj Kumar Singh; Y20 Chair KU Prof Manzoor Shah; senior faculty Patna University Guru Prakash Paswan, and Secretary Programmes and Logistics, Y20 India Akash Jha also spoke on the occasion and impressed upon the youth to raise awareness and exchange ideas on the most pressing global issues.
On the occasion, the LG inaugurated the Y20 exhibition and released the Y20 chronicle of KU about the run up activities to the event.
Y20 and U20 integration, a joint initiative by the respective engagement groups for Jan Bhagidari was also launched.