New Delhi, Feb 11 (UNI) Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday expressed concern over the unprecedented scale of environmental degradation and its drastic consequences, and called upon all nations to collaborate in an 'equally unparalleled manner' to ensure sustainable development.
Pointing out that the immediate impact of climate change were felt by developing countries, because of higher
dependence on climatic variables, Mr Naidu said that everyone must join hands to minimise the impact of climate change.
Addressing the World Sustainable Development Summit 2019, organised by The Energy and Resources
Institute – TERI, here, he underlined inclusive development, which he said, was central to sustainable development and also encompassed sustainable agriculture; sustainable mobility solutions; sustainable urbanisation; sustainable energy security and clean energy; sustainable waste management; sustainable efforts in wildlife conservation and sustainable green innovations.
India, he said, was among the few countries of the world where forests were growing in spite of exponentially
rising population and livestock pressures and India's forests acted as a net carbon sink. India has set a target
of raising its existing 21.54 per cent forest cover to 33 per cent of the total geographical area through aggressive
forestation drives, he added.
The Vice President lauded the efforts of the government for initiating efforts to create an International Solar Alliance with France for promoting clean energy. India, he said, was on course to achieving 175 GW renewable energy target and '40 per cent of India’s electricity generation is set to be from non fossil fuels, by 2022. India is committed to reducing 33 to 35 per cent of emission intensity of its GDP during 2005 to 2030 in tune with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),' he added.
He highlighted India’s traditional practices that reflected a sustainable lifestyle and the Vedic philosophy that
always emphasised the undeniable connection that human beings share with nature.
'Every individual must contribute to sustainable development, whether by turning the ignition off at long traffic
stops or by recycling and composting or by cycling to work in congested cities,' he said.
MORE UNI SD SB 1654