Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, launched ‘Mission LiFE’ (Lifestyle For Environment), a new initiative for sustainable and healthy lifestyle at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.
Listing climate change and global warming as the main challenges before the world and mankind, the Prime Minister underlined that Mission LiFE makes the fight against climate change democratic with the contribution of everyone in per own capacity.
Mr. Guterres unveiled the LiFE logo and tagline and released the Mission Document at the event in which the Union Minister of External Affair Dr S. Jaishankar and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel were also present.
“The launch of Mission LiFE in Gujarat is important as it was the first state in the country to initiate measures in the direction of renewable energy and climate protection,” PM Modi said, adding that measures like solar power plants or installing panels on canals or water conservation in drought-prone were meant to flight the environmental related calamities while setting the trends for sustainable development.
PM Modi described the Mission LiFe as a global initiative by India to help the world in its fight against climate change and lead to a sustainable way of life to achieve the sustainable development goals set by the U.N..
He said the Mission LiFE emboldens the spirit of the P3 model, i.e. Pro Planet People, as it is premised on the basic principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet and by the planet’.
According to him, India and the UN have joined hands in this new initiative which will become a global success. “India had proposed the International Day of Yoga, which was supported by the UN. Today it is inspiring millions of people around the world to lead a healthy life.”
He stressed that the fight against climate change goes beyond policy making and it needs wider support from individuals to the family community to protect the environment, and earth and help each other against climate-related disasters and extreme weather calamities.
Mr. Modi advocated a circular economy where the concept of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ can help in striking a balance between the development, economic growth and sustainability.
“Such practices are prevalent, which inspire us to walk in harmony with nature. Mission LiFE will encompass every lifestyle related to the conservation of nature, which our ancestors adopted, and that can be made a part of our lifestyle today,” said PM Modi.
In his speech, he talked about India’s commitment to tackling the menace of climate change with an emphasis on renewable energy like wind and solar.
According to him, the annual per capita carbon footprint in the country is only about 1.5 tons, compared to the world average of 4 tons per year while India has the fourth largest capacity for renewable energy in the world.
“India is ranked fourth in wind energy and fifth in solar energy. India’s renewable energy capacity has increased by about 290 % in the last 7-8 years. The country has also achieved the target of 40% of the electric capacity from non-fossil-fuel sources nine years ahead of the deadline.”
Through the National Hydrogen Mission, India has moved towards an environment-friendly energy source. This will help India and many countries of the world to achieve their goal of net zero carbon footprint.
During the event, Prime Minister Modi also attended a bilateral meeting with U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who handsomely praised India’s initiatives towards sustainable development.
In his speech, the U.N. Secretary-General said that the “Lifestyle For Environment (LiFE) initiative is designed to highlight essential and hopeful truths.”
Mr. Guterres lauded India’s initiative of the International Solar Alliance and said that the country was pursuing environmentally sound policies to promote renewable energy and reducing usage of fossil fuels.
“We need to unleash the renewable revolution and I look forward to working with India in driving this agenda forward,” Mr. Guterres added.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres visiting the Sun Temple at Modhera in Gujarat on October 20, 2022. | Photo Credit: Reuters
During his trip to Gujarat, Mr. Guterres also visited Modhera Sun Temple near Ahmedabad where the entire village draws the power from solar panels installed in the temple campus as well as on the rooftops of the houses and the government offices.
More than 500 people consisting of 116 Indian Heads of Missions abroad, U.N. Heads of Agencies in India, top government officials, development partners, and other policy makers.
The vent was jointly organised by NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with Government of Gujarat.
