The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) at its Sixth Session held in Nairobi, Kenya from 26 February - 1 March 2024, adopted on 1st March the resolution on sustainable lifestyles submitted by India. The resolution on promoting sustainable lifestyles was adopted by all participating Member States.

        The concept of LiFE i.e. Lifestyle for Environment was envisioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister,  Shri Narendra Modi, at the World Leaders' Summit in Glasgow at COP26, when he gave a clarion call to rekindle a global pursuit to adopt environment-friendly lifestyles and practices. Mission LiFE was launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister on 20 October 2022, in the presence of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, at the Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.

        The UNEA reaffirmed the commitment made in the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, including the three dimensions of sustainable development, which are integrated, indivisible, interdependent and mutually reinforcing, to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development and the commitment made in the 2030 Agenda to ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.

        The resolution recognizes the potential of behavioural changes toward sustainable lifestyles, in contributing to the achievement of the three dimensions of sustainable development.  It takes note of the work of the 10-Year Framework Programme, including the One Planet Network Programme on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education and other international, regional, national initiatives, and notes that successful national initiatives can serve as a model to be replicated.  It recognizes further and underscores the role of the private sector and industry, local authorities, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples in supporting more sustainable lifestyles and emphasizes that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, leaving no one behind. 

        The resolution on promoting sustainable lifestyles recognises that adequate individual education and skills can further accelerate collective efforts for sustainable consumption and production and promote more sustainable lifestyles.  The resolution also recognises that each country is best positioned to understand its national circumstances and priorities to encourage more sustainable lifestyles.

        The resolution encourages Member States and invites other stakeholders and international organizations, to create the necessary evidence-based enabling conditions, foster public and private collaboration, pursue education at all levels and awareness-raising initiatives in support of empowering citizens to make informed choices, about sustainable lifestyles as referenced in SDG 4.7 Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship.

        The resolution invites Member States, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other stakeholders to promote and enhance cooperation by sharing information and best practices, research, literature, as appropriate, that enable the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles, including sustainable living.

        The resolution requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), including through the One Planet Network Programme on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education, and the Green Jobs for Youth Pact, subject to available resources, to support Member States, at their request, in the development and implementation of national or regional action plans for promoting sustainable lifestyles, or the integration of sustainable lifestyles in existing actions plans; and facilitate, upon request, the sharing of information, best practice, and research on sustainable lifestyles, including sustainable living.

        The resolution also requests the UNEP Executive Director, in partnership with UN Regional Commissions to undertake Regional Dialogues, to discuss sustainable lifestyles practices in the context of, inter alia, the diversity of nature’s values and approaches, including, as appropriate, ecocentric approaches, of individuals and communities including that of Indigenous Peoples, and local communities,  for living in harmony with Nature, or Mother Earth, as recognized by some countries and regions to enable sustainable lifestyles, and request to submit a report to inform UNEA seventh on these dialogues and on the progress of the present resolution.

The resolution on promoting sustainable lifestyles submitted by India was co-sponsored by Sri Lanka and Bolivia.

 

Background: Mission LiFE

As envisioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister at the World Leaders' Summit in Glasgow at COP26 and launched on 20 October 2022, Mission LiFE aims to follow a three-pronged strategy for changing our collective approach towards sustainability. First is by nudging individuals to practise simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand); second is by enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand (supply) and; third is to influence government and industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production (policy).

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