Our planet, once a pristine green heaven, is not a shade of its past. Bled by climate change, triggered by reckless exploitation of natural resources and deforestation, the planet has been brought near catastrophe.

Humanity is cliff-hanging. The balloon of #climatechange is… pic.twitter.com/NFjFuvD9E1

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) July 19, 2024

Delivering keynote address at the valedictory session of the 4th International Climate Summit on “Bioenergy: Path to Viksit Bharat” at New Delhi today, Shri Dhankhar said that “there is no contingent plan, no other planet than earth and it needs to be conserved and nurtured”.

Underlining the disastrous manifestations of climate change such as prolonged droughts, intensified wildfires, and unprecedented storms, Shri Dhankhar stressed that “these changes not only endanger vulnerable populations but also threaten biodiversity and food security, placing significant strain on our natural resources and agricultural systems”, thus contributing to community collapse.

Referring to our age old values, the Vice-President noted that “harmonious coexistence with nature, and deep respect for our ecology, has been an intrinsic facet of Bharat’s civilisational ethos”.

Stressing on climate justice, Shri Dhankhar remarked that climate justice must be our North Star, as climate change disproportionately affects marginalised and vulnerable communities.

Praising the pioneering steps taken by India such as Global Biofuel Alliance, Green Hydrogen Mission and International Solar Alliance, Shri Dhankhar commended the leadership role played by Bharat in sustainable energy. Noting benefits of bioenergy he said, “modern bioenergy not only provides clean fuels, but also helps mitigate pollution, enhances farmers' income, reduces import bills, and creates local jobs.”

Highlighting the fact that impact of climate change reverberates across boundaries, the Vice-President exhorted all stakeholders including the governments, corporate leaders and the people for a collective action to tackle this menace. “When the day of reckoning will come, nobody will be spared. And therefore, we have to move unitedly, as much as we can, unleash our energy to the maximum, exploit our potential, give everything we can”, he added.

Acknowledging the revolutionary potential of the ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ campaign, he said this is not just an emotive appeal or a slogan, it is a revolutionary step. The step will ensure that 1.4 billion people will plant it every year. It will have great positive, cascading impact. It will help us deal with the existential problem, a problem that is of our making - exploitation of natural resources and deforestation”.

Shri Sanjeev Agarwal, President, PHDCCI, Shri Hemant Jain, Sr. Vice President, PHDCCI, Dr. J P Gupta, Chair, Environment & Climate Change, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, Executive Director, PHDCCI and other dignitaries were present on this occasion.

Read full text : https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2034384

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MS/JK/RC