Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Dr. Harsh Vardhan are named among the seven Indians mentioned in the “World’s 100 Most Influential People in Climate Policy 2019″, for their significant contribution towards battling climate change.
‘Apolitical’, a global network of for government helping public servants find the people, ideas and partners they need to tackle climate challenges, has published the list on its official website.
They are among the seven Indians who have been recognised for their efforts. The list was unveiled on the late evening on March 20.
According to his profile on the Apolitical’s website, Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal has been instrumental in speeding up the electrification of nearly 18000 unelectrified villages and has also played an important role in the rollout of a drastic power sector reform and the world’s largest LED bulb distribution programme.
A 2018 Carnot Prize recipient for his contribution to energy policy, Goyal, under his leadership, has led India to witness a massive proliferation of renewable energy through the world’s largest renewable energy expansion programme.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan the other Indian who found a mention in the list, has focused on motivating scientists to develop new technologies that address social and environmental problems.
He has also played a vital role in making India a leader in environmental preservation. In 2008, Harsh Vardhan launched the anti-plastic bag campaign in Delhi and the ‘Green Shopper Campaign’, which encourages business enterprises to manufacture environment-friendly products.
The present government understands that Climate Change is one of the serious challenges faced by humanity. Prime Minister Modi has set ambitious targets for his government to achieve clean energy initiatives. Last year, United Nations Environment Programme chief, Erik Solheim, had praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for his initiatives to tackle the global issue of Climate Change.
Meanwhile, third in the list was, Pune’s mayor Mukta Tilak, who is also the wife of renowned activist and freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s great-grandson Shailesh Tilak. According to her profile on the website, under her guidance, Pune banned all dumping of solid waste and implemented measures to cut down on carbon and improve air quality.
On account of her work, Pune received the Award for Innovative Policy at the 2018 Climate and Clean Air Awards at the Global Climate Action Summit.
Jyoti Kirit Parikh, the executive director of Integrated Research and Action for Development and a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change in India who served as energy and environment consultant to the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program was also amongst the seven Indians named in the list. Parikh, in 2007, was also a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Amongst others was, a well-renowned environmentalist and political activist, who is also the director of the Centre for Science and the Environment and the editor of the fortnightly magazine, Down To Earth, and a recipient of the World Water Prize, Sunita Narain.
Another environmental activist, Vandana Shiva, was among those mentioned in the list. Meanwhile, Upendra Tripathy, the director general of the International Solar Alliance and the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2009 along with Varshini Prakash, who is the co-founder and executive director of Sunrise, a youth-led movement advocating for political action against climate change in the United States were also recognised for their contributions.
