On 9th September 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the first session of the G20 Summit on the subject of “One Earth.” In his speech, he highlighted the need for human-centric development and stressed that India has always emphasised this in its culture. He also mentioned the various initiatives and missions that India has undertaken to protect the environment, including the LiFE Mission, the International Year of Millets, the Green Grids Initiative – ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’, solar power, natural farming, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Let us briefly see what all these initiatives are all about.
Spoke at Session 1 of the G20 Summit on the subject of One Earth. Highlighted the need to further human centric development, which is also something Indian culture has always emphasised on.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2023
It is with a spirit of One Earth that India has worked on initiatives such as LiFE… pic.twitter.com/lVB2OoBioI
LiFE Mission
The LiFE Mission, or Lifestyle for Environment, is a global initiative launched by PM Modi at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). The mission aims to promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on “mindful and deliberate utilization” instead of “mindless and destructive consumption.” The four pillars of the LiFE Mission are as follows.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle: This pillar encourages people to reduce their consumption of goods and services, reuse items whenever possible, and recycle materials whenever possible.
Circular economy: This pillar promotes the design of products and services that can be reused, repaired, or recycled at the end of their life.
Sustainable consumption and production: This pillar encourages people to make choices about the goods and services they consume that are more sustainable for the environment.
Sustainable lifestyles: This pillar encourages people to adopt habits and lifestyles that are more sustainable for the environment, such as walking or biking instead of driving, eating less meat, and conserving water.
International Year of Millets
The International Year of Millets (IYM) is a UN-recognised year that is being celebrated in 2023. The year has been dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of millets, which are a group of small, gluten-free grains that are grown in dry and semi-arid regions. Millets are a good source of protein, fibre, and vitamins, and they are also a sustainable crop that requires less water than other grains.
India was the lead country in proposing the IYM to the United Nations. The government of India has taken a number of initiatives to promote millet including organising awareness campaigns and events, providing financial assistance to farmers, developing new varieties of millets, and promoting research on millets.
India is also a major producer and exporter of millet. The IYM has helped to raise awareness of the nutritional and environmental benefits of millets, and it is expected to boost the demand for millets in India and around the world.
Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid
The idea for the One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative was put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the First Assembly of the International Solar Alliance in October 2018. The initiative aims at connecting energy supply across borders. The vision behind the OSOWOG initiative is the mantra that “the sun never sets”. The OSOWOG initiative aims to connect different regional grids through a common grid that will be used to transfer renewable energy power and, thus, realize the potential of renewable energy sources, especially solar energy.
The Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, during the ‘Accelerating Innovation and Clean Technology Deployment’ event at the World Leaders Summit held on 2 November 2021 during COP26. In addition to the launch of the initiative, this event also included the launch of the ‘One Sun Declaration’ as approved by the Fourth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance.
India is a founding member of the GGI-OSOWOG and has been a strong supporter of the initiative. The country has contributed to the initiative by sharing its expertise in solar energy and grid technology, investing in research and development on GGI-OSOWOG technologies, and working with other countries to develop pilot projects.
India is also committed to implementing GGI-OSOWOG at the national level. The country has set a target of generating 450 gigawatts of solar power by 2030, and it is working to develop a national grid that can integrate solar power from different parts of the country. The GGI-OSOWOG is a promising initiative that has the potential to transform the global energy landscape. India’s participation and contribution to the initiative is a major step forward in the fight against climate change.
Natural Farming
India is a leading proponent of natural farming. The country has a long history of traditional farming practices that are based on the principles of natural farming. In recent years, the government of India has been promoting natural farming as a way to improve soil health, reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and increase crop yields.
India’s participation and contribution to natural farming is a major step forward in the fight against climate change. Natural farming is a sustainable way of farming that can help to improve soil health, reduce pollution, and conserve water. The government of India has launched a national program called the Natural Farming Mission. The program provides financial assistance to farmers who adopt natural farming practices. The program also provides training and technical support to farmers.
India has made significant progress in promoting natural farming. The country has trained over 1 million farmers in natural farming practices and has set a target of converting 100 million hectares of farmland to natural farming by 2030.
National Green Hydrogen Mission
The National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) is a government initiative that aims to promote the production and use of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. It is a clean and emissions-free fuel that can be used to power vehicles, heat homes, and generate electricity. India is a major player in the global green hydrogen market. The country has a vast renewable energy potential, and it is committed to making green hydrogen a major part of its energy mix.
NGHM includes setting ambitious targets for the production and use of green hydrogen, investing in research and development on green hydrogen technologies, developing a national hydrogen infrastructure, and promoting international cooperation on green hydrogen. The government of India has set a target of producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030. India is investing $5 billion in research and development on green hydrogen technologies. India’s participation and contribution to the NGHM is a major step forward in the fight against climate change. Green hydrogen is a clean and emissions-free fuel that can help reduce India’s reliance on fossil fuels and achieve its climate goals.
These are just some of the initiatives and missions that India has undertaken to protect the environment. PM Modi’s speech at the G20 Summit highlighted India’s commitment to sustainable development and its leadership in the fight against climate change.
