The ongoing third Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group G20 meeting (May 21-23) has focused on three aspects: land degradation and reclamation of mining areas, Blue Economy and sustainable ocean management and resource sufficiency and circular economy.

Leena Nandan, secretary, ministry of environment, forest and climate change, said that with India hosting G20 presidency, it has met with significant success in its efforts to protect ocean health and is uniquely placed to anchor this process.

Nandan said that the Ocean Dialogue presents a massive opportunity for G20 countries to engage in a fruitful exchange of global knowledge, ideas, experiences, and best practices and thereafter collaborate to implement them regionally.

Given the size of the prize and the multiple challenges still to be faced by the Blue Economy, the additional strategic prominence it has gained within G20 activities is to be welcomed, she said.  She added that the Ocean Dialogue has discussed promoting grassroots innovations and community involvement to solve local problems and best practices.

With increasing chorus among the G20 countries and several organisations to include promotion of a diverse and sustainable ocean economy for climate mitigation in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG14) of Life Below Water, Nandan said that marine litter is harming the environment .
She said that the G20 consensus/ knowledge documents will be put out in public domain after their fourth meeting in July 2023.    

Nandan said an environment impact assessment (EIA) study is done by the government for every project as well as its vicinity and mitigation measures required in such projects. “Constant watch is kept on if safeguards are being taken and terms and conditions are being complied with. It is continuous effort. India has made a commitment that by 2030, half of our installed capacity will come from non-fossil sources of energy,” she said as she also mentioned the environment ministry’s ‘Nagar Van Yojana’ which provides funds to states for developing green spaces.

She was speaking on how a balance is achieved between development and preserving environment.
She underlined that individual commitments to environment like choices and actions to use less electricity, switching to energy efficient appliances, using clean fuel transport or public transport, saving water/ optimum use of water for domestic as well as industrial use will go a long way in environment preservation.