First G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group Meet begins in Bengaluru

The first G2O Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group Meeting ((ECSWG) under India's presidency has initiated in Bengaluru today with the emphasis and the core areas of deliberations on significant environmental issues like land degradation and biodiversity loss; marine pollution, the need for protection of mangroves & coral reefs; and resource over-consumption and lack of waste absorption. A discussion was held at the first meeting of the ECSWG today that how the theme of the India Presidency “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” One Earth, One Family, One future, is supporting a fundamental mindset shift from a sense of ownership of natural resources towards sustainable lifestyles, inclusion, and universal oneness. Chandra Prakash Goyal, Director General of Forests & Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India moderated the Side event of the 1st Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group on eco-restoration and shared best practices on conservation and preservation of ecosystems. He highlighted that India’s Presidency will propagate the cause through collective leadership to take forward the commendable initiatives from the past G-20 Presidencies to create a tangible impact.

A.S Rawat, Director General of the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) discussed the global perspectives on the eco-restoration aspects specifically with respect to mining and forest fire-affected areas. During this session, representatives from G20 countries shared best practices on the Restoration of Mining and Forest Fire Affected Areas. Richa Sharma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, while addressing the media said the Working Group Meeting is an opportunity for India to address global discourse on climate issues and pressing environment. She said that since India is a signatory to the Convention on Biodiversity, issues concerning biodiversity will be top on the agenda for deliberations.  Sharma highlighted that while G20 countries account for 85% of the global Gross Domestic Product, they are responsible for 80% of annual greenhouse gas emissions as well. Chandra Prakash Goyal while addressing the media informed that ecosystem-based various approaches in Land restoration are- restore and enrich biodiversity; create carbon sinks for climate change mitigation and promote sustainable livelihood.  India’s priority is to enhance G20’s contributions to achieve a 50% reduction in degraded lands by 2040, and restoration of forest fire Impacted areas for recovering Biodiversity. He further informed that in the last two decades, around 29% of global forest loss has been caused due to forest fires. 81% of tree cover loss was witnessed in five G20 countries. India is committed to restore 26 million hectares of land. The key challenges for the eco-restoration of habitats are climate change, Habitat Fragmentation, and balancing development and conservation. Mattu J.P. Singh, Additional Director General, PIB New Delhi was also present at the media briefing. It is important to mention that this meeting in Bengaluru is part of the 200-plus  Working Group Meetings being held in over 50 cities across the country on different core themes. Each  Group Meeting will have a  dedicated side event and three more Group Meetings will be held in Gandhinagar, Mumbai, and Chennai between February and July this year on different core themes.  Environment & Climate Ministers of member countries will gather at the concluding Group Meeting in Chennai to adopt a ministerial declaration on the deliberations as the eventual outcome of the deliberations across the Group Meetings. Over 142 delegates are attending the event including 96 from 19 member countries and the European Union,  25 from 10 guest countries, and 21 from international organizations.