UN's report reemphasises development is our first defence against climate change: Environment minister

Sapporo [Japan], April 15 : Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, on Saturday said the UN report (IPCC AR 6 Report) reemphasises that development is our first defence against climate change. The report reinforces the scientific view that carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gases (GHG) that need to be drastically reduced to achieve the global temperature goal as agreed in the Paris Agreement.

Addressing the plenary session at G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment in Sapporo, Japan on Saturday, he said the global goal of reaching net zero by 2050 requires enhanced descaling of emissions by the developed countries.

He said this would provide space for countries like India to achieve the development required for its people, which will provide necessary defence against the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and pollution. IPCC AR 6 report is the Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Yadav said since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, there has been enormous disproportionate emission of GHGs to achieve economic growth and development. "Over-exploitation of natural resources has also led to widespread environmental degradation..."

"To save our planet from the challenges of climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity, we need collective action guided by the founding principles of the Rio Conventions," he said, adding, "We have made some progress collectively through the process of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)... However, there is an urgent need for greater action to deal with the three challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution."

The Union minister said developing countries also need the means of implementation, finance and technology. He said, "We do hope that the developed countries will make good their commitments on finance for combatting climate change and provide for the same for dealing with the environmental degradation and biodiversity loss."

Yadav said, "Our actions have so far focused on creating a policy framework to combat climate change. It is time that governments across the world focus on making this a participative process at the level of individuals."

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