New Delhi : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today launched Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), in the presence of the UN Secretary General António Guterres, at the Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. First proposed by the Prime Minister at COP 26, Mission LiFE is envisioned as an India-led global mass movement that will nudge individual and collective action to protect and preserve the environment.
As many as 10 heads of states, including France President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Mary Truss, Guyana President Irfan Ali, Argentina President Alberto Fernandez, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadure Deuba, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Georgia Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Estonia Prime Minister Kaja Kallas extended support to the LiFE movement.
Argentina:
Mr. Alberto Fernandez, President of Argentina
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,
I am here in Buenos Aires but I didn’t want to be absent from this meeting convened by PM Modi. The world is experiencing unusual times. Times marked not only by a pandemic but also by a profound inequality. An inequality that results in concentration of wealth among a few while hunger spreads among millions of the world’s inhabitants. The world is also suffering from a crisis because of the use and wastage of non-renewable resources, which undoubtedly have detrimental effects upon the environment. It is also true that this concentration and the ongoing war has led to a problem of food security around the world that should draw the attention of all the countries and the international community. We must take a look at how to face this reality and that is why I think this initiative, LiFE, can be very helpful for us to find a way—because one of the ways is to ensure that governments and the civil society achieve the necessary consensus so that we can slowly emerge out of the crisis we are enduring. We must ensure that the world develops, that poverty reduces, that social equality is achieved and in order to accomplish that, we should aim at sustainable, innovative and above all environment-friendly production. Knowing that the leading democracy in the world, India, has undertaken the task of seeking a way out, I feel more at ease. And I would be remiss if my country didn’t join this initiative, this pursuit. Here we are supporting the LiFE initiative, so the objectives of Sustainability for Development 2030 can be made possible by everyone, by each inhabitant of this world.
Thank you
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We are supporting the #LiFE initiative so the objectives of sustainability for development 2030 can be made possible by everyone, by each inhabitant of this world: #Argentina President @alferdez#ProPlanetPeople pic.twitter.com/TAkCGpF5Pm
— NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) October 20, 2022
Estonia:
Ms. Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia
Dear Friends,
Namaste,
The need for collective response to address climate change and biodiversity loss is stronger than ever. We are grateful to Prime Minister Modi for his leadership, together with the UN Secretary General, in launching Mission LiFE. The power of change lies in working together towards a common goal and engaging all the people and communities on the planet. An excellent example of this is World Cleanup Day. It is an extensive one-day action that started in Estonia and has spread to 191 countries. At COP 27, we will call for even more countries to join us. By the way, India has been very active in World Cleanup Day. Last year, an amazing 1.2 million people took part in this initiative in India. That is impressive, thank you! Russia’s war against Ukraine has triggered global energy crises. This further underlines the need to move towards renewable energy and sustainability. We can achieve even more if we combine the green transition with the digital one. We have digitized the energy network in Estonia and see the potential this has for energy savings as well as innovation. It is time for profound change in our lifestyles; we need to place sustainability front and centre. I am glad that climate action is one of India’s G20 presidential priorities and I wish you successful presidency.
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France:
Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France
I wish I could be with you for this very special moment. The time when our world is subject to increasing geo-political tensions, we have no choice but to choose cooperation over division, for one single reason: No one can address global challenges, and especially climate change, on their own. The LiFE initiative is part of this agenda for stronger cooperation. I want to say a few words to wish you great success in its implementation. At the current pace, the global population will reach 9.6 billion by 2050. The equivalent of almost three planets could be required to provide natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles. Governments, businesses, people, we must therefore all cooperate in rethinking our models and behaviours. Sustainable consumption is all about doing more—better is less. We are already on that track. The current surge in energy prices is leading many countries in Europe to take the path of sobriety. In France, we will reduce our energy consumption by 10% acting all over the board in transportation, housing, industries and other sectors. We need to meet this challenge together. But this would not be a temporary response before going back to our old ways. What we are talking about is a paradigm shift, because we will not reach Net Zero by 2050 if we don’t act on the demand side and substantially reduce our energy consumption. Beyond the current climate crisis, as the effects of climate change are already unfolding, every citizen should now be aware that it’s no longer possible to use natural resources such as water as if they were inexhaustible. We need to meet this challenge together by promoting ambitious public policies in all sectors, by launching coalitions of the willing. I am pleased, in that regard, that France and India agreed on leading a global initiative on the end of single-use plastic, and by fostering a common partnership between citizens committed to changing their lifestyles and therefore the world. With the LiFE initiative, Prime Minister Modi will give us this opportunity. France looks forward to working with India to make this initiative a success, including in the perspective of the Indian Presidency of the G20 next year. Thank you for this initiative and thank you for your attention and your commitment.
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Georgia:
Mr. Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia
Excellency Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime Minister of India,
Dear ladies and gentlemen and dear friends,
I am honoured and pleased to address this distinguish audience at today’s remarkable event and to congratulate India for taking the lead to launch this extraordinary mission in the beautiful city of Kevadia in India. Georgia welcomes and fully supports this global initiative timely introduced by his Excellency Narendra Modi. We promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on the principle of mindful and deliberate utilization. In this regard we have taken significant steps to fulfill our international commitments as well as obligations under the EU-Georgia association agreement. To strengthen environment-related governance in the system, Georgia has improved its environmental-assessment systems and introduced more active public-participation mechanisms at the earliest possible stage of the environmental decision-making process. Major reforms have been carried out recently in the ambient air-protection field to improve air quality throughout the country. Georgia is one of the few countries worldwide where national forests are genuinely high-level national priorities, embedded in national policies and strategies. National forests, what Georgia has experienced, have significant increased. [. . .] 40 percent of my country’s territory is covered by forests, therefore, sustainable forest management is an important priority for our Government. We implement sustainable forest management that will support the ecological stability of forest ecosystems, enhance the socio-economic benefits for the public and reduce the pressure on forests. In order to address the negative consequences of climate change, Georgia in accordance with the Paris Agreement has updated its Nationally Determined Contributions’ document. We set a new 2030 climate-change strategy and an action plan for mitigation measures. I am proud to state that our country stays committed to intensive reforms for the better protection of the environment, biodiversity, and national and international climate goals. I strongly believe that together we can achieve a common goal and save our planet.
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Guyana:
Mr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana
Our planet is under threat, where 75% of earth’s land has substantially degraded. [. . .] Collective action is the need to protect our environment. Here in Guyana, we have started—our forest is the size of England, storing 19.5 gigatons of carbon; we have one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world. So we are leading by example and we are building Guyana on a low carbon development strategy 2030. Those not only look at the environmental value of what we have but also look at how we can improve livelihood options, create new livelihood options for forest and communities and help people to become prosperous and at the same time safeguarding our environment. I wish to extend my best wishes to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on the launching of the Mission LiFE logo and document, which seek to mobilize one billion Indians to become Pro Planet People by 2027, who will practice simple environment- and climate-friendly behaviours in their daily lives. Congratulations, India, for taking the lead and pioneering this movement. Guyana is committed to protecting and promoting green economic activity through actions that support the Sustainable Development Goals. Simple actions taken every day by citizens across the globe will help to harness the full potential of this collective action. We must do everything within our power, to protect and preserve the environment by making the necessary lifestyle changes. All of us have an individual and collective responsibility, as a family of humanity, to do our part for protecting and safeguarding our environment, so that future generation can enjoy the beauty of world we live in.
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Madagascar:
Mr. Andry Rajoelina, President of Madagascar
Your Excellency, Mr. Prime Minister of India, Mr Secretary-General of United Nations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Climate change and the preservation and protection of environment are subjects that are particularly close to my heart. As I announced at the 77th United Nations General Assembly, the solutions must come from each nation, each leader and each citizen. But above all, the emitting countries must keep their commitments. This requires a common effort from each country to preserve our planet. We all know that forests are often called the “lungs of the planet”. However, the use of charcoal and firewood remains a common practice throughout the African continent in general, and in Madagascar in particular.
In my country, the use of charcoal for cooking impacts the destruction of 1ha of forest per year. This is devastating. This is why we are launching a fight against deforestation with the promotion of “clean cooking” to drastically reducing the use of charcoal. To do this, we will promote the use of bioethanol stoves as an alternative in every home. It is by changing practices and mentalities that we can change things. I am convinced that LiFE could become one of the turning points in our fight against the climate crisis. I thank India, through its Prime Minister, who is an inspiring leader in environmental protection, for bringing us together for this cause. It is with hope and conviction that I join you in this Mission. Together, let’s commit ourselves to sustainable development, for a better world for our children.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to transform our speeches into concrete actions! Thank you for your attention.
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Maldives:
Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of Maldives
Greetings,
One of the greatest breakthroughs we have made in recent years is to recognize that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a fundamental human right. [. . .] It is time we unpack the lessons left behind by our ancestors. They taught us that love and respect for our natural heritage are essential for a sustainable future. [. . .] Prime Minister Modi’s Mission LiFE couldn’t have come at a more crucial juncture. The ill effects of the climate crisis come at us with full force. [. . .] This ambitious initiative is a call for action. Let’s not end here. You see the best chances of our survival are in our own hands, together, let’s reflect on our lifestyles and make swift changes towards eco-friendly habits. Simple things in our everyday lives such as choosing to walk more on instead of driving, or planting trees wherever we can, can redress environmental degradation. Individual actions may appear insignificant on their own but when pooled together they have the power to spur transformative effects. [. . .] We will do our part to make sure the health and wealth of our planet survive to benefit tomorrow’s generations.
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Mauritius:
Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius
Governments are joining hands with businesses around the world to address environmental issues. However, policy reforms and economic initiatives are not enough to save our planet. Lifestyle changes at the individual level and behavioral changes at the community level are needed to reduce the strain on the environment. I, therefore, strongly support the movement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build on good practices at the level of individuals, communities and institutions in order to accelerate the transition to the most sustainable future. If human activities continue at the present pace, by 2050 we will need free planets to sustain our lives. Business is as usual no longer an option. Allow me to end with a quote of Mahatma Gandhi: “The world has enough for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.”
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Nepal:
Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prime Minister of Nepal
I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India for advancing the idea for Lifestyle for Environment. This is a pioneering movement that can help in fighting climate change and achieve SDGs. To build on the idea that positive changes, individual actions and behaviors are the key parts of the climate solutions that world urgently needs, I thank the organizer for giving Nepal an opportunity to express our support for the pioneering movement such as LiFE. And express the need to collectively save our planet, for a better future for our people.
Thank you very much.
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UK:
Ms. Elizabeth Truss, Prime Minister of the UK
Last year, the world came together to UK to sign the Glasgow Climate Change Pact. It was a landmark deal—it showed that governments are ready to take decisive action on climate change and we must all keep increasing our ambition. Now the energy crises are showing once again that we need to go further and faster. As democracies, we must work together to secure energy independence and protect our economies. That’s why we are turbo-charging our rush to renewables; we are investing with partners like India to help build vital climate infrastructure. And we are working together to turn our Net-Zero commitments into actions. It’s a real pleasure to join Prime Minister Modi in launching their LiFE initiative today and I commend India’s leadership. This is all about helping people make greener choices and live more sustainable lives. So let’s keep making this long-term choices, let’s keep leading the way and let’s take another big step to move forward together. We shall meet next month with India’s G20 presidency next year.
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