New Delhi, January 12, 2023: As India and Japan took over the G20 and G7 Presidencies, the Environment Ministers of India and Japan, Mr. Bhupender Yadav and Mr. Akihiro Nishimura, emphasized the need for the two countries to spread joint awareness of lifestyle reform to the world and at the same time led the global discourse on climate change, biodiversity loss, the circular economy and plastic pollution.
The Ministers were speaking at an event on ‘Building a Resilient Decarbonized Society in India through Environmental Infrastructure and Technology’, held under the auspices of the Environment Ministries of India and Japan and co-organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). , as part of the India-Japan Environment Week in New Delhi on Thursday.
Mr. Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), emphasized the importance of a human-centric approach to healing the planet, saying, “To save Mother Earth from the planetary challenges of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, we need collective action that is guided by basic principles of the Rio Convention. Unsustainable production and consumption require urgent attention.”
Observing the role of the India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership in setting the road map for further industrial cooperation between the two countries in the areas of SMEs, manufacturing and supply chains, Mr. Yadav added, “It is time to orient industrial development towards sustainable development. production and be a tool for promoting sustainable consumption.”
Mr. Akihiro Nishimura, Minister of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), highlighted the Japanese government’s initiative to promote lifestyle innovation – similar to India’s LiFE mission, saying, “The Japanese government is working with businesses and local governments. , an NGO promoting lifestyle innovation. As both countries share a common awareness that lifestyle reform is the key to decarbonisation, we will drive it around the world through our friendship.
Mr Nishimura stressed that “the normalization of the private sector fund is essential” if the global temperature rise is to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius in line with the Paris Agreement. “At COP 27, the Japanese government entered into an international partnership to create a highly integrated carbon market with the participation of more than 70 countries and organizations, including India,” he added.
At the event, Mr. Susumu Wakamori, President of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India (JCCII), noted that the industry body will work to create a “better circle between the environment and the economy”, including expanding private investment to combat climate change. measure. “I hope that the India-Japan Environment Week will help promote cooperation and technology transfer between the private sector in India and Japan,” he said at an event co-organized by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. (FICCI), Invest India, JCCII and Japan Platform for Redesign: Sustainable Infrastructure.
Mr. Subhrakant Panda, President, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), highlighted the tremendous growth in trade between India and Japan over the years. Highlighting the potential of the Indo-Japan environmental dialogue, he said, “It will bring transformative ideas and practical solutions to current challenges, while pointing the way forward for business and industry.”
Mr. RR Rashmi, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, in his keynote address on “Environmental Policy Trends for Building a Decarbonized Society in India” contextualized decarbonization by highlighting its importance in achieving climate goals. “India contributes about 7 percent of global emissions. But if we consider India’s historical contribution to emissions, it is just 4 per cent,” Mr. Rashmi said.
As India’s updated NDCs focus on 2030 targets, Mr. Rashmi said, “Our goal of transitioning to a non-fossil fuel economy requires India to increase its renewable energy capacity. In 2022, we have reached 42 percent of our RES capacity, which means that of the total electricity generation capacity of 408 GW, 42 percent is in the form of RES. He highlighted the difference between “capacity and production”, adding that 78 percent of our energy needs are still met by conventional fuels. “That’s the challenge,” he added.
Mr. Anagh Singh, Senior Manager, Invest India, in his speech on “Environmental Infrastructure and Technology Needs for Building a Decarbonized Society in India”, noted that while climate change poses a significant threat to the Indian economy, it also presents economic opportunities for India. and partner countries to develop new technologies. “Industries needed for decarbonisation need to be developed, manufactured and deployed,” he added.
Bilateral environmental cooperation between India and Japan covers the areas of climate change, air and water pollution, as well as the transfer of low-carbon technologies from Japanese companies to Indian companies. The two-day event will bring together experts, industry leaders and stakeholders from both countries to discuss issues of waste management, carbon markets, clean energy technologies, air and water pollution and the Japan-India Technology Matchmaking Platform (JITMAP). Stakeholders will discuss the challenges of building a resilient decarbonized society in India and discuss interventions needed to foster collaboration between central and local governments and the private sector.
Watch the session here:
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Based in India, the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an independent, multi-dimensional research organization with capabilities in policy research, technology development and implementation. An innovator and change agent in energy, environment, climate change and sustainability, TERI has been pioneering conversation and action in these areas for nearly five decades. Headquartered in New Delhi, it has centers in six Indian cities and is supported by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists, engineers, administrative experts and state-of-the-art infrastructure.