‘Shift from auto to human mode to meet challenges’

The Centre on Tuesday urged people to shift to “human mode” from “auto mode” to meet climate change challenges across the globe, while stressing at the same time on the role to be played by the private sector in not only providing innovation, but also finance in such a way that the Intended Nationally Determined Commitments (INDCs) could be achieved.

Speaking at the 9th Climate Policy and Business Conclave 2016 organised by Ficci, environment ministry secretary Ashok Lavasa said: “The Paris agreement is just an engagement which has to fructify into a marriage.” He added: “We have sit down and deliberate on how we have to do what we have to do, ensuring that the future generation does not curse us (for climate change) the way we curse our predecessors. The World will grow, economy will grow, technology will improve. We have to deal with all this without jeopardising the climate conditions.” The head of the division of German federal ministry for environment, nature conservation, building and nuclear safety (BMUB), Dr Silke Karcher, Ficci national committee member Rakesh Bakshi and the representative from World Bank were also present on the occasion.

Deciphering on the two-day seminar’s theme “Operationalising India’s INDCs”, Mr Lavasa said that one important feature of INDCs submitted is that it provides an opportunity to the world to view them as achievable targets and work upon them. Therefore, he added, “Time for action is here and now and we should not wait till 2021.”

Reiterating the government’s commitments towards dealing with climate change, the secretary, MoEFCC quoted excerpts from union finance minister, union railway minister and president’s speeches in the budget. “Why I read out this to you is because I want to show that it is not just the environment ministry talking about climate change but others too, especially railway ministry. Everyone will have to chip in for a climate action plan.” “It is now time that environment concerns will have to be embedded in whatever we do and budgetary allocations and speeches demonstrate government’s resolve in meeting these new challenges.”

He added that climate change challenge should not be seen as an obligation but as an opportunity for everyone to do things differently. In his concluding remarks he said: “Although this workshop is talking about meeting financial challenges for INDCs, I think equally important are the innovation and its funding.” “The world is not going to change by evolution alone; I think we need resources as well.”