New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday dedicated the United Nations’ (UN) Champions of the Earth award to all Indians and the country’s tradition of coexisting with nature.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the global community for conferring this honour upon me. This honour is not meant for any individual, but rather for the great Indian tradition through which , for centuries, we have been taught values like coexistence with nature,” the Prime Minister said as a part of his acceptance speech.
He further expressed delight to see that the world has finally started accepting the importance of nature. “The struggle with nature has brought destruction, both on mankind as well as on nature. In this changing situation, all of us are putting emphasis on protecting nature.
Whether you call it global warming, carbon emission, whether you are referring to ‘developed countries’ or ‘developing countries’, no matter what phrase you use, ultimately, we must all focus on climate justice,” Prime Minister Modi added.
He also noted that the marginalised, poor and deprived people are “ultimate victims of climate injustice,” adding that, “If we think of the welfare of the marginalised, we need to put the same emphasis on protecting nature as we do on other issues.”
“In the pursuit of climate justice, India stands with the world, and is ready to march with you, shoulder to shoulder, in order to achieve this goal,” the Prime Minister said.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Modi were on Wednesday recognised in the Policy Leadership category of the United Nation’s highest environmental honour – Champions of the Earth.
They were recognised for their work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting cooperation on environmental action. Macron’s work on the Global Pact for the Environment and Prime Minister Modi’s pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022 also contributed towards them being conferred with the award.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]