India chairs BRICS Environment Ministerial meet, calls for collective actions against climate challenge

India on Friday chaired Environment Ministerial meet 2021 and called for collective global actions against the environment and climate challenge, a press release said.

"India stressed the need for taking concrete collective global actions against the environment and climate challenge, guided by equity, national priorities and circumstances, and the principles of "Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities(CBDR-RC)," Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a press release.

The meeting was held virtually at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi, under the chair of India and was participated by the Environment Ministers from the BRICS nations. The meeting was preceded by the BRICS Joint Working Group on Environment meeting on August 26.

Chairing the meeting, Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated that India gives great importance to BRICS and said that 2021 is a very crucial year not only for the BRICS but for the whole world as well as "we have UN Biodiversity COP 15 in October and UNFCCC COP 26 in November and emphasised that BRICS Countries can play a very significant role in addressing the contemporary global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, marine plastic litter, etc".

The Environment Minister informed the BRICS Ministerial that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi how India is today leading by taking several robust steps in the field of renewable energy, sustainable habitats, creation of carbon sinks through additional forest and tree cover, transition to sustainable transport, e-mobility, mobilizing the private sector to make climate commitments, etc.

Yadav also mentioned the importance of resource efficiency and circular economy, conservation of wildlife and marine species or biodiversity, and concrete actions taken by India on climate change and biodiversity. "BRICS Countries being hotspots for biodiversity can tell the world how we have been conserving such mega diversity since time immemorial, and can also play a very significant role in combating the Covid-19 pandemic," stated the Environment Minister.

In the Meeting, the Environment Ministers adopted the New Delhi statement on the environment, which is also aimed at furthering the spirit of cooperation for continuity, consolidation, and consensus in the environment among the BRICS Nations, the release added.

( With inputs from ANI )