Development Is Our First Defence Against Climate Change: Yadav

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav on Saturday has said the IPCC AR 6 report reemphasises that development is our first defence against climate change. 

The report reinforces the scientific view that CO2 is the primary GHG that needs to be drastically reduced to achieve the global temperature goal as agreed in the Paris Agreement.

Addressing the plenary session at the G-7 ministers' meeting on climate, energy and environment in Sapporo, Japan, the minister said that the global goal of reaching net zero by 2050 requires enhanced descaling of emissions by the developed countries.

"This will provide space for countries like India to achieve the development required for its people, which will provide necessary defence against the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and pollution," he added.

He further said that to save our planet from the challenges of climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity, we need collective action guided by the founding principles of the Rio Conventions.

He added we have made some progress collectively through the process of UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD. 

However, there is an urgent need for greater action to deal with the three challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, Yadav explained.