Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a collective effort to combat climate change, urging people to become conscious of their daily actions and their impact on the environment.
Speaking at the World Bank-organised conference on "Making it Personal: How behavioral change can tackle climate change," Modi emphasized the importance of individuals in fighting climate change.
He cited the "Mission Life" program, which he launched with the UN Secretary-General last year, as an initiative to democratize the battle against climate change.
Climate change cannot be fought from conference tables alone. It has to be fought from the dinner tables in every home," the Prime Minister stated, highlighting the need to move from discussions to action. He urged every family and individual to become aware that their choices can help the planet and those simple acts in their daily lives can have a positive impact on the environment.
PM Modi noted the progress made by the people of India in addressing climate change, citing examples such as the success of the LED bulb campaign that has resulted in the sale of nearly 370 million LED bulbs and avoided approximately 39 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions annually. The Prime Minister also praised the efforts of farmers in promoting micro-irrigation to improve water conservation.
The conference discussed the impact of behavioral change on climate change and highlighted the need for people to understand the power of their actions in making a positive impact on the environment. PM Modi commended the World Bank for organizing the event and expressed his delight in seeing the issue of climate change becoming a global movement.
Further, he emphasized that combatting climate change is not solely the responsibility of governments and global institutions but requires individual efforts at every level. He called for a mass movement towards climate action, stating that "when an idea moves from discussion tables to dinner tables, it becomes a mass movement."
