Recent IPCC report 'may be last signal' for taking concrete actions against climate change: India

India said the recent IPCC report on climate change "may be the last signal" for taking concrete action against global environmental challenges.

New Delhi:India on Friday said the recent IPCC report on climate change "may be the last signal" for taking concrete action against global environmental challenges.

Speaking at the seventh meeting of the BRICS Environment Ministerial 2021, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the BRICS countries -- Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa - can play a significant role in addressing the contemporary global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, marine plastic litter, among others.

He stressed the need for taking concrete and collective global actions against the global environment and climate challenges, guided by equity, national priorities, and circumstances, and the principles of "Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities(CBDR-RC), the environment ministry said in a statement.

Referring to the findings of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group 1 contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report 'Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science', Yadav said, "The report has given enough, maybe the last signal, for taking concrete collective global actions against global environmental and climate challenges."

The BRICS meeting was held virtually at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in the capital under the chair of India and was participated by the Environment Ministers from the BRICS nations.

Chairing the meeting, Yadav said India gives great importance to BRICS and 2021 is a very crucial year not only for BRICS but for the whole world as well, as UN Biodiversity Conference of Parties (COP) 15 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 26 are scheduled to be held in October and November, respectively.

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He 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 visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is today leading by example 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.

"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," he said.

In the meeting, the Environment Ministers adopted the New Delhi Statement on Environment, which is also aimed at furthering the spirit of Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation, and Consensus in Environment among the BRICS Nations.

The key areas proposed in the BRICS Environment Ministers' Statement, 2021 are guided by the issues, which may have primacy in COP 15 and COP 26.

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PTI