Centre lays down 75-point climate-friendly agenda under Mission LiFE

Initiatives cover actions under seven categories--energy, water saving, single-use plastic, sustainable food systems, waste reduction (Swachhata actions), healthy lifestyle, and e-waste

The Union government on Wednesday published a list of 75 lifestyle practices that can be taken up as climate-friendly behaviour under the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav in a tweet shared the list of 75 actions under the seven categories — energy, water saving, single-use plastic, sustainable food systems, waste reduction (swachhata actions), healthy lifestyle, and e-waste.

“In 2022-23, Mission LiFE will focus on 'Change in Demand' by nudging individuals, communities, and institutions to practise simple environment-friendly actions in their daily lives,” Yadav tweeded.

Nineteen actions have been published under the energy saving agenda, ranging from preference for CNG/EV vehicles to installing earthen pots for cooling water. For water saving, 15 actions can be taken from adaptation of cultivation of less water-intensive crops to creating rainwater harvesting infrastructure in home, schools/offices.

For reducing plastic use, 11 actions were highlighted, from using recycled plastic to use of steel lunch boxes. For sustainable food seven actions can be taken, from creating a kitchen garden to preferring locally available and seasonal food.

Under the waste reduction (swachhata actions), healthy lifestyle adaptation and e-waste reaction, 11, 9 and 4 actions respectively were highlighted from feeding unused and uncooked vegetables leftover to cattle to preferring cloud storage over a pen drive/hard drive.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on October 20 launched Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) — a global plan of action aimed at saving the planet from the disastrous consequences of climate change.

The LiFE Mission was introduced by PM Modi during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow last year. It is also a part of India's updated list of nationally determined contributions (NDC), which was officially submitted to the UNFCC this August this year.

Mission LiFE aims to promote an environment-conscious lifestyle that focuses on 'mindful and deliberate utilisation' instead of 'mindless and destructive consumption'. It also envisages a circular economy through people’s participation. It also plans to nurture a global network of individuals, namely “pro-planet people” or P3, who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environment-friendly lifestyles.

The first of India’s eight point-NDC is aimed 'to put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation, including through a mass movement for ‘LiFE’ as a key to combating climate change'. It is for the first time now that the tenets of the LiFE mission are known.

LiFE will look at following a three-pronged strategy at demand, supply and policy levels for changing our collective approach towards sustainability. First is by nudging individuals to practice simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand).  Second is by enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand (supply). Third is to influence government and industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production (policy).

Mission LiFE will be India’s signature initiative at the UN and other international platforms for showcasing climate action and early achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including upcoming COP27 in November. During India’s presidency of the G20, sustaining and promoting LiFE will be among key focus areas for deliberations.