Javadekar calls for sharing best practices among BRICS nations for SDGs

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the aspirations of BRICS countries are similar and called for sharing of best practices among the nations towards the attainment of goals

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said that the aspirations of BRICS countries are similar and called for sharing of best practices among the nations towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.

The Environment Ministers of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) participated in the 6th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting on July 30, 2020, via videoconference under the presidency of Russia.

"The Union Minister stressed upon the need to implement the various initiatives under the BRICS and for the speedy implementation of the BRICS MoU. The Minister also offered that India could provide the platform wherein all the best practices in environmental management in BRICS countries could be showcased," an official release by the Ministry of Environment and Forests said.

Javadekar also elaborated on the efforts made by India in areas relating to sustainable urban management, tackling marine litter, air pollution and the cleaning of rivers.

The Minister said that India believes that equity, common but differentiated responsibilities, finance and technology partnerships are key pillars towards the attainment of global goals of climate change mitigation and adaptation and India is walking the talk on the Paris Agreement and its climate commitments.

Highlighting the efforts made by India in controlling air pollution, Javadekar said that in 2015 India launched the Air Quality index monitoring in 10 cities. Today, it has been extended to 122 cities. He also informed that India in 2019 launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the goal of which is to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30 per cent relative to 2017 levels by 2024.

During the meeting, the need for all the BRICS nations to work as a group for the post-2020 Biodiversity framework was also emphasised. The meeting was preceded by the BRICS Working Group meeting.

India will assume the BRICS Presidency in 2021. Javadekar extended an invitation to the BRICS nations to participate in the BRICS environment meetings.