LS Speaker Om Birla call for collective global action to face climate change impacts

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday urged the developed countries to take a demonstrable lead in combating climate change and called for collective global action to face the challenge of climate change.

Birla hosted a debate of the countries participating in the 'Speaker's Dialogue on Governance'-- a high-level Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) platform to exchange political ideas-- on the emergency steps against climate change which was proposed by India.

An Indian Parliamentary delegation, led by Birla, is presently attending the 141st assembly of the IPU in Belgrade.

A number of countries including, Uganda, Bhutan, Fiji, Chile, Bangladesh, Brazil, and others participated in the debate and applauded India's initiative to bring a resolution on climate change as an emergency item.

Birla also delivered a statement at the break-out session of the Speakers' Dialogue on Development and Economy.

Highlighting India's growth story and its achievements with respect to various crucial economic indicators, Birla effectively underlined Indian perspective on the issues of development and economy.

"Shared my views at the 'Speakers' Dialogue on Governance' at #IPU141 and underlined India's perspective on Development and Economy. Also highlighted issues relating to India's economic growth and achievements on various crucial economic indicators," he tweeted.

On the sidelines of the assembly, Birla also held bilateral discussions with his counterpart from the Iranian Parliament on issues of mutual interest.

Members of Parliament, including Ram Kumar Verma, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, and Sasmit Patra, attended the special segment of the Assembly to mark the 130th Anniversary of the IPU.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Bhartiben Dhirubhai Shyal attended the meeting of the IPU Advisory Group on health.

The Standing Committee on Peace and International Security organised a panel discussion on the follow up of IPU's earlier Resolution on 'A nuclear-weapon-free world' that was attended by Karunanidhi.

The Committee also organised a panel discussion on the theme of criminalisation of money laundering which was attended by Karandalaje.

While Patra attended the meeting of the Drafting Committee on the emergency item on climate change.

Member of Parliament Wansuk Syiem also attended a workshop on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Achievements and Challenges-Parliamentary perspectives on the way forward.

Snehlata Shrivastava, Secretary-General, Lok Sabha and Desh Deepak Verma, Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha attended the sessions of the Association of the Secretaries-General of Parliaments (ASGP).

Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor was also invited to be a panellist on the second break-out Session of the Speaker's Dialogue on Security.