Terrorism, climate change biggest challenges to present times: Deve Gowda

Janata Dal (Secular) national president and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda opined that the existential threats of terrorism and climate change are the two biggest challenges at present.

Addressing the Asia-Pacific Summit on Saturday on 'Addressing the Critical Challenges of Our Time: Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity, and Universal Values,' the former prime minister said: "The biggest challenge of our time comes from the existential threats of terrorism and climate change. The threat of terrorism is on the cusp of rapid evolution. It makes no distinction between borders, gender or religion. Just when we begin to understand and adapt to a particular kind of threat, the terrorists innovate. The magnitude of the threat multiplies when terrorism is state sponsored. India continues to be a victim of state-sponsored terrorism and so are many of the countries in the region.

Emphasising on a draft proposed by India in 1996, Gowda said a global commitment on the same is necessary to curb terrorism. "In 1996, India proposed a draft document on CCIT (Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism) at the United Nations. Till today, that draft has remained a draft, because the world committee has not yet agreed on a common language. The global community should come to an agreement, soon, on CCIT as one of the necessary measures in a long-running war against the scourge of global terrorism," he said.

With regards to climate change, Gowda asserted that India's commitment to the issue is in line with India's cultural ethos towards environmental safeguards. "Under-developed and developing nations are the worst victim of climate change. They have neither the capacity nor the resources to meet this crisis. Those who have exploited nature for their immediate needs cannot and should not abdicate their responsibilities. The principle of common and differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities was reiterated in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Through the Paris Agreement, we have assured the global community that our development process would be entirely in line with our cultural ethos towards environmental safeguards," he noted.

The former prime minister also outlined the significance of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and appreciated India's role in it. "There can be no development without peace and security. The right to safe and nutritious food is as fundamental as the right to life," Gowda concluded.