LIFE FOR CLIMATE ACTION 

1. Context

2. Key Points

• Our world today is in turmoil, facing multiple, mutually reinforcing crises.
• Even as we mount a fragile recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, war fuels devastating energy, food and cost-of-living crisis.
• This comes against the backdrop of the greatest existential threat of all the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
• Nine of the warmest years on record have come in the past decade alone.
• This year's record-breaking heat waves, floods, droughts and other extreme forms of weather have forced us to face these increasingly devastating impacts.
• Climate change is a disruption multiplier in a disrupted world, rolling back progress across the global Sustainable Development Goals.

3. Paris Agreement and the COP26 summit

• The Paris Agreement and the COP26 summit in Glasgow represent urgently, collective steps countries are taking to limit emissions. Yet, the window for action is closing fast.
• Commitments we have now will not keep warming below the 1.5 °C target that gives us the best chance of averting catastrophe.
• With the narrative so focused on geopolitics, the scope for each of us to make a difference as individuals seems increasingly lost. 
• While governments and industry carry the lion's share of responsibility for responding to the crisis, we as consumers play a large role in driving unsustainable production methods.

4. LIFE, a fresh perspective

• LIFE or Lifestyle for Environment, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in November 2021, brings a fresh and much-needed perspective.
• Rather than framing climate change as a "larger than life" challenge, Life recognises that small individual actions can tip the balance in the planet's favour.

4.1 Needed guiding frameworks

1. Information sharing and the scale of a global movement
2. Mindful choices cultivated by Life animate this spirit's actions such as saving energy at home
3. Cycling and using public transport instead of driving
4. Eating more plant-based foods and wasting less and leveraging our position as customers and employees to demand climate-friendly choices.

4.2 Goals of LIFE

• Many of the goals of LIFE can be achieved by deploying "nudges" and gentle persuasion techniques to encourage positive behaviour.

1. Discouraging food waste by offering smaller plates in cafeterias:
2. Encouraging recycling by making bin lids eye-catching
3. Encouraging cycling by creating cycle paths.

4.3 Global Vision

• While LIFE is a global vision, India is an excellent place to start.
• With over 1.3 billion people, if we achieve a true Jan Andolan here, the momentum generated will be enormous.
• As India leads, we see the world increasingly follow.

5. India's track record

• Today, in Gujarat, from the Statue of Unity, this vision of LIFE is taking flight as a global mission launched by Mr Modi together with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has come to India to show his support.
• The Prime Minister and Secretary-General are calling on all consumers across the world to become "Pro-Planet People" by 2027, adopting simple lifestyle changes that can collectively lead to transformational change.
• India has a proven track record of translating the aspirations of national missions into whole-of-society efforts.
• The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which mobilised individuals and communities across socio-economic strata to become drivers of collective good health and sanitation is an example.

6. Onus on the developed world 

• It is common sense and only fair to call on the developed world to shoulder a proportionate share of this transition.
• In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "the world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed".

7. Panchamrit Targets 

• There has never been a better time for India's climate action leadership at home and on the international stage.

• With COP27 next month and India set to assume the G20 Presidency weeks after, followed by the halfway mark to Agenda 2030 next year, we at Team UN India and our 26 entities are proud and committed partners in this mission to help give a new lease of LIFE to climate action.

For Prelims & Mains