New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said parameters used to measure progress are detrimental to the climate and suggested developing the concept of a green gross domestic product.
In a free-wheeling conversation with philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, he also said that climate action has gained momentum since the G20 Summit in India in September last year.
When Gates asked if the green approach could be made more affordable for easier adoption, the prime minister said the world needs to adopt a two-pronged strategy: first, nature and climate-friendly innovation, and second, environmentally friendly lifestyles.
The prime minister said, “Our current challenge is how we perceive progress. For example, a country’s development is often judged by its steel consumption and energy usage. Based on these criteria, we calculate the country’s economy.” “If we continue to rely on these parameters, we will consume more electricity and steel, resulting in increased carbon emissions. This means we need to change our mindset. We need to make lifestyle choices and measure progress in ways that are climate-friendly. Currently, all our measures of progress are detrimental to the climate,” he said.
Modi suggested that the world adopt the concept of Green GDP which would be incorporated into the overall gross domestic product. “We need to change the global terminology,” he said.
He said that if “we continue to consume excessively and waste electricity and water”, the climate change problem cannot be solved.
The prime minister noted that his and Gates’ perspectives on climate change closely align.
The philanthropist praised Prime Minister Modi’s “Mission Innovation” launched at the 2015 Paris climate meeting.
“Mission Innovation”, termed by Prime Minister Modi, involves collaboration among 23 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) to accelerate the clean energy revolution and progress towards the Paris Agreement goals and pathways to net zero. India is a founding member of “Mission Innovation”.
Modi recalled that he, the then US and French presidents, and Gates had discussed their strategy in depth during that time, but unfortunately, their efforts did not progress significantly.
“However, post-G20, an atmosphere has been created where everyone has resolved to fulfil their responsibilities towards climate. The foundation we laid together with your involvement being instrumental… I am optimistic that these efforts will flourish, much like a banyan tree,” the prime minister said.
Modi told Gates that India is making rapid advancements in the renewable energy sector.
“Our efforts are focused on solar and wind energy. And, we are also eager to accelerate progress in the nuclear sector. Similarly, our ambitions extend to making significant progress in green hydrogen,” he said.
Discussing India’s rich history of environmental conservation, the prime minister said recycling and reusing are inherent to the nature of Indian people and their ethos.
He informed Gates that the jacket he was wearing was made of recycled materials.
Gates said consumers should prefer clean products “when they are buying a car or when they are buying any product”.
“Changing their food consumption, even if they don’t go all the way to be a vegetarian, they can eat less beef, more chicken, or less chicken and more fish, they can moderate quite a bit, and we know that it also has some health benefits as well,” he said.
To this, the prime minister said that even a vegetarian diet needs improvement and this can be done through the inclusion of millets.
“We celebrated 2023 as the ‘Year of Millets’ with the UN. Millets have great benefits. They grow in barren land, need minimal water, and don’t require fertilisers. They are a superfood. Promoting millet can be a big step forward,” he said.
Even with vegetarian options, some choices are more harmful, he added. (PTI)