India today emphasised the role of the developed world in providing financial and technological assistance to developing countries to deal with climate change.

Addressing the two-day ‘Voice of Global South Summit’, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav spoke about the role of India in supporting and raising the voice of Global South in dealing with the issue of climate change and environment at various international forums.

He said there was a need for developing policies that were inclusive and sustainable to reduce inequality and contribute to the empowerment and improvement of the quality of people’s lives.

Yadav also mentioned the problems faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) countries due to climate change and the initiatives taken by India in this regard such as Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS), International Solar Alliance (ISA), etc.

The experience of India in tackling natural disasters through the institutional mechanism was also highlighted.

The minister stressed that environment-friendly actions (LiFE Actions), on a mass scale across the globe, could be a significant positive contributor to saving the world. He highlighted the importance of the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) in tackling the global issue of climate change.

Ministers from the Global South raised various problems being faced by the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Food security, sea level rise, coastal erosion, and economic downturn due to COVID-19 were some of the common issues raised by them.

The developing coastal countries also stated the catastrophic impacts of climate change. Many developing countries highlighted the role of the adaptation policies they are developing to tackle climate change.

All the countries congratulated India on assuming the G20 presidency and said they expected positive outcomes on the topics of blue economy, circular economy, and land degradation.

The ministers mentioned that the problem of climate change was common for all countries whether developed or developing but the solution was not easy for the developing states as they lack the technological and financial support. They highlighted the role of South-South cooperation in tackling the challenges of climate change.