Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday pitched for an integrated global action policy for all round economic development in terms of social and environmental sustainability with India acting as a bridge between the global South and global North.

Om Birla’s remarks came during the Second Working Session of the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20), on the theme “Rebooting Economic Growth in terms of Social and Environmental Sustainability” held in Rome, Italy on Friday.

Seeking to drive home India’s centrality to global affairs, Birla said, “If India progresses, the world succeeds.  The nation is working with a wider global vision to build a world order based on energy justice, climate justice and economic justice. India’s objective is to act as a bridge between the Global South and the Global North to develop an integrated global action policy that would be the foundation of the world’s future.”

Birla informed the participants at the summit about India’s efforts to deal with the adverse impact of the climate change. He said following extensive discussion Indian Parliament passed many legislations on protection and conservation of the environment.

“India has achieved the target of reducing the emission intensity of our GDP by 24 percent as compared to 2005 well before time. Further, the country is on track to reduce this intensity by 35 percent much before the stipulated year 2030,” the Lok Sabha Speaker pointed out.

Underlining India’s commitment to climate justice Birla said, “the narrative of energy security, climate protection and development can go hand in hand as India’s development policy is based on giving equal importance to both economy and ecology. Sustainable development is the foundation of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’,” he stressed.

Enlisting the steps being taken for environmental protection, Birla said, “India is reducing CO2 emissions, CFC and HFC emissions in line with our international obligations through schemes like Ujjawala Scheme, Ujaala Scheme, Smart City Mission, etc.”

Om Birla later held discussions with Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, President, Italian Senate; Puan Maharani, Speaker, House of Representative of Republic of Indonesia and Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula, Speaker, National Assembly of South Africa, on energy, education, culture, skill development, infrastructure, food processing and parliamentary cooperation on the sidelines of the summit.