Indo-Danish Green Strategic Partnership Takes New Heights

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav  said the Indo-Danish Green Strategic Partnership is an appropriate forum to exchange ideas, best practices, knowledge, technology, capacity building for promoting sustainable lifestyles including LiFE, not only in Denmark and India, but for Europe and the whole world.

Addressing The India – Denmark: Partners for Green and Sustainable Progress Conference  today in New Delhi  Shri Yadav said that since the launch of the “Green Strategic Partnership” during the Virtual Summit on 28 September 2020 between Prime Minister of Denmark, Her Excellency, Ms. Mette Frederiksen and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the bilateral cooperation is focussed on promoting green and sustainable development. He said that during the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Denmark in May, 2022, India and Denmark agreed to further strengthen the Green Strategic Partnership with a focus on green hydrogen, renewable energy and waste water management. The Minister said that Green Strategic Partnership between the Denmark and India opened a new chapter in the friendly and cooperative relations between the countries.

Shri Yadav said that India and Denmark have set very ambitious national targets on climate and energy that will contribute to an ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement. Together, the two countries can show the world that delivering on ambitious climate and sustainable energy goals is possible. It is also necessary, at the same time, to commit ourselves to the founding principles of the Rio Convention, he added.

The Minister said that unsustainable production and consumption needs urgent attention, if we are to confront the global environmental and climate change related challenges that we face today. We need to act fast before it is too late. Shri Yadav said that at the recently concluded COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, the importance of sustainable lifestyles and sustainable patterns of consumption and production (SCP) in global efforts to combat climate change was underscored.

In this connection, Shri Yadav called the attention of the gathering to LiFE or Lifestyle for Environment, announced and launched by the Prime Minister . He said that in line with the global commitment to achieve the SDGs by 2030, Mission LiFE contributes directly or indirectly to almost all the SDGs, including on sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), responsible production and consumption (SDG 12), climate change (SDG 13), life on land (SDG 15), and life under water (SDG 14).

Shri Yadav emphasized that everyone needs to ensure that lifestyles are in sync at all levels with the resources available on the planet. “Let’s resolve to work together tirelessly, to build a sustainable and inclusive future, where no one is left behind!”,  He further said that as the world’s most populous democracy and a vibrant emerging economy, India seeks to lead by example, and invited the global community to be a part of Mission LiFE for individual, family and community-based actions. He said that India is making rapid strides towards inclusive and overall sustainable development, especially in the environment dimension and this is being done both at national level and globally through international partnerships.

The Minister said that India and Denmark’s shared commitment to address climate change is exemplified by strategic sector cooperation on offshore wind and renewable energy, as well as the India-Denmark Energy Partnership (INDEP) on capacity building and technology transfer in the areas of offshore wind, energy modelling, and integration of renewable energy.

The event was attended by their Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.