World must boycott single-use plastic, India’s PM tells UN event
Modi tells global leaders how India has soil cards to help farmers understand soil health
Greater Noida: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a global boycott of single-use plastic at a United Nations event here on Monday.
“I think the time has come for the world to say goodbye to single-use plastic,” Modi said, as the hall resonated with claps.
The PM was addressing the 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) being held in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
Talking about India’s commitment to protecting forest land, Modi reminded global leaders that India has increased its forest cover by 0.8 million hectares between 2015 and 2017 alone.
He said, any chopping of trees in India due to developmental projects was compensated by planting more trees.
Modi told global leaders in attendance at COP 14 how India has ‘soil cards’ to help the farmers understand the health of the soil.
He highlighted India’s Swachh Bharat mission for sanitation, and water conservation efforts.
Making a huge commitment at the international forum, Modi said India would increase the area that would be recovered from land degradation from 21 million hectares to 26 million hectares, between 2019 and 2030.
The premier also appealed for global water action agenda to fight climate change.
Proposing a south-south cooperation, he recited Sanskrit texts reminding India’s ancient commitment to holistic and inclusive prosperity which includes climate.