Looking back to future at Stockholm+50, India asks world to leave no one behind

New Delhi : Reiterating that the principles outlined during the 1972 Stockholm conference remain relevant even today, India has said the world needs to ensure that when the Stockholm conference turns 75, it can look back with satisfaction of our collective action — to leave no one behind.

This was Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav making India’s statement this Thursday on the first day of the two-day Stockholm+50 conference being held to mark the 50 years of the 1972’s first UN conference on human environment.

The Stockholm+50 opened earlier in the day with a call to accelerate urgent climate action for a healthy planet for the prosperity of all.

Heads of the governments, Environment Ministers, think-tanks, NGOs, researchers, students, activists, the entire gamut of stakeholders in the environmental movement attended the prestigious event.

“Climate justice aims at providing a level playing field to all communities across the world by empowering them with financial and technology from interventions,” Yadav said as he read out his brief India statement.

The Union Minister then listed India’s achievements vis-a-vis climate actions in both domestic and international arena, especially that done in partnership with other countries.

Towards the end, Bhupender Yadav remembered the theme of the conference ‘Healthy planet for prosperity of all’ and said it reminded him of the millennia old Sanskrit verses from ancient Indian scripture.

He went on to recite the Sanskrit verse – ‘Om Sahana Vavatu, Sahanau Bhunaktau, Saha Veeryam Karava Vahe, Tejaswina Vadheet Mastu, Maa Vidvishaavahei Om Shanti Shanti Shanti’ and translated it for the benefit of others as follows: “May we all be protected. May we all be nourished. May we work together with great energy. May our intellect be sharpened. Let there be no animosity amongst us.”

The Minister concluded his 4-minute India statement by saying, “We need to ensure that when the Stockholm conference turns 75, it can look back with satisfaction of our collective action. To leave no one behind.”

Yadav also penned his thoughts as part of his ‘Stockholm Diary’ wherein he also listed all his day’s engagements.

“At Stockholm+50, it is time for us to remind ourselves that the fight against environmental degradation cannot be fought and won without us understanding that our wildlife, our land, our natural resources are all as important as us, if not more. It is time to say in one voice, ‘Environment for Everyone’.