India prioritizes livelihood protection amid global crisis: LS Speaker Om Birla

St. Petersburg [Russia], July 13 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla who is leading an Indian Parliamentary Delegation to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum currently underway in St. Petersburg, Russia addressed the plenary session on ‘The Role of parliaments in countering the fragmentation of the multilateral trade system and overcoming threats related to the consequences of global crisis’, today.

Speaking on this occasion, the Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that sustainable development includes environmental protection. However, it was crucial to achieve this goal in an equitable manner considering countries’ varied economic development levels.

Adding a word of caution, he stated that the trend of undertaking unilateral measures justified as environmental actions were impacting trade, violating WTO rules, and undermining international law, equity, and the principles of the UNFCCC and NDCs. Climate change mitigation requires substantial resources, which developing countries need for their development and thus adaptation remains a priority for India, which is committed to achieving its NDCs, he elaborated.

Emphasizing fostering mutual understanding and sharing best practices among democratic institutions Birla noted that parliaments play a crucial role in enacting legislation to protect financial and economic sovereignty and support the implementation of international recommendations.

In the Indian context, he stated that the Indian Parliament has actively participated in inter-parliamentary activities, advocating for a rules-based, non-discriminatory, fair, and transparent multilateral trading system centred on the WTO.

He reiterated that the Indian Parliament remains committed to deepening engagement with parliamentarians from other countries.

The Lok Sabha Speaker emphasized that India prioritizes livelihood protection amid the global crisis.

“India prioritizes livelihood protection amid the global crisis,” he said.

Mentioning India’s commitment to sustainable development, Birla noted that with its low per capita energy usage and minimal contribution of just 4% to global cumulative emissions between 1850 and 2019, India has prioritized climate change adaptation over mitigation due to its vulnerability to climate effects.

The Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that India despite having resource limitations, has been consistent in taking strong actions toward environmental sustainability. He highlighted that India fully endorses sustainable development and embraces its responsibilities, drawing from a rich tradition of conservation and moderation. Through its NDC, India promotes a sustainable lifestyle via the LiFE initiative (“Life Style for Environment”) to combat climate change.

India has surpassed its targets for reducing emissions intensity, increasing non-fossil fuel power capacity, and creating additional carbon sinks, as pledged to the UNFCCC. Climate-related issues should be addressed within the UNFCCC framework, felt Birla.

Highlighting the need for reforms in global bodies, Birla asserted that reforming global bodies to reflect contemporary realities is essential.

He felt that the recent expansion of BRICS presented a unique opportunity in this regard and expressed his optimism that their collective efforts will position BRICS countries as a leading engine of global economic growth for years to come.