PM Modi talks of ‘one planet, many efforts’, recalls Gandhi's message

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said spoke about how Mahatma Gandhi used to talked about zero-carbon lifestyle, while calling for picking most sustainable options in daily life choices.

Modi, who virtually delivered the keynote address at the launch of the 'Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement', called for making the initiative a global mass movement. “Our planet is one, but our efforts have to be many.” He added, "Mission LiFE' borrows from the past, operates in the present and focuses on the future.

He called for a lifestyle that is in tune with the planet and does not harm it, stating that those with such lifestyles are 'pro-planet people'.

With the launch coinciding with World Environment Day, Modi said our planet's challenges are well-known, and the need of the hour is human-centric, collective efforts and robust actions that further sustainable development.

"Mahatma Gandhi talked about a zero-carbon lifestyle. In our daily life choices, let us pick the most sustainable options. Let us follow the principle of reuse, reduce and recycle. Our planet is one but our efforts have to be many. One earth, many efforts," he said.

Modi said India is doing great things for the environment. “Our forest cover increasing, so is population of lions, tigers, leopards, elephants and rhinos.”

He added, "Our commitment to reach 40 per cent of installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuel-based sources has been achieved, nine years ahead of schedule. We have achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol, five months ahead of the November 2022 target. This is a major accomplishment given that blending was hardly 1.5 per cent in 2013-14 and 5 per cent in 2019-20."

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had earlier said the launch will initiate "LiFE global call for papers," inviting ideas and suggestions from academics, universities and research institutions to influence and persuade individuals, communities and organisations across the world to adopt an environment-conscious lifestyle.

A day ago, Modi wrote on Twitter, "Tomorrow, 5th June is marked as #WorldEnvironmentDay. At 6 PM, the LiFE global movement will be launched. This movement seeks to encourage practices that further sustainable living and environmentally friendly development."