India strongly raising issue of climate justice with developed nations: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said developing and underdeveloped countries are paying the price for the "wrong policies" of some developed nations, and asserted that India has raised the issue of climate justice with every such advanced country. In his video message at a World Environment Day event, Modi said for the protection of the world climate, it is important that all countries think, rising above vested interests.  "For a long time, the model of development in big and advanced countries was contradictory. In this developmental model, the thinking was that we first develop our country then we can think about the environment," the prime minister said.  "With this, they achieved the goals of development, but the world's environment had to pay the price for their development. Today also, the developing and underdeveloped countries of the world are paying the price for the wrong policies of some developed countries," he said.  For decades, no one was there to object to this attitude of some developed countries, Modi said.  "I am happy that India has raised the question of climate justice with all these countries," he said.

In the thousands of years old Indian culture, there is nature as well as progress, Modi said as he credited this to the country's attention to ecology and economy.The prime minister said as India is investing unprecedentedly in its infrastructure, it is focussing equally on the environment.  Modi added that India in the 21st century is moving forward with a clear roadmap on climate change and environmental protection. The Prime Minister further added that while India built 4 crore houses for the poor, there has been a record increase in the number of Wildlife Sanctuaries as well as wildlife in India. Speaking on the occasion, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister  Bhupender Yadav emphasised adopting an environment-friendly lifestyle to live on earth. He informed that the government has launched the International Big Cat Alliance for the conservation and protection of big cats like tigers, lions and Cheetah as well as conserving their biodiversity areas. He also said India has banned the single use of plastic items.