INDIA'S GLOBAL MOMENT ON WOMEN AND CLIMATE

LiFE, or Lifestyle for Environment, is a concept which was first articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26, the Conference of the Parties on climate change, in Glasgow in 2021

Introducing the term, he said: “This One Word, in the context of climate, can become the basic foundation of One World. Today there is a need for all of us to come together, with collective participation, to take LiFE forward as a campaign. What is needed today is mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption.”

While broader environmental compulsions guided the prime minister’s commentary, the urgent crisis represented by global warming was clearly a key consideration at Glasgow. LiFE spoke directly to the position India has consistently taken on climate justice and per capita equity when seeking to control climate change-inducing carbon emissions. It offered a way to move all humankind towards a universally accepted set of consumption practices that ultimately ushers in a circular global economy.

During its presidency of the G20, India seeks to champion this idea and bring it into the frequently used vocabulary of the international community. At its heart, LiFE represents the perspective that every human life matters, and every section of society needs to be included in seeking solutions for climate change. Looking ahead, perhaps the most important voice that needs to be heard in the discourse on climate change in India is that of India’s women.

WOMEN IN INDIAN SOCIETY