INDIA. Mumbai: In a significant effort to promote environmental conservation and sustainability, a large-scale clean-up drive was conducted at Juhu Beach in North West Mumbai. The initiative took place as part of the third meeting of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (G20 ECSWG) on Sunday, May 21.
Distinguished participants, including Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, actively participated in the drive. During the event, the Governor administered a pledge emphasizing the importance of maintaining beach cleanliness, while the Chief Minister highlighted the crucial role of public participation in ensuring the success of such campaigns.
Addressing the media, Chief Minister Shinde stressed that even a minute of daily dedication by every citizen towards environmental considerations could contribute to alleviating global issues such as climate change and global warming. The need to keep public spaces, particularly coastal areas, clean has become more pressing than ever. Notably, this drive was carried out in 37 locations across India and 15 countries.
The Mega Beach Clean Up drive was organized by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as part of India’s G20 Presidency, to promote a sustainable and climate-resilient blue economy.
Participants from G20 countries, donning protective hand gloves, actively engaged in the beach clean-up drive. The event was attended by notable dignitaries, including Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest Ashwini Kumar Chaubey, Maharashtra Tourism Minister Prabhat Lodha, Union Environment Secretary Leena Nandan, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, Maharashtra Environment Principal Secretary Pravin Darade, and officials from various government departments.
Following the successful clean-up drive, the ECSWG meeting commenced at BKC in North West Mumbai and will continue until Tuesday, May 23. The primary focus of the meeting is to foster outcome-driven discussions regarding environmental sustainability.
The meeting of the 2nd Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG) is also being held. This Working Group is an initiative taken by India under its G-20 Presidency. The first DRRWG meeting was held in Gandhinagar in March-April this year.
“This initiative of India to include Disaster Risk Reduction in the G-20 is a part of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 to 2030 (Sendai Framework). This was the first major agreement that provides Member-States with a concrete action plan to protect development gains from the Risk of Disaster,” an official statement read.
Also Read: India and Netherlands Join Hands to Participate in a Mega G20 Beach Cleanup
