Context

• Prime minister of India Shri. Narendra Modi recently launched 'Mission LiFE' as a global initiative, during a bilateral meet with United Nations Secretary General at Statue of Unity, Kevadia, Gujrat

Key Points

• United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) António Guterres recently visited India; it was his first visit as UNSG to India.
• Indian Prime Minister highlighted the importance of unity in the fight against climate change.
• In contrast to the prevailing notion that climate change is an issue related only to policy, PM pointed out that climate change needs contributions from individual, families and communities too.
• Prime minister elaborated that Mission LiFE emboldens the spirit of the P3 model, i.e. Pro Planet People that envisages the belief of 'Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet and by the planet'.
• He also emphasized the concept of 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' and circular economy and mentioned that it has been a part of the Indian lifestyle for thousands of years.

Background

• LiFE was introduced as a mass movement by the Indian Prime Minister in CoP-26, at Glasgow on November 1, 2021.
• It is a behavioural change movement that envisages to encourage people to adopt a lifestyle that is in consonance with nature and does not harm it.
• India further expanded the LiFE vision by launching the LiFE Global Movement on June 5, 2022, on the occasion of World Environment Day.
• The nation invited academics, researchers, and startups from around the world to consider concrete, scientific ways through which the full potential of collective action can be harnessed to address the environmental crisis.

Mission LiFE

• Mission LiFE through a mission-mode, scientific, and quantifiable programme, will put India's beliefs and goals into action and show its commitment to actually addressing climate change.
• It is designed to mobilise at least 1 billion Indians and other global citizens to take individual and collective action for protecting and preserving the environment in the period 2022-27
• At least 80% of all villages and urban local bodies in India are aimed to become environment-friendly by 2028.
• The global launch of Mission LiFE was coordinated by NITI Aayog, MoEFCC, and the Government of Gujrat, India.
• Mission LiFE will be curated and incubated by NITI Aayog for the first year before being implemented by MoEFCC. The mission is a five year programme.

Other Behavioural change programmes by India

• Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar: A campaign that sought to remove around 15,000 tonnes of waste from 75 beaches in 75 days.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: This mission led to construction and promoting use of around 100 million toilets in rural India within 7 years.
• Ujjwala scheme: Ujjwala scheme increased LPG connection from 62% in 2015 to ~99.8% in 2021 in the Households.

Impact

• Adopting a pro planet life, can make huge impact while tackling the climate change, little actions like switching off the car engines, scooter engines, etc. at traffic lights can save up to 22.5 billion kWh of energy per year.
• Similarly, turning off the taps when not in active use can save water up to 9 trillion litres, while composting food waste could save 15 billion tonnes of food going to landfills.