BENGALURU: India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for used tyres, batteries, and revised rules for e-waste and plastics kindled interest among the G20 countries, Leela Nandan, Secretary Ministry, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has said.
She was addressing the media sharing the deliberations of the First Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group as part of the G20 summit which India is spearheading which concluded on Saturday.
“Three core aspects were focussed in the three days - ecosystem restoration which includes, land degradation and water security, ocean and blue economy and the third area of focus was the circular economy and efficiency,” said Leela adding that the above three areas are extremely important to India, all the G20 countries and the entire world.
“The circular economy is about resource efficiency that can improve our products and services but also ensure that there is minimal environmental impact while extracting the materials. Reusing, recycling and restoring are the best ways to continue our economic activity. The EPR framework presented explained the producer’s responsibility in creating a circular economy to which the G20 countries expressed great interest and were discussed in detail,” she said.
Leela said that the countries have to look up for solutions and through the G20 presidency, consensus-based solutions would be arrived at that would be translated into actions on the ground. Stating that there are many opportunities in the blue economy but with equal challenges, Dr M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said: “Under the oceans and blue economy discussion, a range of issues including marine litter, conservation and enhancement of coastal and marine ecosystems and marine spatial planning were covered. Special focus was given to the problem of marine plastic litter and its adverse impacts.”
Mega Beach Cleaning
Ocean 20 dialogue to facilitate detailed discussion on important aspects of the blue economy in Mumbai under India’s presidency will be held. To emphasise the importance of action on marine litter and community participation, a coordinated beach cleaning event will be conducted on May 21 on the sidelines of the Ocean 20 dialogue. Mega beach cleaning will be held at a minimum of 30 locations.