New Delhi: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav delivered India's National Statement at the COP-27 summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh on Tuesday.

During his address, the minister expressed his gratitude to the Arab Republic of Egypt for their hospitality.

"Let me first express our gratitude to our hosts and the Presidency of COP-27, the Arab Republic of Egypt for their tremendous efforts and gracious hospitality," an official statement from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change quoted Yadav as saying.

The minister also highlighted how India responded to the call of science and came forward with important pledges and commitments at the summit in Glasgow last year.

The minister said, "Our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced India's aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2070 at Glasgow. Within one year, India has submitted its Long-Term Low Emissions Growth Strategy indicating low carbon transition pathways in the key economic sectors."

The Union minister further underlined how India updated its 'Nationally Determined Contributions' in August 2022 and has embarked on far-reaching new initiatives in renewable energy, e-mobility, ethanol blended fuels, and green hydrogen as an alternate energy source, the press release read.

"We also seek to foster strong international cooperation through action and solutions-oriented coalitions like International Solar Alliance and Coalition of Disaster Resilience Infrastructure, both of which were launched and nurtured by India" he added.

Yadav further said that India, home to 1.3 billion people, is undertaking this "arduous effort, despite the reality that our contribution to the world's cumulative emissions so far is less than 4 per cent and our annual per capita emissions are about one-third of the global average".

"At the heart of India's vision of a safe planet is a one-word Mantra - Lifestyle for Environment, that Prime Minister Modi set forth in our National Statement at COP-26. Mission LiFE was launched by Prime Minister Modi in the presence of the UN Secretary-General His Excellency Antonio Guterres, on 20th October 2022." he added.

"The world urgently needs a paradigm shift from mindless and destructive consumption to mindful and deliberate utilisation. We are trustees of this planet earth. We must nurture it through sustainable lifestyles that optimize resource use and minimise waste," the release quoted the minister as saying.

"As the world's most populous democracy and a vibrant emerging economy, India seeks to lead by example, and invites the global community to be a part of Mission LiFE for individual, family and community-based actions," he said.

The Union minister further said, "India is assuming the Presidency of the G20 in 2023 with the motto of 'One Earth, One family, One future'. Our journey towards a planet safe for humanity is one that no nation can undertake alone. This is a collective journey to be undertaken with equity and climate justice as our guiding principles."

"We hope that the fight against climate change will unite the world as one family, the official statement read citing the Union minister's address at COP-27 in Egypt," Yadav said.