NEW DELHI: The 2020 G20 Summit was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia on 21-22 November 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summit was held virtually. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, on Sunday, November 22, while addressing the G20 Summit virtually, said that it is important to prioritise our focus on fighting climate change. He also said that the issue of climate change must be fought in a comprehensive, unified, and holistic way. Modi added that India aims to restore 26 million hectares degraded land by the year 2030 and the government is also encouraging a circular economy.
He went on to say that by the commitment of government and inspiration of India’s traditional ethos of living in harmony with the environment, India has embraced low carbon and climate-adaptable development practices. He added that India is not only meeting the Paris Agreement targets but is also surpassing them. Modi had also asked for a global index for the post-COVID-19 world, which was based on four essential elements- creation of huge pool of talent, reach of technology to all segments of society, clarity in systems of governance, and coping with Mother Earth in the spirit of guardianship.
He termed the pandemic as a crucial turning point in the history of humanity and the biggest issue the world is facing since World War 2.