Environment Minister Participates in G20 Mega Beach Clean Up campaign

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav participated in the G20 Mega Beach Clean Up campaign at Juhu Beach in Mumbai. Shri Yadav thanked all those who joined the campaign in G20 nations and 37 locations across the country. Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Ramesh Bais; Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde;Minister of State, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Shri Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister ,Government of Maharashtra and Environment Secretary Mrs Leena Nandan alongwith senior officials of central and state governments were also present on the occasion.

Shri Yadav administered the pledge on keeping our oceans clean and healthy as part of the G20 Mega Beach Clean Up campaign.

The G20 Mega Beach Clean Up event, organised under the G20 India Presidency witnessed widespread participation from G20 countries, invitee countries, State government officials, international organisations and delegates attending the 3rd ECSWG meeting, and highlighted the global commitment to preserving coastal and marine ecosystems.

The purpose of the Mega Beach Clean Up event was to sensitize and raise awareness about the impact of marine waste on the environment and encourage the people to take action for preventing the same. The importance of individual efforts and community participation in mitigating this environmental challenge was highlighted through this event.

Internationally, the event saw an enthusiastic participation of 20 countries. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America being the 14 G20 countries and the 6 invitee countries being Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman and Singapore . Back home, all across the 13 coastal states and 9 Union Territories clean up activities were held on beaches.

Probably one of the biggest showcases of ‘Jan Bhagidari’ under the Indian G20 Presidency so far the event saw an active participation from all stakeholders.

The selfie point on the beach was of a great attraction, followed by the stall showcasing the recycled items from plastic. The stall showcased items like the benches, car dustbins, and more such items made out of recycled plastic. The plastic waste collected from Juhu beach was recycled, using recycling machines kept at the beach, to enhance awareness.

The dignitaries participated in the clean-up activities, wrote on the pledge wall and appreciated the display of the paintings by the school children. The renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created captivating sand art on the beach aligned with the event’s theme, featuring the G20 logo along with Prakriti, the mascot for LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). The paintings displayed were from around 5900 school students across the country who participated in an art competition on the theme of coastal and marine pollution and the top 100 paintings were selected and showcased at the meeting venue.

The concept of LiFE or ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ – promoted by the Indian Presidency was a key factor in defining the success of the event. LiFE is a concept that promotes changes in individual behaviour to tackle environmental issues effectively. It encourages community stakeholders to incorporate climate-positive practices in their day-to-day lives to help collectively save the environment.

The Mega Beach Clean Up event kicked off the third meeting of the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting which is taking place in Mumbai from 21st to 23rd of May, 2023. The meeting will witness extensive deliberations on the Ocean20 dialogue – a platform for sharing best practices on science, technology, and innovation, policy, governance, participation, and blue finance mechanisms. These discussions are aimed at devising a solution for ensuring a sustainable and climate-resilient Blue Economy, aligning with the priorities of the G20 India Presidency.