life: Up close and personal, let there be LiFE


Sometimes, it’s necessary to preach to the preachers – and, in the process, practise that preaching. The Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN secretary general Antonio Guterres on Friday is such an exhortation. What makes it different, even radical, from other climate change mitigation strategies is that it has the individual at its epicentre. It is a shout-out to persons and households to adopt practices that reduce waste, use resources more efficiently and make everyday life better.

Tackling the triple whammy of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss requires all hands on the deck, countries included. But making lifestyle – a palpable phenomenon – the ‘base camp’ from which to work up towards a common goal is tactically and strategically smart.

Mission LiFE was first announced by Modi at the UN climate summit in Glasgow last year. Small changes such as turning off lights when not needed, or walking, biking or taking public transport, can result in energy savings – and a better quality of life. LiFE is not about governments, multilateral and international organisations abdicating their responsibilities, but about individual behavioural change impacting policy design. Individual action, of course, has its limits without policy frameworks. The ban/restrictions on fireworks during this festival season is a prime example. India‘s LED programme is another, of policy and incentives changing consumption choices. The resulting wider adoption of LEDs has further shaped other related policies. Success for this five-year mission will require a symbiotic alignment between individual choices and policy, which, in turn, can signal to industry the need to produce sustainably.



Source link