MUMBAI: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav participated in G20 Mega Beach Clean Up campaign at Juhu Beach in Mumbai on Sunday.
Yadav thanked all those who joined the campaign in G20 nations and 37 locations across the country.
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha alongwith senior officials of central and state governments were also present on the occasion.
Yadav administered the pledge on keeping our oceans clean and healthy as part of the G20 Mega Beach Clean Up campaign.
The selfie point on the beach was of a great attraction, followed by the stall showcasing recycled items from plastic. The stall showcased items like 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 May 21 to 23.
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 third Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting and highlighted the global commitment to preserving coastal and marine ecosystems.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, 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 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 enthusiastic participation from 20 countries. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the US are the 14 G20 countries and the six invitee countries are Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman and Singapore.
In India, all across the 13 coastal states and nine Union Territories clean-up activities were held in beaches. (ANI)