On 20th October 2022, PM Modi introduced a Mission LiFE campaign at the Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat.This Mission has been developed to fight against climate change democracy, in which everyone can contribute within their capacity. Currently, climate change all over the globe is a matter of concern, and we all need to understand what things are affecting climate change. So let’s have a look in detail at Mission LiFE.
Introduction of Mission LiFE
- Mission Life is a term where “life” is described as a “lifestyle for the environment.”
- The concept is developed to motivate individual behaviors like switching off vehicle engines at traffic lights, turning off taps when not in use, and switching to longer-lasting alternatives to single-use plastic bags.
- The government estimates those actions could significantly limit emissions, water use, and waste if taken nationally.
Background of Mission LiFE
- Mission LiFE’s primary purpose is to follow a three-pronged approach to changing our collective policy toward sustainability.
- First is by nudging individuals to practice simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand).
- The second is enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand (supply).
- The third impacts government and industrial policy to support sustainable consumption and production (approach).
- At the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP26), Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced Mission LiFE to bring individual behaviors to the forefront of the global climate action narrative.
How could Mission LiFE campaign bring changes in individual behaviors?
- FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS: Make life a mass movement (Jan Andolan) by focusing on the behaviors and attitudes of individuals and communities
- CO-CREATE GLOBALLY: Crowdsource empirical and scalable ideas from the best minds of the world through top universities, think tanks, and international organizations
- LEVERAGE LOCAL CULTURES: Leverage climate-friendly social norms, beliefs, and daily household practices of different cultures worldwide to drive the campaign.
How can an Individual fulfill their responsibility?
The moderate carbon imprint of a person in India is 0.56 tonnes per year, compared to the global average of 4 tonnes. India’s traditional knowledge, social norms, and daily household practices firmly position it to lead the narrative of addressing climate change through individual behaviors in the form of a mass movement (Jan Andolan), LiFE.
India & United Nations on Mission LiFE
- The Prime Minister commented that whenever India and the United Nations have worked together, new ways of making the world a better place have been found. The Prime Minister said, “India had proposed the International Day of Yoga, which the United Nations supported. Now, it inspires millions of people worldwide to lead a healthy life.”
- Giving the example of the International Year of Millets, which found profound support for the United Nations, the Prime Minister remarked that India wanted to connect the world with its traditional and eco-friendly, coarse cereals.
- He added, “Mission LiFE will successfully take it to every corner of the world, to every country.” “We must remember this mantra – Prakriti Rakshati Rakshita, that is, those who protect nature, nature protects them. Therefore, I believe we will build a better world by following our Mission LiFE,” the Prime Minister finished.
India’s Pledge to stop the threat of climate change
- India is working at the forefront to solve global problems like climate change. Shri Modi talked about initiatives like the Ujjwala Yojana, 75 ‘Amrit Sarovars’ in every district, and unprecedented emphasis on waste to wealth.
- India’s renewable energy capacity has increased by about 290 percent in the last 7-8 years.
- India has achieved the target of achieving 40 percent of the electric capacity from non-fossil-fuel sources nine years ahead of the deadline.
- India acquired a target of 10 percent ethanol blending in petrol, and that too five months before the deadline.
- India has moved towards an environment-friendly energy source through the National Hydrogen Mission. It will help India and many countries of the world to achieve their goal of net zero”, the Prime Minister added.
- Highlighting the global campaign of One Sun, One World, One Grid, the Prime Minister remarked that India now wants to increase its partnership with the world even more while strengthening its resolve towards such goals.
Universal Call on Mission LiFE
NITI Aayog (Behavioural Insights Unit) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), in partnership with the United Nations, World Resources Institute, Centre for Social and Behavior Change (CSBC), and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), are requesting ideas from across the world for one of the following, or related areas:
Behavior-change key aimed at individuals, households, and communities to drive climate-friendly behaviors in sectors, including:
- Water
- Transport
- Food
- Electricity
- Waste Management
- Recycle
- Reuse
Innovative solutions promote wider adoption of traditional, climate-friendly practices and create livelihood options for communities that may lose their jobs with a shift towards climate-friendly production. International, national, and local best practices can bring behavior change linked to climate action.
