Pune: Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan has stated that environment and economy should be treated as two sides of the same coin.

"Post-COVID pandemic, an unprecedented opportunity has cropped up for India to achieve its sustainable development goals and rebuild its economy like other countries. We have to create a clean, green and healthy environment and adopt sustainable development patterns and also involve businesses and industries to play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions,” she said while speaking on the second-day online national conference on Energy, Environment and Economic Growth: Emerging Challenges organized by Pune International Centre (PIC) today.

The two-day conference organized by the EECC Group of the PIC also had collaboration with Climate Collective Pune, Ecological Society, Pune and Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change (INECC), India.

Dr. Vijay Kelkar Vice-President, PIC and Prof Amitav Mallik, Trustee of PIC and the Convener of the Conference were present during the conference.

“India could be one of the largest emitters of carbon emissions in the world by 2050 and air and water pollution can have a massive impact on biodiversity. The government needs to encourage the act of sustainability without fearing reduction in the GDP and must recognize all hidden environmental costs to suffer less in the future. Environment and economy should be treated as two sides of the same coin and the need for coordination and balance between economic development and environment protection for sustainable development is critical,” Chavan said.

Dr. Kelkar said, “We have two challenges- decarbonisation and eliminating poverty and hunger. Like some European countries reduced emissions and increased their GDP simultaneously India needs to become an open economy and gain access in the world to counter these challenges. We have to persuade the corporations and policy-holders to be a part of the solution.”

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He called for a movement from governments, businesses and citizens to work together to avoid damages caused by the Ecological and Climate Crisis.

The second-day session focused on topics including Changing Energy Dynamics for India and Pathway to an Integrated Environmental Economic Policy.