Circular economy to be given thrust during India's G20 presidency: Amitabh Kant
Nov 25, 2022
New Delhi [India], November 25 : G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant has said that the long-term low-emission development strategy by India for achieving the climate goals and the need for sustainable production, emphasizing Sustainable Development Goals highlights that the country looks at alternative paradigms of production and consumption to achieve sustainable material and wellbeing of society.
Addressing the sixth edition of the FICCI Circular Economy Symposium 2022, Kant on Thursday said there is a higher level of awareness today in government, institutions and corporates regarding the circular economy.
"During our G-20 presidency, we will lay huge emphasis in providing thrust to circular economy agenda for developing consensus on key issues. G20 provides opportunities by accelerating circular transition and FICCI will need to play the effective role in very many deliberations under G20," Kant was quoted as saying in a FICCI statement.
In a circular economy, goods and services are designed and produced in such a way that they can be reused, refurbished, re-manufactured or recycled at the end of their life, thereby preventing waste generation.
It is to be noted that India is going to assume the G20 presidency from 1st December 2022 and the events will be held across the country.
Kant further stated that transitioning to a fully circular economy within a generation will require urgent and large-scale action from all parts of society.
"We ensure that regulations do not become burdensome that there are cross cutting issues which will be identified and resolved. We will promote it through business models and startups and create a business model of circular economy. It has to be a part of innovation, part of the business model that everything we produce becomes an input into another thing that we produce, therefore there are backward and forward linkages," he added.
Kant stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2022 introduced Extended Producers Responsibility for used tires, batteries, revised rules for e-wastes and plastics. The Scrapping policy for end of life of vehicles with the enabling framework is in place now and there is extended producer responsibility in several other additional sectors will soon be finalized, he added.
He emphasized that climate change and material use are closely linked as circular economy strategies ultimately prioritize material value retention and cut excess consumption; they can be extremely effective in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
