Yojana Magazine November 2023 - 2 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


23 November 2023
he basic principle of sustainable 
development is to strike a 
balance amongst the economic, 
environmental, and social dimensions 
of developmental pathways in such a manner that 
present and emergent needs are addressed while 
safeguarding the interests of future generations. 
t he various manifestations of climate change 
underscore the need for countries to revisit their 
policies and actions and ensure that sustainability 
is mainstreamed in every sector. india is leading 
The Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future has successfully 
concretised actions that address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. It comprises all the issues that are 
crucial for the world. India has successfully led the formulation of a 
strategy that mainstreams the concerns of the Global South.
by example, with a development trajectory 
that takes into account both the economy and 
ecology. As india took up the g20 Presidency in 
December last year, climate and environmental 
sustainability were identified as core topics. the 
g20 also stressed the urgency of enhancing cross-
sectoral adaptation and building resilience to 
safeguard livelihoods and protect developmental 
achievements, especially in developing nations.
the g20 countries collectively represent 
two-thirds of the world’s population, contribute 
Leena nandan The author is the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI. Email: secy-moef@nic.in.
T
GReeN deve LOPme Nt P ACt
ROAdmAP tO A SUSt AiNAbLe FUtUR e
Page 2


23 November 2023
he basic principle of sustainable 
development is to strike a 
balance amongst the economic, 
environmental, and social dimensions 
of developmental pathways in such a manner that 
present and emergent needs are addressed while 
safeguarding the interests of future generations. 
t he various manifestations of climate change 
underscore the need for countries to revisit their 
policies and actions and ensure that sustainability 
is mainstreamed in every sector. india is leading 
The Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future has successfully 
concretised actions that address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. It comprises all the issues that are 
crucial for the world. India has successfully led the formulation of a 
strategy that mainstreams the concerns of the Global South.
by example, with a development trajectory 
that takes into account both the economy and 
ecology. As india took up the g20 Presidency in 
December last year, climate and environmental 
sustainability were identified as core topics. the 
g20 also stressed the urgency of enhancing cross-
sectoral adaptation and building resilience to 
safeguard livelihoods and protect developmental 
achievements, especially in developing nations.
the g20 countries collectively represent 
two-thirds of the world’s population, contribute 
Leena nandan The author is the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI. Email: secy-moef@nic.in.
T
GReeN deve LOPme Nt P ACt
ROAdmAP tO A SUSt AiNAbLe FUtUR e
24 November 2023
to 85% of the global gross Domestic Product 
(gDP), and account for 75% of international 
trade. environment issues have, over time, 
become paramount global concerns, prompting 
nations to intensify their focus on green and 
resilient development. With this premise, the 
g20 leaders adopted the green Development 
Pact through the new Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, 
which demonstrated their collective commitment 
towards addressing crucial matters such as 
the protection and conservation of forests and 
ecosystems, agreement on global land restoration 
targets, and action against marine plastic litter, 
along with recognising the power of collaboration 
in environmental action. Partnerships are key 
to sustainable progress, and the global Biofuel 
Alliance is a shining example of the spirit of 
constructive collaboration that characterised 
india’s g20 Presidency.
t he Prime Minister’s articulation of Mission 
LiFe – Lifestyle for environment, found huge 
resonance in all g20 countries. the need to 
promote mindful utilisation of resources 
instead of mindless consumption was well 
accepted, as is evident from the adoption of 
high-level principles for sustainable lifestyles. 
embedding the core concepts of sustainability 
into individual choices and behaviours and also 
institutionalising them in the value chain was a 
concept that was universally acknowledged and 
unanimously accepted. 
in order to decouple growth from 
environmental degradation and enhance 
sustainable consumption and production, 
including primary resource consumption, the g20 
focused on the critical role played by the circular 
economy, extended producer responsibility, 
and resource efficiency in achieving sustainable 
development. to ‘walk the talk’, the indian 
Presidency launched the r esource efficiency and 
c ircular economy industry c oalition (receic ), and 
this initiative was also acknowledged by the g20 
leaders. t he most significant benefit of a circular 
economy is the reduction in waste generation. 
By reusing, refurbishing, and recycling products 
and materials, less waste ends up in landfills or 
incinerators, reducing the environmental impact 
of waste disposal. circular economy practices 
focus on extending the life of products and 
materials, thus conserving natural resources such 
as minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. this reduces 
the need for resource extraction and helps mitigate 
the environmental damage associated with it. A 
circular economy can create jobs in various sectors, 
including repair, remanufacturing, recycling, and 
waste management, and thus stimulate economic 
growth.
Page 3


23 November 2023
he basic principle of sustainable 
development is to strike a 
balance amongst the economic, 
environmental, and social dimensions 
of developmental pathways in such a manner that 
present and emergent needs are addressed while 
safeguarding the interests of future generations. 
t he various manifestations of climate change 
underscore the need for countries to revisit their 
policies and actions and ensure that sustainability 
is mainstreamed in every sector. india is leading 
The Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future has successfully 
concretised actions that address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. It comprises all the issues that are 
crucial for the world. India has successfully led the formulation of a 
strategy that mainstreams the concerns of the Global South.
by example, with a development trajectory 
that takes into account both the economy and 
ecology. As india took up the g20 Presidency in 
December last year, climate and environmental 
sustainability were identified as core topics. the 
g20 also stressed the urgency of enhancing cross-
sectoral adaptation and building resilience to 
safeguard livelihoods and protect developmental 
achievements, especially in developing nations.
the g20 countries collectively represent 
two-thirds of the world’s population, contribute 
Leena nandan The author is the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI. Email: secy-moef@nic.in.
T
GReeN deve LOPme Nt P ACt
ROAdmAP tO A SUSt AiNAbLe FUtUR e
24 November 2023
to 85% of the global gross Domestic Product 
(gDP), and account for 75% of international 
trade. environment issues have, over time, 
become paramount global concerns, prompting 
nations to intensify their focus on green and 
resilient development. With this premise, the 
g20 leaders adopted the green Development 
Pact through the new Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, 
which demonstrated their collective commitment 
towards addressing crucial matters such as 
the protection and conservation of forests and 
ecosystems, agreement on global land restoration 
targets, and action against marine plastic litter, 
along with recognising the power of collaboration 
in environmental action. Partnerships are key 
to sustainable progress, and the global Biofuel 
Alliance is a shining example of the spirit of 
constructive collaboration that characterised 
india’s g20 Presidency.
t he Prime Minister’s articulation of Mission 
LiFe – Lifestyle for environment, found huge 
resonance in all g20 countries. the need to 
promote mindful utilisation of resources 
instead of mindless consumption was well 
accepted, as is evident from the adoption of 
high-level principles for sustainable lifestyles. 
embedding the core concepts of sustainability 
into individual choices and behaviours and also 
institutionalising them in the value chain was a 
concept that was universally acknowledged and 
unanimously accepted. 
in order to decouple growth from 
environmental degradation and enhance 
sustainable consumption and production, 
including primary resource consumption, the g20 
focused on the critical role played by the circular 
economy, extended producer responsibility, 
and resource efficiency in achieving sustainable 
development. to ‘walk the talk’, the indian 
Presidency launched the r esource efficiency and 
c ircular economy industry c oalition (receic ), and 
this initiative was also acknowledged by the g20 
leaders. t he most significant benefit of a circular 
economy is the reduction in waste generation. 
By reusing, refurbishing, and recycling products 
and materials, less waste ends up in landfills or 
incinerators, reducing the environmental impact 
of waste disposal. circular economy practices 
focus on extending the life of products and 
materials, thus conserving natural resources such 
as minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. this reduces 
the need for resource extraction and helps mitigate 
the environmental damage associated with it. A 
circular economy can create jobs in various sectors, 
including repair, remanufacturing, recycling, and 
waste management, and thus stimulate economic 
growth.
25 November 2023
the green Development Pact has placed 
major emphasis on ecosystem restoration. the 
commitment to restoring by 2030 at least 30% of 
all degraded ecosystems and scaling up efforts 
to achieve land degradation neutrality speaks 
volumes about the seriousness with which the 
g20 accords to the challenge of environmental 
degradation. commitment towards prevention 
and mitigation of forest fires and remediation 
of mining-degraded lands was a key element 
of the Declaration. All members supported the 
g20 ambition to reduce land degradation by 
50% by 2040 on a voluntary basis and noted 
the gandhinagar implementation roadmap 
and gandhinagar information Platform in this 
context. t he other priority was the protection of 
ocean-based ecosystems and the recognition 
of the blue economy as a high-potential area. 
the g20 adopted the High-Level Principles for 
a sustainable and resilient Blue/ocean-based 
economy and expressed determination towards 
harnessing the potential of seas and oceans in a 
sustainable manner.
t he green Development Pact for a sustainable 
Future has successfully concretised actions that 
address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. t he Pact also 
accorded recognition to the latest science, as well 
as to the fact that technology development and 
transfer on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, 
capacity building, and financing are imperative for 
long-term, meaningful impact.
the Pact delves deep into the elements of 
macroeconomic risks and climate finance with the 
launch of the g20 r eport on Macroeconomic r isks 
stemming from climate change and transition 
Pathways. Finance for both achieving nDcs and 
implementing adaptation action is crucial, and 
g20 recognition in this regard is a significant 
achievement, along with acceptance of the role 
that blended finance, private finance, and risk-
sharing facilities, including the enhanced role of 
MDBs, have to play in mobilising climate finance. 
Developed countries reaffirmed mobilising 
$100 billion per year for developing countries, 
and the expectation that this will be met for the 
first time this year bodes well for the future. t he 
multi-year g20 technical Assistance Action Plan 
(tAAP) and the voluntary recommendations made 
to overcome data-related barriers to climate 
investments saw g20 endorsement, which is an 
equally important milestone. 
climate impacts hit hard at the grass-roots 
level, especially through extreme weather events. 
c ommunities living in villages and towns are most 
vulnerable to such climate risks. the Pact aims 
to streamline efforts to build resilience against 
disasters through the institutionalisation of the 
Disaster r isk r eduction (Drr) Working group. t he 
Pact also called for accelerating progress on early 
warning and early action through strengthening 
national and local capacities, innovative financing 
tools, private sector investment, and knowledge 
sharing. it was also recognised that resilient urban 
infrastructure is a key requirement for making 
cities of today future-ready and planning for this 
needs to be anchored in access to finance. 
the green Development Pact comprises all 
the issues that are crucial for the world. india has 
successfully led the formulation of a strategy that 
mainstreams the concerns of the global south. 
the implementation of the green Development 
Pact will further strengthen the g20 member 
states’ efforts towards achieving sDg targets. 
By emphasising the need for all nations to build 
synergy in core areas, the g20 Leaders’ Declaration 
under india’s Presidency has offered a strong 
direction and nudge, and most importantly, a 
clear roadmap for a resilient future. ?
Page 4


23 November 2023
he basic principle of sustainable 
development is to strike a 
balance amongst the economic, 
environmental, and social dimensions 
of developmental pathways in such a manner that 
present and emergent needs are addressed while 
safeguarding the interests of future generations. 
t he various manifestations of climate change 
underscore the need for countries to revisit their 
policies and actions and ensure that sustainability 
is mainstreamed in every sector. india is leading 
The Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future has successfully 
concretised actions that address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. It comprises all the issues that are 
crucial for the world. India has successfully led the formulation of a 
strategy that mainstreams the concerns of the Global South.
by example, with a development trajectory 
that takes into account both the economy and 
ecology. As india took up the g20 Presidency in 
December last year, climate and environmental 
sustainability were identified as core topics. the 
g20 also stressed the urgency of enhancing cross-
sectoral adaptation and building resilience to 
safeguard livelihoods and protect developmental 
achievements, especially in developing nations.
the g20 countries collectively represent 
two-thirds of the world’s population, contribute 
Leena nandan The author is the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI. Email: secy-moef@nic.in.
T
GReeN deve LOPme Nt P ACt
ROAdmAP tO A SUSt AiNAbLe FUtUR e
24 November 2023
to 85% of the global gross Domestic Product 
(gDP), and account for 75% of international 
trade. environment issues have, over time, 
become paramount global concerns, prompting 
nations to intensify their focus on green and 
resilient development. With this premise, the 
g20 leaders adopted the green Development 
Pact through the new Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, 
which demonstrated their collective commitment 
towards addressing crucial matters such as 
the protection and conservation of forests and 
ecosystems, agreement on global land restoration 
targets, and action against marine plastic litter, 
along with recognising the power of collaboration 
in environmental action. Partnerships are key 
to sustainable progress, and the global Biofuel 
Alliance is a shining example of the spirit of 
constructive collaboration that characterised 
india’s g20 Presidency.
t he Prime Minister’s articulation of Mission 
LiFe – Lifestyle for environment, found huge 
resonance in all g20 countries. the need to 
promote mindful utilisation of resources 
instead of mindless consumption was well 
accepted, as is evident from the adoption of 
high-level principles for sustainable lifestyles. 
embedding the core concepts of sustainability 
into individual choices and behaviours and also 
institutionalising them in the value chain was a 
concept that was universally acknowledged and 
unanimously accepted. 
in order to decouple growth from 
environmental degradation and enhance 
sustainable consumption and production, 
including primary resource consumption, the g20 
focused on the critical role played by the circular 
economy, extended producer responsibility, 
and resource efficiency in achieving sustainable 
development. to ‘walk the talk’, the indian 
Presidency launched the r esource efficiency and 
c ircular economy industry c oalition (receic ), and 
this initiative was also acknowledged by the g20 
leaders. t he most significant benefit of a circular 
economy is the reduction in waste generation. 
By reusing, refurbishing, and recycling products 
and materials, less waste ends up in landfills or 
incinerators, reducing the environmental impact 
of waste disposal. circular economy practices 
focus on extending the life of products and 
materials, thus conserving natural resources such 
as minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. this reduces 
the need for resource extraction and helps mitigate 
the environmental damage associated with it. A 
circular economy can create jobs in various sectors, 
including repair, remanufacturing, recycling, and 
waste management, and thus stimulate economic 
growth.
25 November 2023
the green Development Pact has placed 
major emphasis on ecosystem restoration. the 
commitment to restoring by 2030 at least 30% of 
all degraded ecosystems and scaling up efforts 
to achieve land degradation neutrality speaks 
volumes about the seriousness with which the 
g20 accords to the challenge of environmental 
degradation. commitment towards prevention 
and mitigation of forest fires and remediation 
of mining-degraded lands was a key element 
of the Declaration. All members supported the 
g20 ambition to reduce land degradation by 
50% by 2040 on a voluntary basis and noted 
the gandhinagar implementation roadmap 
and gandhinagar information Platform in this 
context. t he other priority was the protection of 
ocean-based ecosystems and the recognition 
of the blue economy as a high-potential area. 
the g20 adopted the High-Level Principles for 
a sustainable and resilient Blue/ocean-based 
economy and expressed determination towards 
harnessing the potential of seas and oceans in a 
sustainable manner.
t he green Development Pact for a sustainable 
Future has successfully concretised actions that 
address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. t he Pact also 
accorded recognition to the latest science, as well 
as to the fact that technology development and 
transfer on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, 
capacity building, and financing are imperative for 
long-term, meaningful impact.
the Pact delves deep into the elements of 
macroeconomic risks and climate finance with the 
launch of the g20 r eport on Macroeconomic r isks 
stemming from climate change and transition 
Pathways. Finance for both achieving nDcs and 
implementing adaptation action is crucial, and 
g20 recognition in this regard is a significant 
achievement, along with acceptance of the role 
that blended finance, private finance, and risk-
sharing facilities, including the enhanced role of 
MDBs, have to play in mobilising climate finance. 
Developed countries reaffirmed mobilising 
$100 billion per year for developing countries, 
and the expectation that this will be met for the 
first time this year bodes well for the future. t he 
multi-year g20 technical Assistance Action Plan 
(tAAP) and the voluntary recommendations made 
to overcome data-related barriers to climate 
investments saw g20 endorsement, which is an 
equally important milestone. 
climate impacts hit hard at the grass-roots 
level, especially through extreme weather events. 
c ommunities living in villages and towns are most 
vulnerable to such climate risks. the Pact aims 
to streamline efforts to build resilience against 
disasters through the institutionalisation of the 
Disaster r isk r eduction (Drr) Working group. t he 
Pact also called for accelerating progress on early 
warning and early action through strengthening 
national and local capacities, innovative financing 
tools, private sector investment, and knowledge 
sharing. it was also recognised that resilient urban 
infrastructure is a key requirement for making 
cities of today future-ready and planning for this 
needs to be anchored in access to finance. 
the green Development Pact comprises all 
the issues that are crucial for the world. india has 
successfully led the formulation of a strategy that 
mainstreams the concerns of the global south. 
the implementation of the green Development 
Pact will further strengthen the g20 member 
states’ efforts towards achieving sDg targets. 
By emphasising the need for all nations to build 
synergy in core areas, the g20 Leaders’ Declaration 
under india’s Presidency has offered a strong 
direction and nudge, and most importantly, a 
clear roadmap for a resilient future. ?
27 November 2023
he world’s population may be near 
10 billion by 2050. this would mean 
greater demand for food, fashion, 
travel, housing, and other related 
products and services. to support population 
needs, the annual global extraction of materials 
has already grown from 22 billion tonnes (1970) 
to 70 billion tonnes (2010), and is expected to 
roughly double by 2060. in less than eight months 
this year, humanity’s demand for ecological 
resources and services exceeded what earth can 
regenerate in 2023, and our rate of consumption 
continues to grow. this is increasing pressure 
on the planet’s finite natural resources, creating 
resource insecurity, and bringing biodiversity loss, 
pollution, growing emissions, and climate change. 
manISha ChoudhaRy aTuL baGaI
The co-author is the Programme Officer, UNEP India. Email: manisha.choudhary@un.org.
The author is the Head of the United Nations Environment Programme Country Office, India. Email: bagai@un.org.
T
deSiGN iNG A CiRCULAR eCONOmY WORLd The High-Level Principles on Lifestyles for Sustainable Development, 
adopted by the G20 during India’s Presidency, reflect the need 
for commitments to promote sustainable consumption and 
production. The time is now for collective actions to reduce the 
global material footprint while meeting basic needs for all. In doing 
so, it is imperative to create enabling conditions to spark the shift 
to circular and green economic growth, while catering to different 
developmental needs and national circumstances. 
Page 5


23 November 2023
he basic principle of sustainable 
development is to strike a 
balance amongst the economic, 
environmental, and social dimensions 
of developmental pathways in such a manner that 
present and emergent needs are addressed while 
safeguarding the interests of future generations. 
t he various manifestations of climate change 
underscore the need for countries to revisit their 
policies and actions and ensure that sustainability 
is mainstreamed in every sector. india is leading 
The Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future has successfully 
concretised actions that address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. It comprises all the issues that are 
crucial for the world. India has successfully led the formulation of a 
strategy that mainstreams the concerns of the Global South.
by example, with a development trajectory 
that takes into account both the economy and 
ecology. As india took up the g20 Presidency in 
December last year, climate and environmental 
sustainability were identified as core topics. the 
g20 also stressed the urgency of enhancing cross-
sectoral adaptation and building resilience to 
safeguard livelihoods and protect developmental 
achievements, especially in developing nations.
the g20 countries collectively represent 
two-thirds of the world’s population, contribute 
Leena nandan The author is the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI. Email: secy-moef@nic.in.
T
GReeN deve LOPme Nt P ACt
ROAdmAP tO A SUSt AiNAbLe FUtUR e
24 November 2023
to 85% of the global gross Domestic Product 
(gDP), and account for 75% of international 
trade. environment issues have, over time, 
become paramount global concerns, prompting 
nations to intensify their focus on green and 
resilient development. With this premise, the 
g20 leaders adopted the green Development 
Pact through the new Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, 
which demonstrated their collective commitment 
towards addressing crucial matters such as 
the protection and conservation of forests and 
ecosystems, agreement on global land restoration 
targets, and action against marine plastic litter, 
along with recognising the power of collaboration 
in environmental action. Partnerships are key 
to sustainable progress, and the global Biofuel 
Alliance is a shining example of the spirit of 
constructive collaboration that characterised 
india’s g20 Presidency.
t he Prime Minister’s articulation of Mission 
LiFe – Lifestyle for environment, found huge 
resonance in all g20 countries. the need to 
promote mindful utilisation of resources 
instead of mindless consumption was well 
accepted, as is evident from the adoption of 
high-level principles for sustainable lifestyles. 
embedding the core concepts of sustainability 
into individual choices and behaviours and also 
institutionalising them in the value chain was a 
concept that was universally acknowledged and 
unanimously accepted. 
in order to decouple growth from 
environmental degradation and enhance 
sustainable consumption and production, 
including primary resource consumption, the g20 
focused on the critical role played by the circular 
economy, extended producer responsibility, 
and resource efficiency in achieving sustainable 
development. to ‘walk the talk’, the indian 
Presidency launched the r esource efficiency and 
c ircular economy industry c oalition (receic ), and 
this initiative was also acknowledged by the g20 
leaders. t he most significant benefit of a circular 
economy is the reduction in waste generation. 
By reusing, refurbishing, and recycling products 
and materials, less waste ends up in landfills or 
incinerators, reducing the environmental impact 
of waste disposal. circular economy practices 
focus on extending the life of products and 
materials, thus conserving natural resources such 
as minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. this reduces 
the need for resource extraction and helps mitigate 
the environmental damage associated with it. A 
circular economy can create jobs in various sectors, 
including repair, remanufacturing, recycling, and 
waste management, and thus stimulate economic 
growth.
25 November 2023
the green Development Pact has placed 
major emphasis on ecosystem restoration. the 
commitment to restoring by 2030 at least 30% of 
all degraded ecosystems and scaling up efforts 
to achieve land degradation neutrality speaks 
volumes about the seriousness with which the 
g20 accords to the challenge of environmental 
degradation. commitment towards prevention 
and mitigation of forest fires and remediation 
of mining-degraded lands was a key element 
of the Declaration. All members supported the 
g20 ambition to reduce land degradation by 
50% by 2040 on a voluntary basis and noted 
the gandhinagar implementation roadmap 
and gandhinagar information Platform in this 
context. t he other priority was the protection of 
ocean-based ecosystems and the recognition 
of the blue economy as a high-potential area. 
the g20 adopted the High-Level Principles for 
a sustainable and resilient Blue/ocean-based 
economy and expressed determination towards 
harnessing the potential of seas and oceans in a 
sustainable manner.
t he green Development Pact for a sustainable 
Future has successfully concretised actions that 
address the social, economic, and environmental 
aspects of sustainable development. t he Pact also 
accorded recognition to the latest science, as well 
as to the fact that technology development and 
transfer on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, 
capacity building, and financing are imperative for 
long-term, meaningful impact.
the Pact delves deep into the elements of 
macroeconomic risks and climate finance with the 
launch of the g20 r eport on Macroeconomic r isks 
stemming from climate change and transition 
Pathways. Finance for both achieving nDcs and 
implementing adaptation action is crucial, and 
g20 recognition in this regard is a significant 
achievement, along with acceptance of the role 
that blended finance, private finance, and risk-
sharing facilities, including the enhanced role of 
MDBs, have to play in mobilising climate finance. 
Developed countries reaffirmed mobilising 
$100 billion per year for developing countries, 
and the expectation that this will be met for the 
first time this year bodes well for the future. t he 
multi-year g20 technical Assistance Action Plan 
(tAAP) and the voluntary recommendations made 
to overcome data-related barriers to climate 
investments saw g20 endorsement, which is an 
equally important milestone. 
climate impacts hit hard at the grass-roots 
level, especially through extreme weather events. 
c ommunities living in villages and towns are most 
vulnerable to such climate risks. the Pact aims 
to streamline efforts to build resilience against 
disasters through the institutionalisation of the 
Disaster r isk r eduction (Drr) Working group. t he 
Pact also called for accelerating progress on early 
warning and early action through strengthening 
national and local capacities, innovative financing 
tools, private sector investment, and knowledge 
sharing. it was also recognised that resilient urban 
infrastructure is a key requirement for making 
cities of today future-ready and planning for this 
needs to be anchored in access to finance. 
the green Development Pact comprises all 
the issues that are crucial for the world. india has 
successfully led the formulation of a strategy that 
mainstreams the concerns of the global south. 
the implementation of the green Development 
Pact will further strengthen the g20 member 
states’ efforts towards achieving sDg targets. 
By emphasising the need for all nations to build 
synergy in core areas, the g20 Leaders’ Declaration 
under india’s Presidency has offered a strong 
direction and nudge, and most importantly, a 
clear roadmap for a resilient future. ?
27 November 2023
he world’s population may be near 
10 billion by 2050. this would mean 
greater demand for food, fashion, 
travel, housing, and other related 
products and services. to support population 
needs, the annual global extraction of materials 
has already grown from 22 billion tonnes (1970) 
to 70 billion tonnes (2010), and is expected to 
roughly double by 2060. in less than eight months 
this year, humanity’s demand for ecological 
resources and services exceeded what earth can 
regenerate in 2023, and our rate of consumption 
continues to grow. this is increasing pressure 
on the planet’s finite natural resources, creating 
resource insecurity, and bringing biodiversity loss, 
pollution, growing emissions, and climate change. 
manISha ChoudhaRy aTuL baGaI
The co-author is the Programme Officer, UNEP India. Email: manisha.choudhary@un.org.
The author is the Head of the United Nations Environment Programme Country Office, India. Email: bagai@un.org.
T
deSiGN iNG A CiRCULAR eCONOmY WORLd The High-Level Principles on Lifestyles for Sustainable Development, 
adopted by the G20 during India’s Presidency, reflect the need 
for commitments to promote sustainable consumption and 
production. The time is now for collective actions to reduce the 
global material footprint while meeting basic needs for all. In doing 
so, it is imperative to create enabling conditions to spark the shift 
to circular and green economic growth, while catering to different 
developmental needs and national circumstances. 
28 November 2023
Adopting more sustainable lifestyles and 
a fair transition will be critical to reaching our 
climate and nature ambitions, in line with the 
sustainable Development goal on responsible 
consumption and Production (sDg 12). Leading 
this transition will, however, require significant 
investment in enabling policies, products, low-
carbon, low-footprint alternatives, infrastructure, 
services, technologies, and capacity building 
across sectors. 
there is an urgent need to move towards 
more sustainable patterns of consumption and 
production and to keep materials in circulation. 
‘c ircularity’ is a concept where materials are used 
for as long as possible at the highest possible 
value. circularity covers the entire lifecycle 
of products and materials, from designing 
products to be long-lasting and repairable 
to ensuring that materials can be recovered 
through recycling and thus maintained in the 
economy at the end of a product’s lifecycle. t he 
main goal of circularity is to reduce the harmful 
environmental and socio-economic impacts of 
unsustainable consumption and production, 
which result in reducing consumption-induced 
environmental degradation and greenhouse gas 
emissions. the goals of circularity also include 
avoiding and minimising waste generation. A 
circular economy provides opportunities for 
societies by creating green jobs and circular 
business opportunities. 
our lifestyle choices can influence the 
transition to circular economic growth. evidence 
indicates that two-thirds of greenhouse gas 
emissions are directly associated with households 
and lifestyles. Four areas essential to achieving 
sustainable and low-carbon lifestyles are mobility, 
housing and energy use, dietary choices, food, 
and new business models. in these areas, there is 
space for individual-level impact on sustainability. 
under new business models, the fashion industry 
is in need of a rethink. According to a report by 
uneP , over the past 15 years, fashion consumption 
has more than doubled, while the number of times 
a garment is worn before being discarded has 
decreased by 36%. every second, the equivalent of 
a garbage truck full of clothes, which amounts to 
an estimated value of $460 billion, is thrown away 
around the world. in light of current consumption 
trends and estimates, the fashion industry is 
not yet on the road towards circularity. Action is 
needed across the textile value chain to increase 
the sustainability of the current fashion industry. 
enhanced focus of G20 nations on c ircularity, 
sustainable c onsumption and Production 
the High-Level Principles on Lifestyles 
for sustainable Development, adopted by 
the g20 during india’s presidency, reflect the 
need for commitments to promote sustainable 
consumption and production. Along with the 
g20 environment and climate Ministers Meeting 
outcome document, the High-Level Principles 
acknowledge the critical role played by the 
circular economy and resource efficiency in 
achieving sustainable development. the time is 
now for collective actions to reduce the global 
material footprint while meeting basic needs for 
all. in doing so, it is imperative to create enabling 
conditions to spark the shift to circular and green 
economic growth, while catering to different 
developmental needs and national circumstances. 
As a forward-looking approach and to 
realise the commitments of the g20 nations, 
an urgent system-wide transformation of 
current consumption and production patterns 
is paramount to avoid climate disaster and to 
achieve the sustainable Development g oals and 
other global targets for climate, biodiversity, 
and pollution. transformational supply shifts are 
needed, particularly in high- impact sectors of the