G20 Combatting Climate Change: Why It's Integral For Women And Children

The three-day ECSWG G20 discussion that took place on 27 March 2023 ended on 29 March 2023, this Wednesday. The conclusion of the discussion was to double down on environmental challenges.

The climate crisis has not only been unkind to mother earth but also has had adverse impacts in terms of increasing the maternal mortality rate. Global emissions according to Mridula Ramesh, (the founder of Sundaram Climate Institution) have gone up to 412 ppm from 400 ppm.

A lot of women in agriculture have to deal with worsening climate conditions every day. Agrarian economies like India have farm women suffering the prickly, dehydrating heat every day while working. This negatively affects their health and those of the babies in case they are carrying. The more the heat increases the more dangerous it becomes to work outside. G20's initiatives, therefore, play a major role in combatting these challenges going forward.

G20 Climate Change Goals

The first ECSWG G20 discussion discussed Arresting Land Degradation, Enriching Biodiversity, and ecosystem restoration. Additionally, ESCWG seeks to promote a circular and blue economy. In the second ECSWG meeting, all the G20 member nations pledged their commitment towards a sustainable future but this time with a sense of acting on it more urgently than the last they spoke about it.

After discussing the priority areas, the G20 nations started discussing action points to bring about impactful change.

Conclusion Of The Second 3-Day ECSWG G20 Discussion

The first day of the ECSWG meeting discussed India's ancient water resource conservation and management practices along the Narmada canal, Adalaj Vav, and Sabarmati river. Post this other G20 nations demonstrated their water resource management practices.

The second meeting day was opened with a keynote speech by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ms Richa Sharma. The first half of the day discussed biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, and land degradation. The second half deliberated on the priority landscapes under India's G20 Presidency and best practices as established by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

The ECSWG G20 second meeting also discussed India using sustainable resources.

The final day of the ECSWG G20 meeting opened with a speech from the Union Minister of State for Railways and Textiles, Government of India Ms Darshana Vikram Jardosh. She appreciated the efforts of the G20 nations to move towards a greener future. Post this action pathways to move toward a blue economy were discussed.

Marine Life conservation, the Blue Carbon initiative, and global biodiversity were discussed.

The 3-day meeting ended with a promise to urgently act on the proposed outcomes of the second ECSWG G20 discussion. The third ECSWG meeting is expected to occur from 21st-23rd May 2023 in Mumbai.

Suggested reading: ECSWG G20 Holds Three-Day Meeting To Discuss Ecosystem Restoration And Land Degeneration