On Monday, October 18, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said that we might not be able to stop climate change, but we can slow it down.
He made these remarks while interacting at a panel discussion on "Economic opportunity for India to accelerate management of marine & land waste and pollution" at the National Stock Exchange. Others present there were members from UN agencies, select NGOs. The members of government and sustainability heads of corporates also present.
He urged people to make small changes and said that we might not be able to stop climate change; however, as citizens and corporates, we can slow down what the change is doing to us.
NSE foundation partnered with Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet and UNICEF (Maharashtra) and hosted a conversation comprising of designer Cyrill Gutsch. He has worked to get rid of plastic waste from the ocean. There was also the former executive director of the UN Environment Programme, Erik Solheim.
The conversation was about the environment and especially about the ocean and other waste management.
Thackeray, during the conversation, said that the city has never faced cyclones/storms in the past 100 years. However, in the last 13 months, we witnessed three storms.
While praising Thackeray for electric buses in Mumbai, Solheim said that India has an opportunity to become a world leader in green energy. Gutsch is on his visit to the country to start an initiative titled 'Parley India' to curb the plastic pollution in the ocean.
Aaditya Thackeray found his work inspiring and added that Mumbai is looking forward to recycling the tetra packs into benches/chairs. It will be used in municipal schools.
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