Emphasising the need to alter consumption patterns in a manner that more and better can be done with less resources, Minister of State of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge), Prakash Javadekar has exhorted people to make at least one change in their lives towards a more responsible resource consumption behaviour, or practice. In a message on the occasion of World Environment Day here today, Shri Javadekar said that business, as usual, was no longer an option. The Minister emphasised that every individual has a responsibility in contributing to protect the environment and reduce the rate of depletion of natural resources. He added that people could become agents of change, by being more conscious of the environmental consequences of their personal choices. He pointed out that by the year 2050, with an expected population of 9.6 billion, it is estimated that three planets would be needed to sustain the ways of living and consumption. The theme of this year’s World Environment Day is “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with care.”
Javadekar also urged the industries and the society to adopt environmentally responsible practices such as the approach of three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. He said that while less than 3% of the water in the world is drinkable, one out of seven persons in the world do not have access to drinkable water. Pointing out that dietary choices and habits affect environment, he said that 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year, while almost 1 billion people go undernourished and another 1 billion go hungry. Food sector accounts for around 30% of the world’s total energy consumption and around 22% of total greenhouse gas emissions, the Minister added.