Minister of State for Education and External Affairs, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh today interacted with the Heads, teachers and students of the Higher Education Institutions across the country on the occasion of World Environment Day 2023. Secretary, Higher Education Shri K. Sanjay Murthy; Chairman, UGC, Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar; Chairman, AICTE, Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Prof. Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Chairman, NETF were present on this occasion along with Vice Chancellors and Directors of Institutions of Higher Education.
The event started after observing one minute silence to mourn the death of victims of train accident in Odisha.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said that the celebration of World Environment Day across the country envisages involvement of youth in spreading the message of LiFE, along with sensitizing school going children and others about LiFE.
The Minister informed that in the National Statement at United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) CoP 26 Global Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow, the Prime Minister’s mantra was Lifestyle for Environment, and he also stressed upon setting a target for Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030. On 20th October 2022 the Prime Minister launched Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), a global movement to safeguard our environment from the impact of climate change. LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) is an India-led global mass movement for “mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment.
Dr. Singh informed that on the occasion AICTE will launch “One Student One Tree Campaign 2023. UGC too has taken initiatives for creating awareness about Mission LiFE.
He also urged HEIs to undertake activities such as aawareness workshops on sustainable practices on Mission LiFE and promoting LiFE Actions, making College and University Campuses plastic free, making campus Digital Campus and avoid use of paper, avoid food wastage in Hostels and Cafeterias, making manure from compost of dried leaves/ food waste/ organic waste, organizing bicycle rallies / plastic collection / water body cleaning activities during the course of scheduled events, etc
On this occasion, Dr. Singh after releasing ‘Guidelines and Curriculum Framework for Environmental Education at Undergraduate level’, stated that it is an important step in line with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which underlines the importance of making environmental education an integral part of curricula and encouraging environmental awareness and sensitivity towards its conservation and sustainable development. The guidelines include areas such as climate change, pollution, waste management, sanitation, conservation of biological diversity, management of biological resources and biodiversity, forest and wildlife conservation, and sustainable development. The document is expected to cater to students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and to sensitise them about the commitment of our nation towards achieving sustainable development goals and addressing global environmental challenges, he added.
The Minister urged all to adopt these guidelines in the course curriculum at the UG level and also take steps for achieving the objectives of ‘Mission LiFE’ thereby protecting the mother earth from the adverse impact of the environmental degradation.
