The third meeting of the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) during India’s G20 Presidency concluded in Mumbai . Over the course of three days, the meeting saw the participation of 141 delegates from G20 countries and 10 invitee countries. Additionally, representatives from 14 international and regional organizations attended the deliberations held throughout the three days.
The ECSWG outlined three main priorities: addressing land degradation, promoting the circular economy, and advancing the blue economy. Each meeting focused on a specific theme from these three priorities. The third ECSWG meeting centered around the blue economy and was supported by two side events: the Mega Beach Clean-Up Event and the Ocean 20 Dialogue, which took place on the first day of the meeting.
The Mega Beach Clean-Up Event, held at Juhu in Mumbai, was a highly successful initiative. It involved the participation of 20 countries and encompassed 37 Indian beaches located in coastal states and Union Territories. The event aimed to raise awareness and sensitize people, aligning with the Prime Minister’s message on ‘Swachhta’ (cleanliness) and ‘Jan Bhagidari’ (people’s participation). It underscored the significance of the ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ (LiFE) concept and highlighted the importance of individual actions in combatting marine pollution. With a pledge to keep the beaches clean, the event emphasized that beach cleaning was not only about sustainable coastal management and the ocean economy but also about the broader issue of marine pollution and the impact of our own behavior on the environment. Nearly 16,000 enthusiastic volunteers participated in the event.
The Ocean 20 Dialogue brought together international experts, innovators, community representatives, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss emerging science-technology-innovation-driven solutions, challenges related to effective and inclusive policy and governance, and avenues for establishing finance mechanisms to support national and regional blue economy initiatives.
On the second day, the meeting commenced with an inaugural address by Shri Kapil M Patil, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, who commended the Working Group for the resounding success of the Mega Beach Clean-Up Event and appreciated the ECSWG’s efforts in addressing climate change and environmental issues. Ms. Leena Nandan, G20 India Chair and Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, delivered opening remarks for the day, expressing gratitude to the delegates for their active engagement in the previous ECSWG meetings. She acknowledged the constructive process followed by participating countries and the fruitful discussions held thus far. She also encouraged continued participation from G20 countries in the Communique discussion to ensure inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive outcomes as the Working Group progresses towards the final stages under India’s presidency.
The primary agenda of the third ECSWG meeting was to conduct detailed discussions on the draft Ministerial Communique. Constructive discussions and deliberations on the priority areas took place, building upon the Focus Group Discussions conducted by the Indian Presidency over the past three weeks across all three thematic priorities. The outcome documents were scrutinized line-by-line, and member countries presented their viewpoints.
The third ECSWG meeting concluded with ongoing discussions on the Communique, which will be further deliberated upon and refined in virtual meetings scheduled over the next few weeks, leading up to the fourth and final ECSWG meeting to be held in Chennai from July 26th to 27th, 2023. The Minister’s meeting will follow on July 28th, 2023.