Consumption waste damaging planet, world needs to reflect on lifestyles: Goyal

Global South is not responsible for global environmental damage but has been caused by the developed countries who enjoyed the benefit of low cost energy. This was stated by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal during his address at the inaugural session of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit 2024 in New Delhi today. Trade Ministers from the Italian Republic, State of Israel, Bhutan, Bahrain, Algeria, Nepal, Senegal, South Africa, Myanmar, Qatar and Secretary of State for Ministry of Commerce of Kingdom of Cambodia were the partner countries at the Summit.  

Shri Goyal highlighted that each of the partner countries have shared responsibilities towards environment and sustainability, but countries present at the summit are not responsible for the damage to the environment. Therefore, the responsibilities towards shared supply chains and sustainability will have to be met through common but differentiated responsibility, he said. While all have to work together, everybody needs to be given responsibility based on their contribution to the environmental problem, he added.

Addressing the participants, Shri Goyal said that India offers a trusted hand of friendship and partnership to countries of Global South. Sharing the common themes mentioned at the session, he pointed out that stability, space, satellite and sustainability were most spoken of by the officials in attendance and emphasised that the world today needs these discussions.

Shri Goyal said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation will have an impact on the future of employment and the skills required to adapt to the changing job profiles. He said that technology will transform lives and change the nature of livelihoods, but tradition and culture will also need to be maintained equally. Therefore, it needs to be a mix of tradition and legacy on one hand and technology on the other, he noted.

He emphasised that empowerment of both people and processes is key to growth. Pointing out that India is marching forward with a large pool of youth with high aspirations, he stressed that there is a need to empower them with education and skill to grapple with the challenges of tomorrow. This will lead to Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, he said.