Meghalaya today launched the Think20 (T20) conference here with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma officially addressing the ceremony.
The T20 conference, titled ‘Nature Solves: A New Framework for Our Sustainable Future’, will serve as an idea bank for G20 by bringing together think tanks and high-level experts to discuss policy issues relevant to G20.
The conclave has been organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a climate think tank, and the Meghalaya Basin Development Agency (MBDA).
The conference was also graced by Samir Saran, T20 chair and president of ORF India, eminent members of the multilateral and think tank community, including Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India, and Federico Salas Lotfe, Ambassador of Mexico to India.
Policymakers, academicians, bureaucrats, and experts from multilateral agencies representing 14 G20 countries, including the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDP and TIPS have come together on a common platform to exchange ideas and collaborate on complex local and global challenges, including green growth, women-led development, climate finance, nature-based solutions for climate action, and the interplay with green transitions and the future of work.
With over 60 speakers from various countries, the conference is expected to generate discussions and recommendations that will contribute to the finalisation of the ‘Meghalaya Manifesto’, a policy framework for nature-positive solutions to combat climate change.
Talking about climate change, Sangma said that it is important as a government and society to realise that climate change is real.
“We have to find ways to adapt and mitigate climate change. The road in front of us is more or less clear – that the lifestyle and the consumption-driven economic policies that we have has a lot to do with how the climate is being affected,” he said. “There is a need to balance economic growth with green, sustainable policies. We need to provide alternatives for livelihood and create parallel economies.”
One of those areas of balance is in electricity generation. Meghalaya produces only hydropower even though it has large deposits of coal. The state could have avoided the lengthy load shedding it is subject to now if it had invested in thermal power but “the challenge is to ensure balance and find solution to problems,” the CM said.
Meanwhile, he also touted Meghalaya’s community-based governance systems.
“We have a decentralised governance system to address the issues at the grassroots through the communities, who are the integral part of our society. Our communities have always been at the forefront in preserving and conserving our age-old traditions and values,” Sangma said, adding that the model could be replicated in other states.
On the state’s efforts to be more green, he mentioned that his government has initiated Green Meghalaya, where communities are rewarded for preserving and protecting tree cover.
“We aim to preserve 2 lakh hectares of forest cover over the next five years through this programme. We are also working relentlessly to improve and maintain the serenity of this heaven we call home. We are working on a comprehensive action plan to tackle climate change – ‘State Action Plan on Climate Change 2.0’. It will help us identify the key problems by analysing data derived from scientific studies, vulnerability assessment and provide corresponding action plans to mitigate them.”
The Chief Minister further said that there is a need to support initiatives that promote sustainable practices, such as regenerative agriculture, reforestation, and the development of renewable energy sources. By doing so, we can create a virtuous cycle, where economic growth is intertwined with ecological well-being.
He also talked about the Solar Mission’s aims, how the community-led conservation efforts have resulted in the revival of degraded ecosystems, the protection of endangered species and the empowerment of local communities, the recognition of the immense potential of ecotourism, etc.
Joint Secretary (G20) at the Union Ministry of External Affairs, Eenam Gambhir, during her address highlighted the various initiatives and dialogues adopted as part of the G20 presidency. “India’s priority on LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) epitomised the theme of the Indian G20 presidency ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ like no other concept and was also an urgent call to action,” she said.
“For the people of Meghalaya and other such traditional communities in India, LiFE is a way of life not only for individuals but also for their economies, policies and societies. Meghalaya has long championed the idea of a holistic economy which recognises the value of nature and preserving the environment. The complex web of community actions, government policies as well as multi stakeholder partnerships make the growth model of Meghalaya one of the leading examples for growth strategies needed to build a sustainable future,” she added.
