Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is leading an Indian Parliamentary Delegation to 149th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, addressed the Assembly on the theme "Harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future." In his address on Monday, Birla illuminated the pressing global challenges of present time, presenting India's perspective with clarity.
Emphasizing that India has always been a strong proponent of multilateralism, he noted that dialogue and cooperation amongst Parliaments in the field of science, technology and innovation was vital for common good. He expressed hope that through the forum like the IPU, Parliaments would be able to pave the way for inclusive development in the world through shared action plans and joint efforts. He was unequivocal in stating that the collective endeavour of Parliaments across the world should be to in place to ensure fair and equitable distribution of the benefits of science, technology and innovation in the world.
He called for convergence of technological advancements, scientific research and innovative approaches so that the fruits of such advancements were shared equitably and leveraged responsibly to build a future that is inclusive, resilient and peaceful.
Speaking on climate change and energy security, Birla referred to the idea of ONE SUN, ONE WORLD, ONE GRID – “OSOWOG”, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the last decade, India's renewable energy capacity has increased from 76 GW to 203 GW, he added. He also spoke about the initiatives like Green Hydrogen Mission, International Solar Alliance, Bio-Fuel Alliance underscoring India’s commitment to address climate change. Mentioning the steps taken by the Parliament in this regard, he noted that the issues of climate change and Sustainable Development Goals had been discussed at length in Parliament. He also noted that utmost use of green technology had been ensured in the construction of the new building which speaks of our commitment to green energy.
