The G20 meets to discuss land degradation and biodiversity
Environmental action is a global endeavour and one that strikes the urgency of the G20—a group of countries across North America, Asia, Europe and Africa.
This year there are four meetings in the calendar for the G20 Environmental Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG), of which one already took place from the 9th to the 11th of February—the next kicking off on the 27th March.
This meeting in Gandhinagar, India, has an agenda complete with discussions around environmental impact through action against land degradation, ecosystem restoration, and circular economy. Consisting of 13 working groups, the ECSWG will also talk of a climate resilient blue economy—efforts towards the sustainable use of ocean resources.
The event will play host to 130 delegates from G20 member countries as well as 11 further countries that have also been invited to the meeting. Other representatives from 14 international organisations are also on the guest list.
The meeting is all in aid of the planet and there are many discussions to be had, particularly as the oceans are incredibly significant in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
India’s efforts to improve land quality and biodiversity
Hosted in India, the G20 meeting represents the key theme of biodiversity, which is a staple manoeuvre in achieving widespread environmental impact. Adhering to the theme of the event, India plans to address and improve the G20’s contributions towards 50% reduction in land degradation by the year 2040.
As a country, India is heavily committed to restoration of the land with aims to improve the biodiversity across 25 millions hectares with potential to sequester roughly 2.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030.
India’s presidential team hopes to implement a framework among the G20 that will allow them to accelerate action in this area and develop an online knowledge base, which will also become a platform for solutions exchange within the working group.
About the G20 ECSWG working group
Founded in 1999, the G20 was born following the Asian financial crisis, which led a forum of finance ministers and governors from the Central Bank to take economic and financial action. In 2008, the G20 became home to government and state leaders looking to influence such prosperity on a global scale while tackling other important concerns as a unit.
Members of the G20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and those in the European Union.
The guest countries incorporated into the second meeting of the ECSWG this year include: Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
