G20 countries to launch Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition

On the eve of the crucial meeting of Environment Ministers, the G20 countries will launch a Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC) on Thursday, which is a first-of-its kind initiative for creating a global coalition to encourage resource efficiency and circular economy by uniting nations, industries, and experts.

Environment Minister Bhupinder Yadav will launch the industry-led, independent, and self-sustaining RECEIC in the presence of his counterparts from G20 and invitee countries. The coalition will have 35 founding members and will cover diverse sectors like chemicals, waste management, textiles, beverages, FMCG, cement, steel, and automotive.

The coalition's objective is to unite nations, industries, and experts in their endeavour to propel the global circularity agenda forward, Richa Sharma, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, told a briefing here on Tuesday.

“This initiative is poised to become a momentous achievement during the G20 India Presidency, representing a collective stride towards fostering on-the-ground efforts in resource efficiency and advancing the principles of circular economy,” Sharma added.

She said the 4th Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting will be held on July 26 and 27 during which the G20 member countries, invitee countries, and several global organisations will discuss land restoration, circular economy, and blue economy. The meeting will also release a joint communique before the ministers meet on July 28 and discuss the outcomes made by several working groups so far.

On land restoration, one of the topics to be discussed by the ESWG and Environment Ministers, the host country is likely to flaunt its achievements in the field along with biodiversity conservation.

“38 percent of the mining degraded area in India has been reclaimed as on date. Though 23 percent of forests in India are highly fire-prone, only 3.5 percent of India’s tree cover loss is due to forest fires due to conservation,” Bivash Ranjan, Additional Director General (Forest), MoEFCC, said.

He added that India has committed to restore 26 million hectares of forest land and create 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of additional carbon sinks, adding India has 27 per cent of its area under conservation and 22 percent of its area under Area Based Conservation and can easily reach the target of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Sharma said India has proactively taken policy actions to drive the Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy agenda by imposing a ban on single use plastics, setting up a task force to promote Green Steel, mandate on using biomass pellets at coal PPs, and development of Green Credits.

Dwelling on initiatives to support a Sustainable and Resilient Blue Economy, Sharma spoke about the Rs 4,000 crore Deep Ocean Mission aimed at exploring deep ocean resources and climate change advisory services, Coastal marine Spatial Planning and Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes.