"India's presidency comes at critical moment...accelerate efforts of climate actions," says UNDP representative

He said that it is excellent that India can now speak not only about India, but also the represent the whole global south.

In an exclusive interview to ANI on World Environment Day, Noda said, "It is excellent that India can now speak not only about India, but also the represent the whole global south. India is focusing on climate action also financing for climate action so that the more funding would come to different developing countries to actually mitigate emissions and also the protection. transfer of technology is another critical issue that India is advocating, and climate justice."

Adding that climate change is not only imminent in India but globally, she said,"I'm very glad that India is taking this day very seriously."

UNDP is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development.

Responding to a question on the increasing problem of plastic pollution, she told ANI, "There is a very worrisome estimation that there will be more plastics than fish in the ocean by 2050. And this also means that every day about 2000, the garbage truck full of plastics are dumping plastic into oceans, into rivers, into lakes, globally."

Every year we are producing 400 million pounds of plastics and not all or I must say the most of it is not recycled. So it's extremely important to reverse this trend. We are cautiously optimistic that if we act now, by 2040 we are hearing that the we can reduce 80 per cent of plastic pollution, she added.

Shoko Noda further added by saying that greenhouse gas emissions are related to household consumptions, and she underlined that it extremely important that we as individuals also change our behaviors.

"It's very clear step by step actions. And then also emphasize that overconsumption is no longer fashionable. There is also a message that if India can do that, the rest of the world especially those developed countries, which have been over consuming can also re adjust their behavior," she said. (ANI)