Mumbai, July 05: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday asked the G20 countries to “rise above differences” and address global challenges confronting the world.
In his inaugural address at the G20 Science Ministers meeting here, Dr Singh said, “India recognizes the significance of international collaboration and knowledge sharing in addressing the complex challenges of our times and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly reiterating this from time to time at every international forum.”
India’s Science Minister called upon to leverage the collective wisdom, expertise, and resources to foster a culture of innovation, promote sustainable development, and ensure a prosperous future for all. The minister urged the G20 nations to move ahead with a profound agenda to excel in inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth.
Referring to the fact that a number of Member States are represented at the highest level in their national science hierarchy, Dr Jitendra said, “This group has the potential to address major global challenges, as we did recently while combating the Covid pandemic. During India’s G20 Presidency, we stand committed to advancing global research and innovation for a better tomorrow.”
The union minister said that in recent times, scientists and researchers have been at the forefront of cutting-edge discoveries and advancements across multiple disciplines from space exploration to artificial intelligence, from biotechnology to nanotechnology and have pushed the boundaries of scientific understanding and have fostered innovation that benefits humanity as a whole. “As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and depleting natural resources, it becomes imperative to harness renewable energy sources efficiently,” he said.
He emphasized that G-20 members should remain committed to our Net Zero goals and continue to work on sustainable development and renewable energy and expressed satisfaction that the world has witnessed substantial growth in solar and wind power installations in recent years. “Our scientists have been working tirelessly to discover and create materials that can revolutionise the energy sector, making it cleaner, more affordable, and accessible for all,” the minister added.
Dr Jitendra Singh underscored that G20 nations must harness the power of technology and innovation to drive the transition towards cleaner energy sources and promote eco-innovations, such as smart grids, energy-efficient buildings, and sustainable transportation systems, as these initiatives not only mitigate environmental impact but also foster economic growth and create new avenues for job creation.
“G-20 community has advanced space technologies to predict and monitor various natural hazards, like cyclones, tsunamis, landslides, and forest fires, space technologies also help a lot in communication. There is a need to share products of these technologies to countries, outside G-20 also, so that they can better prepare themselves against such calamities,” he said.
