India should guide the world on fighting climate change, says Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched India's first air quality index to monitor pollution level at the two-day conference of State Environment and Forest Ministers in the national capital.

Speaking at the conference, Modi said, “India has the least contribution to carbon emissions in the world. But we are still not ready to change our lifestyle while addressing problems of global warming and carbon emissions.”

Modi also mentioned that we have been brought up in a nation where environment protection is connected with human sentiments and nature is considered next to God.

Stressing on the importance of recycling, PM Modi said that Recycling and reusing have been practised for a long time in India, these are not things borrowed from outside.

"Recycling of products was a part of lifestyle of our ancestors. The world thinks India doesn't care about environment, we must change that. India should have taken the lead on climate change," he said.

“We will put pressure on the world to provide India permission for civil nuclear energy. India wants environment protection by using nuclear energy but countries say to no nuke energy to India. We are moving in the direction of solar and wind energy, we also need to stress upon solid waste management. To create wealth out of waste is a big venture these days, we need to focus on waste management,” he added.

Here are the highlights of his speech:

• The towns and cities located on banks of River Ganga are closely linked with clean Ganga campaign
• India wants environment protection by using nuclear energy but countries say to no nuke energy to India
• We are moving in the direction of solar & wind energy, we also need to stress upon solid waste management
• Environment protection and Development can go hand in hand
• We must think of developing ways in our lifestyle with which energy can be conserved, such environment should be created in schools
• World is tackling with the challenge of global Warming, but they still haven't been able to find a way