3rd ECSWG meeting to begin with a G20 Mega Beach Clean Up event on May 21

New Delhi, May 19, 2023 

The 3rd Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group  (ECSWG) meeting will kick off with a G20 Mega Beach Clean Up event in Mumbai on May 21 for two hours from 7 AM. 

The event in Juhu Beach will be attended by G20 delegates of the ECSWG meeting.  This campaign is planned by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change in collaboration with the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the participation of Indian Coastal States/UTs along with other G20 countries.

The beach cleaning campaign will cover more than 30 beaches in nine coastal states and four Union Territories With the support of Indian Embassies/Consulates. The beach cleaning campaign is also being organised in more than 20 countries including G20 and invited countries under India’s G20 presidency. 

Various activities for creating awareness and sensitising the local communities are also planned by the local administrations which include inter-school painting competitions, pledges for the conservation of marine ecosystem, promotion of waste recycling etc. To enhance the outreach for awareness, Sand-Art by Padma Awardee Sudarshan Patnaik is also planned at Juhu Beach, Mumbai. 

An all-India inter-school painting competition has been organised with the participation of more than 5900 students, with the aim to raise awareness about the impacts of marine waste on the environment and encourage people to take preventive action.

Fostering a sustainable lifestyle that is in harmony with the Environment through LiFE Mission is also being promoted. The concept of 'LiFE' (Lifestyle for Environment) championed by India will play an essential role in this event as it focuses on individual responsibility and behaviour change to tackle environmental issues. 

The overall objective of the campaign is to ensure community participation to achieve the objective of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment.

More than 10,000 volunteers will be participating in this campaign involving multiple stakeholders, including local communities, governments, local administrations, private organisations/ corporates and NGOs working for the conservation and management of coastal ecosystems.  

This is one of the largest ‘Jan Bhagidari’ campaign under the G20 India Presidency. India also seeks to enhance cooperation among G20 nations to promote sustainable management of oceans, and marine biodiversity conservation. 

The Mega Beach Clean Up campaign in Mumbai will be followed by deliberations on the Ocean20 dialogue - a platform to share best practices on science, technology and innovation, policy, governance and participation, and blue finance mechanisms to ensure a sustainable and climate-resilient Blue economy.

NNN