'Green Rising India Alliance' Is Here To Spearhead Sustainable Development Goals

UNICEF and its global partnerships platform Generation Unlimited (also known as YuWaah in India) have partnered with key organisations committed to working towards a green future for children and young people as a part of the Green Rising India Alliance (GRIA). The alliance consists of YuWaah at UNICEF, Capgemini, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, ReNew Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation and SAP.

"UNICEF works with the Government and partners towards the common goal of ensuring that children and young people live in a safe and clean environment and have the education and skills they will need to adapt and create a green transition and a better world.

AP

"UNICEF has been working with children and young people as prominent stakeholders to ensure that policies on climate, environment, energy and disaster risk reduction integrate their views, concerns and solutions. With YuWaah¡¯s public-private-youth partnerships for GRIA, we want to further enable youth to co-create climate action and become changemakers for environmental protection,¡± said, Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to India and Co-chair, YuWaah Board.

The GRIA aims to equip 50 million children and young people to become climate conscious, adaptable, and resilient by 2030. This is part of the global ¡®Green Rising¡¯ campaign that supports youth-led climate action which was launched at RewireED on 8th December hosted by the COP28 Presidency at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in UAE.

Aswini Kumar Paital, India Young Climate Leaders at COP28 said, "Empowering and educating youth about climate resilience is not just an investment in our future, but a powerful solution to climate change. As a young person, I am thrilled to see these stakeholders come together with a shared commitment to environmental sustainability, conservation, and building resilient communities that resonates deeply with me. With Green Rising India Alliance, these partners are sharing the responsibility and accountability of building a resilient future with youth at the centre."

This coalition is galvanizing private organizations, foundations, youth networks, multilaterals, and the Government of India to unify their commitment to sharing knowledge, efforts, and innovative solutions. The primary goal is to equip young people with the requisite opportunities not only to embrace a climate-conscious mindset but also to foster resilience, thereby enabling them to fully realize their potential. This alliance will further synergize investments, strategic priorities, and portfolios of work to unlock unprecedented opportunities to complement national efforts with the government and young people.

India has made significant strides through the National Action Plan on Climate Change and the establishment of the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change to support concrete adaptation activities to address climate change vulnerabilities. Schemes like the National Green Mission with its focus on afforestation, reforestation, and increasing green cover and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan with its focus on improving waste management practices and sanitation, reducing environmental pollution are exemplary of India¡¯s leadership on the climate agenda.