Brussels, 25 July 2023: European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, H.E. Virginijus Sinkevičius starts his four day visit to India (25-28 July) today to participate in the Environment and Climate Sustainability G20 Ministers Meeting in Chennai – held in the framework of Indian Presidency under the theme, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth - One Family - One Future).

Prior to travelling to Chennai for the Ministerial, Commissioner Sinkevičius is due to hold bilateral meetings with the Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat; Minister of Earth Sciences, Shri Kiren Rijiju; Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala, in Delhi.

In a world requiring surging decarbonisation, green and digital transitions and a de-risking of sustainable, resilient global value chains, the EU and India are natural partners in areas such as circular economy, eco-innovation, green-infrastructures, clean energy transition, smart and sustainable public transports, blue economy, water management, biodiversity, air quality and agro-ecology. These policy dialogues, investment and green technology transfers between India and 27 EU Member States can help to set an affordable yet sustainable model whose benefits could extend beyond national borders to the Global South and the world at large, in the true spirit of the EU Green Deal and Global Gateway Strategy. Both, the EU and India, have been working together towards this objective under four “Sustainable Modernisation” partnerships in the area of Clean Energy & Climate, Water, resource efficiency & circular economy and Smart and Sustainable Urbanisation. Commissioner Sinkevičius will notably stress the importance of intensifying dialogue cooperation on biodiversity in light of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and sustainable trade & investments, during his visit.

Mission “Lifestyle for Environment” (LiFE) is a key Indian initiative, which resonates with the European Green Deal. During his time in Delhi, Commissioner Sinkevičius will also interact with civil society, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the business community on sustainable green transition pathways for the industry. On Wednesday, he will engage with young Indian scholars and innovators, on sustainable lifestyles and consumption patterns, looking at how they can help to reduce impact on the environment, while saving energy and resources.

In Chennai, Commissioner Sinkevičius will join Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav for the launch of the Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC) on 27 July. An industry-led initiative under the Indian G20 Presidency, it aims to bring together companies from different countries, including EU and India, to foster greater collaboration and partnerships, knowledge sharing, technology cooperation as well as sharing of information for mobilizing finance. RECEIC will help to enhance resource efficiency and accelerate transition towards circular economy, which is one of the three priorities under G20 negotiations.  

At the G20 ministerial meeting on 28^th July, Commissioner Sinkevičius will participate and make a statement during all three ministerial sessions. He will reiterate the EU's commitment to work together with its international partners to urgently cuts emissions during this decade and peak them by 2025, accelerate green transition and sustainable blue economy, preserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem and promote resource efficiency and circular economy. On the margins of the Ministerial Conference, the Commissioner will also have several bilateral meetings with other G20 Environment Ministers participating in the Ministerial.