WWF promotes celebration of Swachh Diwali, Shubh Diwali
A Green, Plastic-Free Festival for a Sustainable Future"
Mission LiFE’s Green Diwali: Embracing Clean, Eco-Friendly Celebrations for
Lasting Environmental Impact
The concept of Swachh Diwali Shubh Diwali emphasises the importance of a
clean and eco-friendly celebration that reiterates the core principles of
Mission LiFE that aims to protect and preserve the environment, bringing about
a pro-planet behavioural change in lifestyle. This initiative aims to instil a
sense of responsibility towards the environment and communities by sensitizing
and motivating individuals to opt for locally made products, embrace a Diwali
free from single-use plastic and prioritise pre and post Diwali cleanliness. By
doing so, it seeks to foster a sustainable and environmentally conscious
approach to the festival.
In this context, WWF Programme Centre-Resource Partner, Ministry of
Environment, Forest & Climate Change, GoI is disseminating awareness about
Green Diwali celebration that would symbolise green, clean and plastic free
Diwali through an infographic poster that contains a Green Diwali pledge. The
mandate of Programme Centre at WWF-India, MoEF&CC is ‘Wildlife Conservation
(including species and habitat) using geospatial techniques’. Programme Centre
(PC) EIACP (Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and
Livelihood Programme), Resource Partner (RP), Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change, GoI at WWF-India was set up for collection, collation,
storage, retrieval and dissemination of information in order to support and
promote research, development and innovation among decision-makers,
researchers, academicians, policy planners, research scientists & and other
stakeholders.
This activity highlights a crucial step in
integrating environmental consciousness into cultural practices, promoting
sustainable festivities, and actively involving citizens in India's climate
agenda. Promoting a green, clean, cracker-free and plastic-free Diwali
maintains the spirit of the festival while minimising environmental impact. It
aligns with traditional values of purity, light, and joy, showing that
festivals can evolve to become more eco-conscious without compromising their
cultural essence. The Green Diwali campaign resonates with India’s commitments
under climate change agreements (like the Paris Accord) and sustainable
development goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 12
(Responsible Consumption and Production).
Public participation through pledges encourages
community-driven solutions. Individuals who engage with such campaigns may
integrate green practices in their lifestyle, fostering long-term environmental
stewardship.
Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was
launched by the Prime Minister on 20th October, 2022 at Kevadia, Gujarat and
focuses on bringing about behaviour changes individuals through simple easy to
do actions. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI
(MoEF&CC) is the nodal Ministry for national level coordination and
implementation of Mission LiFE. As part of their implementation efforts, the
ministry has mobilised its activities with LiFE and spread awareness about
sustainable actions that individuals can undertake. Lifestyle for Environment
(LiFE) was also among one of the four important focus sectors of the G-20
Summit.
As envisioned by Prime Minister at the World
Leaders' Summit in Glasgow at COP26 and launched on 20 October 2022, Mission
LiFE aims to follow a three-pronged strategy for changing our collective
approach towards sustainability. First is by nudging individuals to practise
simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives
(demand); second is by enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to
the changing demand (supply) and; third is to influence government and
industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production
(policy).