core sector communique

Shri Jairam Ramesh Inaugurates UNEP Workshop on Journalism and the Environment: Reporting Green 2011

 
The Union Minister of State for Environment & Forests (Independent Charge), Shri Jairam Ramesh has emphasized the need of involvement of all the sections of the society in the present day context of Green Economy, sustainable development and Environmental Awareness. The Minister said this while addressing the one-day United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Workshop on Journalism and the Environment: Reporting Green 2011. He has highlighted the importance of media in Green reporting. The workshop was organized jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and UNEP here today.

The workshop was organized under the banner of UNEP’s Reporting Green series, which aims to provide journalists with in-depth knowledge and access to information about pressing environmental issues. The workshop, based on the World Environment Day 2011 theme- Forests: Nature at your Service, was lead by top environmental experts and policy leaders, focusing on the role of forests in combating climate change, conserving biodiversity and catalyzing social and economic development.

The three sessions on, the Economic of Ecosystems & Biodiversity (TEEB), the role of Forests in combating climate change, conserving Biodiversity & Catalysing Transformation to Green Economy and Climate Change Adaptation in High Mountain areas were highly interactive and generated keen interest among the participants, that included about more than 52 International, National and Regional media groups, Officials delegates from UNEP, ICIMOD and other organizations including officials of Ministry of Environment & Forests.

The United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan, as part of World Environment Day, 2011 celebrations, being hosted in India for the first time by UNEP. India has been pioneer in steering and pushing the environmental agenda at National as well as International level since UNEP conference at Stockholm in 1972, when Indian Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi was the only Head of the State, who participated apart from the Head of State of the host Country, bringing developmental dimensions to the environmental debate.