To accelerate youth engagement in combating climate change ahead of World Environment Day on June 5th, Shri Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, unveiled a mobile application called “Meri LiFE” (My life). This app, inspired by the LiFE concept envisioned by the Prime Minister at COP26, promotes conscious utilization over mindless consumption for environmental preservation.
Empowering Citizens for Environmental Conservation
Speaking at the launch event, Shri Yadav emphasized the app’s ability to showcase the collective power of citizens, particularly the youth, in environmental conservation. By integrating simple sustainable actions into daily lives, users of the Meri LiFE app can make a substantial climate impact. The Minister expressed his optimism that the app, alongside the dedicated LiFE portals, will drive a nationwide movement for LiFE.
Meri LiFE App – Mission LiFE
Driving Behavior Change: Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on October 20th, 2022, in Kevadia, Gujarat. It aims to instigate behavioral changes through easily achievable actions. As the nodal ministry for Mission LiFE, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has mobilized Central Ministries, State Governments, Institutions, and private organizations to align their activities with LiFE. The ongoing month-long mass mobilization drive will culminate on World Environment Day, June 5th, 2023.
Tracking Progress with Dedicated Portals
To monitor the progress of LiFE initiatives, the Ministry has developed two dedicated portals. The Mission LiFE Portal (missionlife-moefcc.nic.in) serves as an open-access platform for downloading over 100 creatives, videos, and knowledge materials related to LiFE. The Meri LiFE Portal (merilife.org) enables ministries and institutions to submit event reports and track the mass mobilization drive’s progress.
Nationwide Participation and Events
Within just ten days, over 1,00,000 LiFE-related events have taken place across India, engaging more than 1.7 million individuals in pro-planet actions. These events include cleanliness drives, bicycle rallies, plantation campaigns, LiFE marathons, plastic collection drives, composting workshops, and pledges for sustainable living. Educational institutions are also organizing cultural competitions, including street plays, essays, paintings, and youth parliaments.
Launch and App Features
The Meri LiFE App was launched in the presence of Ms. Leena Nandan, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change; Shri C.P. Goyal, Director General of Forest and Special Secretary; and Dhuwarakha Sriram, Chief of GenU, Youth Development, and Partnerships, UNICEF India. The app provides a structured approach to monitor the progress of Mission LiFE. After sign-up, users are guided to participate in LiFE-related tasks categorized under five themes: Save Energy, Save Water, Reduce Single Use Plastic, Adopt Sustainable Food Systems, and Adopt Healthy Lifestyle. Through gamification, the app encourages users to take the 5 for 5 challenge – accomplishing five LiFE Actions leading up to June 5th. The Meri LiFE app is available for download on the Google Play Store.
Culmination and Theme
The month-long mass mobilization campaign will conclude on World Environment Day 2023, on June 5th. This year’s theme, Solutions to Plastic Pollution, aligns with one of the seven themes of Mission LiFE: “Reducing the use of single-use plastic items.”
Conclusion
With the launch of the Meri LiFE app, supported by the dedicated LiFE portals, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change aims to foster a widespread movement for sustainable living and environmental protection. By empowering individuals, especially the youth, to take tangible actions through the Meri LiFE app, the mission to combat climate change and create a greener future becomes achievable.
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