IYR Krishna Rao, the former chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh, has urged students and young people to take the lead in promoting Mission LiFE, a initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in 2021. Mission LiFE aims to encourage mindful consumption and a circular economy, moving away from the “use-and-throw” model. The goal is to mobilize one billion people worldwide and make 80% of India’s villages and urban areas environmentally friendly by 2028.
Krishna Rao spoke at a program to scale up environmental protection and energy efficiency activities in southern states, supported by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s (BEE) media adviser wing. He commended BEE’s efforts in rolling out innovative energy efficiency schemes, which have contributed to over 40% of India’s climate change mitigation efforts. These programs have resulted in significant energy savings, including 50.98 million tonnes of oil equivalent, 25.68 million tonnes of thermal energy, and 306.55 billion units of electricity annually. Additionally, they have reduced CO₂ emissions by approximately 306.40 million tonnes per year.
The media adviser to BEE, A Chandra Shekhar Reddy, presented a progress report on Mission LiFE to Krishna Rao, highlighting Visakhapatnam’s potential to become a model sustainable city. With its growing industrial sector and bustling port, Visakhapatnam is well-placed to showcase the benefits of mindful consumption and energy efficiency. NITI Aayog has identified Visakhapatnam as a growth hub city, and BEE plans to intensify Mission LiFE campaigns in other key cities of Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are making significant contributions to the national energy conservation movement, with the support of national organizations such as BEE and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). Chandra Sekhar Reddy emphasized the importance of the youth in driving this transformation, saying that they can be the “torchbearers” of a sustainable future. With their energy and innovation, young people can help unite people to safeguard the planet and build a sustainable future. Krishna Rao and Chandra Sekhar Reddy both emphasized the need for collective action to address global climate challenges and promote environmentally friendly practices.