Youth in Action: Driving Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) and SDG Synergy, Shreya Dave

Shreya Satyan Dave
Ph.D. Scholar
Pandit Deendayal Energy University
Gujarat
India

Abstract:

Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today

Kofi Annan

The preamble of the SDGs mentions that the journey from 2015 to 2030 is a “collective journey” where “no one will be left behind.” The 17 goals form a roadmap to a sustainable future that leaves no one behind. Here, youth emerge as vital stakeholders. The youth of today are active, opinionated, and tech-savvy and are positioned to accelerate global progress. This is when Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), introduced by India at COP26, promotes the idea of “Pro Planet People” – individuals who practice a sustainable lifestyle. Mission LiFE is an India-led global mass movement that taps into the daily lifestyle of people and nudges them to take environment-friendly actions. According to UNEP, global carbon emissions may decrease by up to 20% if one out of every eight billion people adopted environmentally friendly practices in their daily lives. India has demonstrated that it can effectively use collective action to solve complex issues through programs like Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), which proves that such grassroots movements driven by youth can yield transformative results.

The SDGs, spanning three dimensions – economic, social, and environmental – require integrated action. Interaction among the SDGs can be classified as synergies, i.e., progress in one objective favours progress in another, or trade-offs, i.e., progress in one goal hampers progress in another. This makes it crucial to understand and implement the SDGs collectively rather than separately. This presentation tries to connect the concepts of sustainable lifestyle, synergies, and trade-offs of SDGs, and the role of youth as catalysts for change. By aligning Mission LiFE, the presentation explores how we can foster the youth to build a sustainable future.