PM Modi launches ‘Resilient Island States infrastructure’ for most vulnerable countries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the Initiative for Resilient Island States (IRIS) for infrastructure development in small island nations, saying it gives new hope, confidence and satisfaction in doing something for the people. most vulnerable countries.

Prime Minister Modi was joined by his British counterpart Boris Johnson on the second day of the COP26 climate summit.

The launch event also brought together Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

“The launch of ‘Infrastructures for Resilient Island States’ gives new hope, new confidence,” said Modi, adding that the initiative gives the satisfaction of doing something for the most vulnerable countries.

Modi praised the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure CDRI for this initiative and said that for him CDRI or IRIS is not just about infrastructure but part of a very sensitive responsibility for human well-being.

“It is the collective responsibility of all of us to humanity,” he said.

“It’s sort of a shared atonement for our sins. The past decades have proven that no one is spared the wrath of climate change. Whether it is developed countries or countries rich in natural resources, it is a big threat to everyone,” Modi said.

Stating that Small Island Developing States or SIDS face the greatest threat from climate change, Modi said Indian space agency ISRO will build a special data window for them to provide timely information on cyclones, coral reef monitoring, coastal monitoring, etc. .by satellite.

Speaking on the occasion, British Prime Minister Johnson said it was incredibly cruel that vulnerable small island states were on the front lines of loss and damage caused by global warming.

“They did next to nothing to cause the problem, they didn’t produce the huge volumes of CO2 to pump into the atmosphere,” he said.

Johnson said the UK is contributing financially to the IRIS initiative.

“We too are rising.”

The Australian Prime Minister thanked India and the UK for their leadership of CDRI. “I acknowledge Quad’s support to them, including the support of the United States and Japan to India’s CDRI,” he said.

The launch, which is part of the Indo-British Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), marks the start of the second day of the World Leaders Summit.

The initiative is part of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure which would focus on capacity building, having pilot projects, especially in small island developing states.