Vice President Venkaiah Naidu calls for protecting smaller islands amid rise in global temperatures

Amid global warming concerns, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday called for efforts to limit temperature levels so that smaller islands and their sublime beauty stays intact and islanders are saved from displacement.

Expressing concern over the effect of climate change and global warming on small islands, Naidu said it was unfair that small islands whose percentage of overall emissions is minimal, pay the price for the negligence of big nations.

“Rising sea level, storm surges, flooding and coastal erosion pose a great threat to the inhabitants of various islands across the world,” he said in a Facebook post after concluding his two-day official tour to the Lakshadweep islands.

Lauding efforts to protect the environment while promoting tourism at such destinations, the vice president asked tourists to travel responsibly keeping the well-being of the local people and nature in mind.

Drawing attention to the natural diversity of India, Naidu said, “we cannot deny that India has the best of everything when it comes to tourism. Be it the mighty Himalayas, the architectural wonders of Rajasthan, the crystal clear lakes in Himachal Pradesh, the spiritual getaways in Uttarakhand, the incredible beaches of Goa …” The vice president urged everyone to travel widely in India to experience the diverse and beautiful aspects of the country.

“But remember, when you travel, you must take care to travel without harming any aspect of the environment,” he noted.