President's Address takes note of climate change for first time

New Delhi, Feb 23 (UNI) Government concern over the impending climate change due to global warming today found place in the Presidential address to the joint sitting of Parliament for the first time when President APJ Abdul Kalam called upon the international community to evolve a framework for sustainable development to ward off the threat.

The President also announced that a major programme for massive afforestation of degraded forest land, ''Green India,'' was under active consideration of his government.

''The threat of climate change and global warming will have adverse consequences for life on our planet and our development prospects. We need economically affordable, technologically feasible and socially equitable policies to deal with the challenge of sustainable development,'' he said addressing the joint session.

The international community must evolve a framework for sustainable development that takes into account the growth aspirations of developing countries, he said.

Quoting Gandhiji, he said, ''the Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not everyman's greed.'' ''Taking care of our environment and ensuring ecological sustainability of our growth process is major challenge nationally and globally,'' said the President.

He also said that the Government proposed to strengthen activities for environment education and respect for wildlife through school curiculum.

A Tiger Conservation Authority and a Wildlife Crime Bureau have already been constituted to ensue greater protection to wildlife, he added.

UNI