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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and NITI Aayog hosted a hackathon with young people from across the world to contribute ideas and innovations to promote sustainable living and climate positive behaviour as part of the Government of India’s Mission LiFE.

The Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) campaign aims to bring individual action to the forefront of climate action and these nudges are as small as encouraging individuals to consume less plastic, waste-less food, and prefer public transport, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in a statement.

Mission LiFE was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Gujarat last year.

Launching the LIFEathon, NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Suman Bery said, mission LiFE aims to create and nurture a global network of Pro-Planet People committed to adapting and promoting environmentally friendly lifestyles.

“Through this event, we look forward to receiving excellent ideas on how to nudge people to adopt sustainable living. NITI Aayog is committed to making Mission LiFE a global movement,” he added.

The hybrid event saw the participation of over 400 youth from about 60 countries. Youth participants learned about Mission LiFE and shared ideas and best practices from their countries toward sustainable living. Hundreds of ideas were brainstormed and submitted during the event.

Appreciating the efforts of the government and NITI Aayog to promote climate conscious behaviour through Mission LiFE, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said, climate change is a global emergency, and we have no time to lose.

“Through this LIFEathon, I look forward to the leadership of the world’s young minds in promoting and adopting sustainable lifestyles, nudging behaviour change, and embracing innovation for climate action,” Steiner said.