One thousand years ago, the ancestors of those that live today in this village have built this marvelous Temple of Sun.  And they did it, they did it recognizing that the origin of all energy that we have on Earth comes from the sun. Unfortunately, we have not been deserving this gift. Unfortunately, in the last decades, we have been in war with nature.
 
We have been destroying our planet. And what is amazing, and what we must thank in a very emotional way to the people of this village, but also to the government of Gujarat and the government of India, is that here there is a reconciliation between humankind and the planet.
 
Here, where the Temple of Sun was built 1000 years ago, there is a new Temple of Sun. It's based on solar energy and the fact that solar energy is transforming the lives of the people of this village, making it more healthy, giving them more prosperity, but at the same time contributing to rescue our planet from a climate change that is still riding without control.
 
So I want to express my deep gratitude to the people of this village, to the people of this state, to the people of India, for their commitment.  Their commitment to rescue the planet, to make peace with nature and to defeat climate change.
 
Thank you very much.
 
Q: What do you think of India’s terrible air pollution and what do you think can be done about it?
 
SG: Well, one of the ladies that was talking said that before she used to burn coal in their house. And because of that, they had respiratory problems and different kinds of diseases. The truth is that the green economy is not only good for the planet, it's good for our health and being good for our health, is saving lives.
 
Pollution in cities is today killing seven millions of people in the world. Pollution in cities is killing seven millions of people in the world every year. So, it's our duty to rescue them. It's our duty to fight pollution, to preserve biodiversity, and to fight climate change.
 
Q: So, you have made references in your speech to… urging India to reduce subsidies on fossil fuels … How far has India progressed on that commitment?
 
SG: My feeling is that instead of subsidizing things, it is necessary to subsidize people. And India has today one of the most expanded programmes of social welfare in the world, providing hundreds of millions of families with financial support. So, I think this is the right way to do – is to provide more and more support to the families in need and less and less support that benefits companies that are today making huge profits around the world.