NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said that environment protection has been in our DNA and India should lead the global fight against climate change. He stressed on the importance of making lifestyle changes to tackle global warming.

Inaugurating the Conference of State Environment and Forest Ministers, Modi expressed disappointment that India's culture of respecting and loving nature has not been sufficiently projected on the global arena, and the country is occasionally perceived to be a barrier in the global fight against climate change.

He said people of India have been the protectors and devotees of nature and we need to project this fact properly, so that the world realizes that India cannot be questioned in this regard.

"Indians have always conserved nature, and even today, have among the lowest per-capita carbon emission, globally,"said the PM. Emphasisng that the way forward is not just restrictions, but changing lifestyles, prime minister said the culture of recycle and re-use is not new for India.

"Instead of being forced to follow parameters laid down by others, India should lead the world in the fight against climate change," he added.