Collective and Active Participation of all required for Climate change.

Smt Anjani Bhushan*

Climate change is an issue that impacts not just a person , region or country but the whole world. Realizing early that a solution to the problem of climate change would require the collective and active participation of all segments of society across all nations, a group of people in the USA got together to draw world attention to it and the First Earth Day was celebrated there in 1970 on April 22. Since then, it is observed worldwide as a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect the planet earth. To create an informed environment amongst the various stakeholders on climate change in India, and to encourage various representatives to work together by sharing and communicating best practices, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and HSBC India signed a Memorandum Of Understanding at Delhi, creating a forum to be known as the ‘ Earth Sciences Forum’. Speaking about the launch at a Press Conference, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal said: “…we have created a platform where informed people from academia, industry and even the general public can put forth their views and help find ways to mitigate the effects of climate change on all of us.” Ms Naina Lal Kidwai, Group General Manager and Country Head, HSBC India said: “HSBC is at the forefront among global companies, in the study of the impact of climate change and has been working towards doing its bit as a concerned global citizen… We are extremely hopeful that the Earth Sciences Forum will result in not just a constructive dialogue on climate change but active participation from all stakeholders”. The Climate Change Leadership Council under the Forum is to meet at least twice a year to chart a climate action course and will consist of representatives from the industry, government, academia, and NGOs. Periodic industry-specific learning workshops will be conducted in cities and the main target will be carbon-intensive industries such as Iron and Steel, Electricity, Automotive, Extractive industries(oil, mining), Real Estate, Information Technology, and FMCG among others. The Forum is also expected to disseminate the Climate Change Leadership Council Proceedings, Research Monographs, Industry-specific low Carbon Strategies, Theme Papers, Country Climate Report etc. Additionally, the Forum will create communication to bring about awareness on climate change amongst general public, children and youth. In India, the various activities to celebrate the Day started from first week of the month. More than 50 schools in the National Capital Region of Delhi participated in an inter-school poster-making competition with the theme “Creating Awareness On Use Of Public Transport”. Through various campaigns, the students requested people travelling in personal vehicles to opt for public transport. They distributed car stickers. The ongoing programmes culminated with the celebration of Earth Day at National Science Centre, Pragati Maidan where Audio and Video clippings of Earth Week celebrations were demonstrated as ‘Earth Day Impressions’. The Minister of State for Environment and Forest, Shri Namo Narain Meena released the first children Newsletter on environment ‘The Green Crusader’ and also released the Interactive State of Environment Atlas of India. The Atlas is a compilation of categorized thematic maps on green(forest, biodiversity), blue(water resources), and brown (air pollution)environmental issues and provides flexibility and versatility for users to visualize environment spatial data using simple Geographic Information System(GIS) functionalities. The Atlas is the first of its kind in India with regular updates and is available both as a CD and as an interactive website. Shri Meena also felicitated 29 students, the State winners of the Green Olympiad 2007 at the Earth Day programme. The Green Olympiad, launched in 1999 on Earth Day is India’s First National Level Environment Examination for school children and is held annually in India and abroad with a focus on environmental concerns and needs of the present and the future. The examination – Green Olympiad is conducted in association with the Ministry of Environment and Forests and culminates in the TERRAQUIZ, the first environmental quiz programme for school students on Indian television. School Health and Hygiene Programme is being carried out in the government schools of Haryana (Gurgaon, Sonepat and Panipat) and Delhi under the Yamuna Action Plan – II. Workshops, seminars, training programmes and educational field trips on environmental issues are organized for teachers and students at regular intervals. Addressing the Earth Day Celebrations – 2008, Shri Meena said: “The mother earth gives us all life-saving substances and valuable services. The process of economic development and changes in consumption patterns have degraded the land. Therefore, we must put in all efforts to utilize natural resources judiciously. We should observe self control in consumption and we should live with modesty and compassion to protect mother Earth”. *Joint Director (M & C), PIB, New Delhi