Press Release-Climate Satyagraha (COP-15 Vigil Camp Delhi)
Press Release
Climate Satyagraha: Indian Youth keep vigil on COP Proceedings
In a bid to understand the mechanics of COP at Copenhagen the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) have sent a twenty-five member Youth Delegation (IYD) to attend the COP15 negotiations. The discussion continued in Delhi in the camp “Climate Satyagraha”organized to coincide with COP at Constitution Club from 7th- 18th December to interact, understand and debate on relevant issues.
The IYCN organised Climate Satyagraha in an effort to take Indian voices to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15). It also initiated a discussion cum interaction between experts and members of the public called Climate Satyagraha in Delhi. During the week since 7th December students from parts of north India provided a captive and engaging audience to policy makers, scientists, activists and people from vulnerable communities affected by climate change. With the help of IYCN team members in Copenhagen, these lively sessions were simulcasted to audience in Copenhagen. The team in Copenhagen simultaneously updated the audience on the events.
COP15 is the most important climate change negotiation in over a decade. India, with all of its vulnerable communities and ecosystems has a huge stake in the negotiations. According to a study by the Nielsen Company and the Oxford University Institute of Climate Change, 54% of Indians are “very concerned” about global warming. In light of this and the dedicated efforts of Indian youth to shape their future and the future of their children, have been worth a visit.
The camp has been of particular interest in its ‘Unheard Voices’ section. Taking place on the 14th, ‘Unheard Voices’ is an interactive performance by costumed characters representing animals. The actors remind people that flora and fauna do not have any negotiators to represent them, but will live and die based upon the outcome of our climate negotiations. The characters hold a mock parliament to illustrate their message.
The camp has been a collaborative effort between the IYCN, Seeds India, Greenpeace and Oxfam India along with the Royal Danish Embassy and the Global Campaign for action. The camp, managed by IYCN, uses multiple ways to keep the discussions lively. “Hot Seat” is an interaction between subject experts and audience in India as well as Copenhagen. Apart from the discussions the interactive performances in the form of Unheard Voices, Street Plays, Climate Leadership Workshop and Film Screenings were big attractions.
The Camp, Climate Satyagraha, started with a Door-to-door advocacy for Parliamentarians on Climate Change organized with the support of Center for Legislative Research & Advocacy (CLRA) on December 9th. 115 parliamentarians were visited by the students of various schools to seek the parliamentarian’s opinions on climate control measures as well as to calculate their carbon footprints. Prominent schools across the capital that participated in the awareness camp included Springdales, Delhi Public School (Vasant Kunj), Modern School Barakhamba, St. Colombia’s School, Sanskriti School and the Indian School. The interaction culminated into a discussion at the Constitution Club with healthy participation from veteran parliamentarians like Najma Heptulla, Prakash Jhawar, Rajesh, Rajiv and Anurag Thakur. The crux of the discussion was to tackle climate change by looking at issues of population explosion and implementation of the awareness messages. A video conference followed the discussion where the IYCN delegates from Copenhagen questioned the MPs about the world’s voluntary declarations on carbon cuts and India’s position. The MPs stressed on steps to be taken at home to curb emissions adding that the developed world was just using emission reduction as a pressure tactic to force developing countries to reduce emissions while the west could carry on with their wasteful lifestyle.
The following way, street plays by Pukar were the highlight of day. Performed at several locations all over Delhi including District Centre, Janakpuri and the Lifestyle Mall in Rajouri Garden, the plays attracted large crowds.
The evening of the 10th saw the first hot seat discussion on resources chaired by
Mr. Saurabh Singh (Inner Voice Foundation) and Ms. Supriya Singh (Environment Defence Fund). The discussion highlighted the over-extraction of resources especially water and the effects of scarcity felt across the country by the poor and vulnerable communities. Problems of water pollution, development, ecology and economy were discussed and debated upon. Solutions the growing crisis lie mainly in judicious use, community rights over resources and decentralized management of resources.
The following day, December 11th saw the discussions centre on the “Science of Climate Change” with Dr. Arundeep Ahluwalia (Head, Department of Geology, Punjab University), Dunu Roy (Hazard Center), Mr. Rakesh Bhatt (Scientist) on the hot seat. The session was interesting with contrasting opinions between panelists. The myths, facts and data of climate science were explored as also the ways in which these myths are used to promote consumerism. Dr. Ahluwalia rubbished the claim that climate change was due to human actions. Mr. Bhatt outlined the politics of climate change wherein fewer scientists and more politicians and businessmen now decide on the negotiations around climate change. Climate science has become a multimillion dollar industry. Mr. Roy defined the poor as “miracles of efficiency” and their ways something to be emulated by the rich in the face of climate change. Population explosion is a big problem and needs to be tackled as well.
December 12 saw the Climate ke liye Bajao, a global day of action, a rally that started at 11am at Rajghat and ended at Jantar Mantar. It was a demonstration to send a message of accountability to the negotiators in Copenhagen and push for a fair and equal deal. A theatre performance by Pukar group followed the rally at India gate.
(December 13) The next day of hot seat saw stories of people who are surviving and adapting to climate emergencies and environmental degradation by Bulu Iman(Vulnerable Communities),Mr. Vimal Bhai (Matu People’s Organization), Ms Manshi Asher (Himalaya Niti Abhiyan) and Dr. Harshvanti Bisht (Save Gangotari). December 14th saw the discussions centre on problems farmers face in the harsh environments today. Focusing on food security and future strategies in a degraded future economy, farmers from Himachal shared their ideas, views and woes.
(December 14) ‘Unheard Voices’ is an interactive performance by costumed characters representing animals. The actors remind people that flora and fauna do not have any negotiators to represent them, but will live and die based upon the outcome of our climate negotiations. The characters hold a mock parliament to illustrate their message.
December 15 was dedicated to Agricultural issues, where Mr. Pushpendra Bhai (Activist from Bundelkhand), Mr. Ranjan K. Barauh (North East Chapter), Dr. S.P. Katyal (Agriculture Scientist, Govt. Himachal Pradesh) gave their views on present agrarian crisis and how it can be related to climate emergency scenario.
(Debating 16) Policy being the centre of whole debate in Copenhagen was also debated during hotseat session “Debating COP-15” by Mr. Gopal Krishna (Water Watch Alliance) & Mr. Ghuman Singh (Himalyan Niti Abhiyan). Panel members blamed the present consumerist model, so-called democracy of developed for the present crisis.
On 17th December Rapid Response session was organized in which Mr. Vimal Bhai & Mr. Gopal Krishna declared that the failure of COP-15 has shown the hypocrisy of world powers.
After that last session of hotseat was organized which included voices from corporate houses, Mr. Jay Kumar Gaurav (Consultant, Clean Development Mechanism projects) & Mr. Vijay Menon (Moserbaer) represented them.
The Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) is a coalition uniting Indian youth and Indian youth oriented organisations who are concerned about climate change. We, as the future leaders of the country can generate awareness and establish consensus on what role India should play in the global debate, and how it should address domestic issues of climate justice and adaptation.
For Further information Contact:
Reva Prakash at +91 -9953041791 or reva@iycn.in
