WHAT A DAY!  I’m writing to you from the road somewhere between Vellore and Bangalore.  Sitting in a REVA, a small electric car manufactured by the Maini Group, based out of Bangalore, India.  The India Climate Solutions Road Tour kicked off today from Madras University at 11pm  as we were flagged off by the Vice Chancellor of the Univesity who highlighted the need for action on this issue.  Chennai and many other parts of Tamil Nadu having seen some very unsual and heavy flooding this year and with the memories of the 2005 tsunami fresh in the minds of locals (as far as the implications of the increased impact a tsunami could have in the advent of higher sea levels)–the urgency for the region is apparent.

Nine passionate individuals from across the country have come together under the banner of IYCN to launch this daring road tour.  And here we are:  after nearly 6 months of planning and a lot of sweat and tears, this dream has become a reality (I’m litterally on the road!).  Thanks in part to the vision of American scholars living and working in India in the field of climate change, the idea of the journey was spawned.  To think that a company would actually provide specially designed vehicles with the latest technology and provide it free of charge to some individuals who are wanting to launch a movement, is rather exciting.  We NEED more enlightened corporations to come forward and support such causes.  We need enlighted politicians such as the Minister of New & Renewable Energy to show the kind of leadership that is required to inspire millions to recognize the savings in green and the sanctity of greenliving.

In search of India’s climate solutions, we will be igniting a movement for change and a movement that will leave not only the lives of thousands transformed (through a vision of what India can be) but will leave the lives of the participating members transformed permanently as well.  It has already been quite a transformative day as I spent some quality time with students of the environment and enegy club at the Vellore Institute of Technology.  Listening to what the university has managed to do for campus sustainability was astonishing and the dreams and visions of the students left me inspired.  To summarise, they have developed a prototype vehicle that runs on CO2 and are cultivating a biofuel plant (name forgotten for the time being) that is native to India and is better in everyway by a factor of 10 than the highly regarded jatropha.  They even have their own battery operated vehicles so charging our REVA there was not a problem!  The students are working hard to spread awareness amongst the 14,000 strong student body population about how all of them can work to transform India’s energy economy into one that is green and clean.  Imagine nearly 14,000 engineers graduating every year and devoting themselves to such a cause!  Truly an Incredible !ndia that would be.

Bangalore awaits…. “WE ARE THE SOUTION!”

In the year 2009 IYCN intends to formalize a number of chapters in various cities, so that the youth of this country get an opportunity to voice their opinions and make a real difference to their environment. With this thought, the Delhi IYCN chapter is being formalized and the applications for the Delhi IYCN Board are being announced. The structure of Delhi IYCN is given in the attachment, along with the job descriptions of various posts. If you wish to apply for a post, please send in your completed applications (attached with the mail) by 31^th December 2008.

Application

Job Descriptions

Arising from the Indian Youth Summit on Climate Change (IYSoCC) 2008, hosted on Infosys Campus in Hyderabad, the “Dekho! Dekho!” cheer is an Indianized version of the international youth rallying chant around climate change, “It’s Getting Hot in Here!”  The brain-child of two TERI University students, Amulya and Roslyn, the cheer has caught on in many parts of the country through the Indian Youth Climate Network.  Its set to be localized further in many different vernaculars and take new shapes and forms.  But we have already taken it to the international forum and begun to teach it to the global youth climate movement!  One could definitely hear whispers of “Dekho-Dekho” more than once throughout the two weeks at the UN Conference of Parties.  Here you can see the tutorial the Indian youth delegation gave to the 300 youth gathered at the Conference of Youth that was organized on November 28, 29, pre-COP.

The Words:

Dekho! Dekho! Yeh India hey hum,
Fir bhi, kyun hey, yeh atmosphere garam?

Jabki, hum may, hey itna saara dum,

Kyun na, kare hum, yeh CO2 ko kam?

(Cross-posted from http://itsgettinghotinhere.org (original post by Joshua Kahn Russell)

Youth action frames the conversation at the UNFCCC in Poznan, Poland

Young people from around the world made their voice heard today at the UN Framework Convention on Climate change in Poznan, Poland. After an inspiring speech from Al Gore, over 200 young people from India to the U.S. to the Congo held a spontaneous action inside, with banners that read “SURVIVAL IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.”

The demonstration was the next step in our “project survival” - inspired by a speech earlier this week by a representative from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), stating that current emissions targets set by powerful countries condemn their nations to extinction. In the last two days youth have mobilized to get over 80 country delegations to sign a pledge to “safeguard the survival of all peoples and nations.” Youth organized actions, tracked down delegates in the halls, lined the entrance to the plenaries, and knocked on meeting room doors to push their countries to sign the Survival Pledge. This morning our text has been adopted in the official UN Ministerial declaration document emerging from COP14, the COP President’s text on long-term vision. Heads of state referenced our call in major speeches. “It’s been an amazing success,” said Amanda McKenzie, of the Australian Youth Climate Network. “Hearing Australia’s Climate Minister Penny Wong commit to ’survival’ yesterday had me cheering in the halls. Now, it’s time to make sure she delivers.”

Actions like the one that happened 15 minutes ago aim to create the pressure to do just that. At the end of our action (after engaging with some angry UN people) several delegates and dignitaries came to thank the Youth for their action. A woman said “I am in a very high position in my government in Norway. Youth doing actions like this makes my work easier. Thank you.” (more…)