Department of Science and Technology (DST)- Water Technology Initiative has supported the group to undertake this key study published in the journal ‘Environment Research Communications’ recently…reports Asian Lite News.
Water quality in the lower stretches of the river Ganga was found to be alarming by a team of scientists, who developed the much-needed baseline of Water Quality Index (WQI) of the place.
They reported a continuous deterioration of water quality.
Rapid human pressure and anthropogenic activities have resulted in release of untreated municipal and industrial sewages along with other forms of pollutants in the River Ganga. “In particular, the lower stretches of the River Ganga, close to the megapolis Kolkata, are heavily influenced by anthropogenic factors, mainly due to intense population pressure on both sides of the river banks. As a result, there has been a marked increase in discharge of untreated municipal and industrial sewages in the lower stretch of the Ganges with consequences for many unique and biodiversity ecosystems such as the Sundarbans mangrove and endangered charismatic species such as the Gangetic Dolphin,” a statement from the Ministry of Science & Technology said quoting the study.
The team led by Professor Punyasloke Bhadury from the Integrative Taxonomy and Microbial Ecology Research Group (ITMERG) at IISER, Kolkata monitored nine sites encompassing 59 stations along the 50 km stretch of the lower stretches of the River Ganga over two years to understand the dynamics of key environmental variables, including forms of dissolved nitrogen along with biological proxies to assess the state of health of Ganga. The scientists have come up with the WQI of the place, a key metrics that helps understand the health and ecological consequences for the lower stretch of River Ganga, the statement said.
Department of Science and Technology (DST)- Water Technology Initiative has supported the group to undertake this key study published in the journal ‘Environment Research Communications’ recently.
Their study has shown that WQI values of this stretch of the river was between 14-52 and was continuously deteriorating irrespective of the season of sampling. They have also identified the point source along with type of pollutants, in particular forms of nitrogen with effect on biota along the 50 km stretch that required immediate intervention for effective river basin management.
The findings from this study will be pivotal for long-term ecological health monitoring of the lower stretch of River Ganga, along with the integration of sensors and automation, the statement added.
With a population of about 330 million, accounting for only 4.3 per cent of earth’s population, the US generates a total of 42 million metric tons of such waste in 2016…reports Asian Lite News
The US was the world’s “top generator of plastic waste” in 2016, exceeding all European nations combined, The Hill reported recently.
An article, entitled “US must cut plastic production to save oceans,” was published on Wednesday, citing a new study by the National Academy of Sciences.
With a population of about 330 million, accounting for only 4.3 per cent of earth’s population, the US generates a total of 42 million metric tons of such waste in 2016, the report said.
“The waste is devastating the ocean’s health and marine wildlife,” it reported.
“Plastic waste is an environmental and social crisis that the US needs to affirmatively address from source to sea,” Margaret Spring, chair of the committee behind the report was quoted as saying in The Hill’s article.
However, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) – a trade group that represents 28 companies, including oil giants, major chemical manufacturers and plastic makers – slammed the study’s recommendation that plastic production should be limited, Xinhua news agency reported.
Joshua Baca, Vice President of plastics at the ACC, was quoted by the report as saying that “plastic is a valuable resource that should be kept in our economy and out of our environment.”
Ocean warming will definitely have an impact on marine biodiversity. That is all to do with upper ocean heat content, said Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, M Ravichandran…reports Nivedita Khandekar
India has outlined an ambitious plan to touch the depths of the Indian Ocean as part of its ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ with the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) as its nodal implementing agency.
Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is an integral part of ocean monitoring and plays an important role in forecasting models. As the changes in the SST conditions over the Pacific and the Indian Oceans are known to influence the Indian climate, India Meteorological Department (IMD) is carefully monitoring the evolution of sea surface conditions over these ocean basins.
Because of climate change, the sea level will rise leading to disturbances such as the cyclones. Atmospheric and ocean circulation is all connected. Ocean warming will definitely have an impact on marine biodiversity. That is all to do with upper ocean heat content, said Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, M Ravichandran.
climate change
“We are already at it and want to continue to monitor the oceans. Most of the heat is at the top, up to 2,000 metres as per the information currently available. But the actual heat is below 2,000 metres. Since we do not know what is happening there, would want to monitor,” he added.
“As on date, the mass (humidity) and the temperature are available. If you want a week’s forecast, we want to know SST. Then, if you want to forecast for a month ahead, you need to go to at least 100 metres below the surface, for where the heat is available. You want to go for next season, you will need to go below 1,000 metres. You want to go for a year, then you need to go still further below,” the top scientist explained, adding “But if we want to go for the climate, we need to go below 2,000 metres depth.”
“At 2,000 metres, the variation in temperature is minimal, very small. But that will give you clues to the future. This is why we have got to monitor the entire water column,” he said.
That will help achieve one of the six deliverables under the Deep Ocean Mission, i.e., the ‘Development of ocean climate change advisory services’.
Earlier this year, the Assessment Report 6 of the working group I of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR6 WGI) had warned how the intensity and frequency of the sea level extremes and the frequency of cyclones are set to increase by 2050 and then intensify further by 2100 as the global temperature rise continues.
Businesses will be also required to undertake due diligence to show that they have taken action to ensure this is the case, and report on this annually…reports Asian Lite News.
Plans to clean up Britain’s supply chains to tackle illegal deforestation were stepped up on Thursday as the government launched a consultation on how to implement new measures in the Environment Act.
Demonstrating UK’s commitment to go further than ever before to clamp down on illegal deforestation, the consultation will help shape plans requiring due diligence from businesses to ensure they are using commodities produced in line with relevant local laws.
The measures will make it illegal for larger businesses in the UK to use commodities whose production is associated with large-scale forest loss such as cocoa, beef, soy, coffee, maize and palm oil, where they have not been produced in line with relevant local laws.
Businesses will be also required to undertake due diligence to show that they have taken action to ensure this is the case, and report on this annually.
Launching the consultation, International Environment Minister, Lord Goldsmith, said, “Our forests not only have a vital role in cooling the planet, they are a source of clean air and water, home to indigenous communities and some of the most precious biodiversity on Earth – protecting them is essential to our survival. Now the Environment Act has passed into law, we have the opportunity to shape these due diligence measures so we are effectively tackling key drivers of deforestation. Alongside introducing these world-leading measures, we intend to ensure the global coalition that we brought together last month under the UK presidency at COP26 to commit to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030 becomes reality.”
Forests absorb up to one-third of the global CO2 released from burning fossil fuels every year, but we are losing them at an alarming rate. Between 2015-20 an area of forest the size of 27 football pitches was lost every minute – with almost three-quarters of deforestation linked to the expansion of agriculture, with land being cleared to make way for grazing animals and to grow crops.
Globally, nearly half of all recent tropical deforestation was the result of illegal clearance for commercial agriculture and timber plantations, and this figure is closer to 90% in some key forests. It is therefore vital to work with producer countries and support their efforts to uphold their laws and protect their forests. The UK, working with 28 producer and consumer governments which account for 75% of global trade of key commodities, has developed a shared roadmap of actions to protect forests and other ecosystems while promoting sustainable development and trade dialogue. This FACT (Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade) Roadmap also launched at COP26 was backed up by £500m of UK finance to aid delivery.
Justin Adams, Executive Director, Tropical Forest Alliance, said, “The UK COP Presidency deserves credit for bringing the nature agenda into the heart of the recent climate negotiations at COP26 – there is simply no path to 1.5 degrees without changing how we produce food and manage our landscapes. While there were many truly significant public and private sector commitments and investments announced in Glasgow, the real test is turning those into action. The Due Diligence requirements in the landmark Environment Act is a good example of how these political signals can be implemented in the right way. The key lesson we have learnt from tackling deforestation over the last decade is that no single actor can do it alone – collective action and partnership are key to success. Seeking input from producers, other consumer countries, and the companies who are working to address deforestation in their supply chains will be crucial.”
The IEA has played an active role throughout, participating in a range of events addressing the ways in which the energy sector can help solve the world’s climate challenge…reports Asian Lite News.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Monday said if the world achieves a 30 per cent cut in methane emissions from human activity by 2030, it would have a similar impact on global warming as switching all world’s cars, trucks, ships and planes — the entire global transport sector — over to net zero emissions technologies.
After two weeks of intensive discussions on how to step up international efforts to tackle global warming, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow concluded on Saturday night.
The IEA has played an active role throughout, participating in a range of events addressing the ways in which the energy sector can help solve the world’s climate challenge.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol joined dozens of world leaders, led by US President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, at the launch of the Global Methane Pledge, underscoring that reducing methane emissions is the most impactful way to limit near-term climate change.
An official statement quoting Birol said he welcomed the commitment by more than 100 countries worldwide to join the pledge to cut global methane emissions from human activity by 30 per cent by 2030 and highlighted the IEA’s longstanding efforts to push for an end to methane leaks from fossil fuel operations.
Multiple leaders including Colombian President Ivan Duque, at the Global Methane Pledge launch, noted the IEA’s important role in advocating measures to clamp down on methane emissions.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his country was the first to commit to meeting the IEA goal of 75 per cent reduction in energy-related methane emissions by 2030.
Got to see an old friend today – except this time, he’s the Mayor. Glad we could spend some time together this morning, @AmarjeetSohiYEG. I’m looking forward to once again working with you on affordable housing, public transit, climate change, and so much more. pic.twitter.com/gQ1t4gjPtT
US Special Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry, who moderated the event, said the IEA has “played a tremendous role for all of us” and expressed appreciation to Birol for his leadership.
At COP26, Birol also met key leaders and top officials from around the world for discussions on key energy and climate issues, including a substantive meeting with Chinese Special Envoy on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua.
They discussed the IEA’s recent Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050 and Energy Sector Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality in China, as well as China’s energy transition and climate goals.
Birol also held a bilateral meeting with UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, at which they discussed cooperation between the UAE government and the IEA to support the Gulf nation’s efforts to accelerate its clean energy transition and diversify its economy with the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
At a meeting with Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, Birol focused on strong and growing programme of IEA-Indonesia cooperation on the energy transition, including the country’s net zero roadmap and the energy agenda for its G20 Presidency in 2022.
During the first week of COP26, the IEA published a commentary on new analysis showing that if all the climate pledges made by countries around the world as of November 3 — covering methane as well as carbon emissions — were to be met in full and on time, it would limit the rise in global temperatures in this century to 1.8 degrees Celsius.
That’s a notable improvement from the 2.1 degrees Celsius of warming that was projected by its World Energy Outlook 2021’s Announced Pledges Scenario in mid-October, based on the climate pledges to date at that point.
But Birol believes this progress is still not enough to put the world in line with the critical goal of limiting warming to 1.5 Celsius — and the pledges still need to be backed up with clear policies to actually put greenhouse gas emissions into decline.
Boosting progress on appliance energy efficiency is key to delivering on global climate ambitions.
Our initiative, in partnership with the UK, aims to double the efficiency of key appliances sold globally ahead of #COP26.
Tracking and accountability will be critical to ensure that countries and companies are following through on their promises.
At the request of the UK’s COP26 Presidency, the IEA is leading the tracking of global progress against the Glasgow Breakthroughs — five goals aimed at driving down the costs of clean technologies. Meeting these goals will be essential to enabling the achievement of governments’ long-term net zero pledges.
The top court also told the state governments to not take action against farmers, rather persuade them to stop stubble burning…reports Asian Lite News.
The Supreme Court on Monday sought an action plan within 24 hours from the Centre and state governments, detailing steps taken by task forces to stop air pollution caused by vehicular traffic, construction work, stubble burning, power plants, entry of heavy vehicles, dust, etc.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana told counsel appearing for the Centre and state governments, “Need an action plan by tomorrow evening. Hold a meeting…”
The top court also asked the Centre and states to allow the people to work-from-home.
The bench, also comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant, noted that the Centre in its affidavit has submitted that stubble burning is not a major factor leading to severe air pollution level in the capital, rather the agricultural burning leads to merely 11 per cent contribution on PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration.
The top court told the Centre to call an emergency meeting of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments on Tuesday for taking urgent measures to bring down air pollution levels.
The top court also told the state governments to not take action against farmers, rather persuade them to stop stubble burning.
“Don’t take action against farmers, persuade them,” said the bench. The bench emphasized that action is required to be taken on vehicular pollution, industrial pollution and dust control measures, which contributes nearly 76 per cent to the air pollution.
The Delhi government has told the Supreme Court that it is ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control the local emission, which would help in bringing down the air pollution in the national capital, but added that it will have only a limited impact.
In an affidavit, the Delhi government said: “GNCTD is ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control local emissions. However, such a step would be meaningful if it is implemented across the NCR areas in neighbouring states. Given Delhi’s compact size, a lockdown would have limited impact on the air quality regime”.
The government said this issue would need to be addressed at the level of airshed involving the NCR areas.
“One way that Rotary is taking significant action worldwide is by helping to regrow mangrove trees around the world,” Shekhar Mehta interacts with Vishal Gulati.
After the culmination of the pivotal two-week-long UN Climate Change Conference COP26, Rotary will convene its own summit in a week’s time in the Philippines with focus on “how we can battle climate change and help build local economies”.
Rotary International Logo (Twitter)
Over the past five years, more $20 million in global grant funding has been allocated to environment-related causes by The Rotary Foundation through its support of community economic development and water, sanitation, and hygiene projects.
Talking on the penultimate day of COP26 where world leaders are hard at work on climate priorities — to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as required by the 2015 Paris Agreement, Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta said he had seen first-hand in the 2004 tsunami devastation that would have been lessened if mangroves had been preserved.
“One way that Rotary is taking significant action worldwide is by helping to regrow mangrove trees around the world,” he said.
“Mangrove trees are extremely important in protecting local ecosystems, first because they help protect against soil erosion. They also provide shelter and create a breeding environment for small fish and other sea creatures.
“And they help mitigate the effects of coastline erosion and rising CO2 levels,” said Mehta, who led a discussion on mangroves at COP26 on Wednesday.
He explained how the mangroves along the coasts are vital in the fight against climate change as they help capture greenhouse gases.
The mangrove population, he said, has declined and been destroyed by development all over the world — causing “alarm for those of us who recognize the massive benefits these trees provide for our habitats”.
Between 1980 and 2005, an alarming 20 per cent of mangrove area was lost.
The Rotary would be supporting projects to restore mangroves in eight countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Tanzania.
Mehta said as a long-time friend of the United Nations, Rotary supports the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) and supports the goals of the Action for Climate Empowerment.
I had the opportunity to bring together representatives from over 20 countries for a discussion at #COP26. I pledged that Rotary International will support projects related to mangrove restoration & work with countries such as India, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/M6hMlhOGdn
“Rotary fully supports efforts to enhance education, training, public awareness, participation, public access to information and international cooperation regarding climate change.”
The Rotaract Club of Malindi, a seaside town by the Indian Ocean in Kenya has planted more than 80,000 propagules and more than 50,000 seedlings in the past four years.
Likewise, the Rotary Club of Nassau, the capital and largest city of The Bahamas, has held regular mangrove clean ups to remove rocks, sediments and trash to improve the flow of water through the mangroves in New Province, Bahamas.
In Australia, the Redcliffe Sunrise Rotary Club has sponsored a mangrove conservation day at Moreton Bay Marine Park to raise awareness of how the public can help protect mangroves and what they can do to influence policymakers to adopt development plans that take the long-term preservation of these trees into account.
In his city Kolkata, the Rotary Club of Rotary Club of Calcutta (Inner City) planted 10,000 mangrove trees in Sundarbans.
“These are just a few examples of the actions Rotary members are taking to protect these vital ecosystems. There are numerous other projects in the Philippines, American Samoa and the British Virgin Islands,” he said.
“All of these projects demonstrate Rotary’s long-term commitment to environmental sustainability,” he added.
After the tsunami in India, Mehta helped build nearly 500 homes for families affected by the disaster. He pioneered a programme that has performed more than 1,500 life-changing heart surgeries in South Asia.
The redcolour, in the ‘Lal Surkha’ variety of the guava, is no longer as impressive as it should have been”, he said…reports Asian Lite News.
The famous pink guavas of Prayagraj and Kaushambhi are now scarce to find. The unpredictable weather and heavy rainfall has led to a drastic reduction in the yield this year.
According to Vijay Kishore Singh, Horticulture, Experiment and Training Center (HETC) in-charge, Khusro Bagh, because of the heavy rainfall, guava trees of the famous ‘guava belt’ of the two districts have flowered quite early this year and though the fruit is available, its quality is poor.
The red colour, in the ‘Lal Surkha’ variety of the guava, is no longer as impressive as it should have been”, he said.
Since the past four years, the production of both the famous Allahabadi Guava – the ‘Surkha’ and ‘Safeda’ varieties — has failed leading to an increase in prices.
Singh explained, “The guava trees should ideally start bearing flowers by late October and by mid-December, the fruits start to ripen and owing to the intense fog and chilly winter, the fruit gets its red colour during mid-December to mid-January.”
He added that ideally, the farmers should check the flowering of the fruit during summers by using urea (in mid-May to June) and if the trees do not bear fruits in the rainy season, the winter crops would be healthy.
However, the farmers of the district are blaming the government machinery for failure of their crops yet again.
“None of the government officials visited our fields or trained us as to what methods we should apply to save our crop or get healthy harvest because of which the farmers of world-famous ‘Lal Surkha’ and Safeda have not been able to reap the benefits”, said Indrajeet Singh Patel, leader of Allahabadi Surkha Welfare Association.
Several cultivators of guava in the region are now planning alternative means of livelihood.
The UK government has initially imposed strict restrictions on Covid-19 vaccines accepted by its government, which blatantly ignored vaccine inequity and capitalism orchestrated by the rich countries…reports Vishal Gulati.
Members and partners of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) are enraged by the deliberate exclusion of feminists and grassroots women at the 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow.
APWLD member and SERUNI Indonesia’s Triana Wardani is one of the very few women representing grassroots communities from the global south who successfully arrived in Glasgow for the COP26.
However, Triana noted that the discriminatory Covid-19 travel restrictions by the UK government made the process extremely difficult and alienating.
The first week of COP26 ended on Saturday while on the UN premises powerful nations play politics of business as usual.
The UK government has initially imposed strict restrictions on Covid-19 vaccines accepted by its government, which blatantly ignored vaccine inequity and capitalism orchestrated by the rich countries.
When the UK government decided to remote its tighter restrictions, it was already too late for many feminist organisations.
Triana added despite being physically present, feminists, grassroots women, along with other civil society organisations, have remained excluded at the COP26. Hours of queue every day, extremely inadequate ticketing system among many more logistical complications made it almost impossible for women from the Global South to take part in COP26.
“This deliberate exclusion of feminists and grassroots women only reflects the continuing gross neglect of women’s voices amid the worsening climate crisis. The real situation experienced by women from frontline communities in the Global South due to climate change must be conveyed and heard by the world community to prevent false climate solutions and boost action to realise climate justice,” Triana told.
For Yasso Kanti Bhattachan of the National Indigenous Women Forum of Nepal, the world leaders cannot make decisions without meaningful participation of the rural and indigenous women of the Global South who are at the forefront of the war against climate emergency.
“Our voices are missing. World leaders have just declared their commitment to halt deforestation and land degradation with A¿14 billion by 2030. The fund is not only too small for a span of nine years, but there is also no meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples prior to the declaration.
“In the declaration, we can hardly find commitment to tackle the drivers of the destruction of our land and forest in the name of tackling climate crises such as many massive hydropower projects in Nepal,” Yasso explained to.
Under the banner of the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), Triana, together with other feminists and activists present at the COP26 staged a protest to dedicate a space for the amissing voices’ of women of COP26.
During the protest, women lined up in the COP26 negotiation zone and one-by-one called the names of women who are missing at the conference — those who were not able to attend physically, and those who were persecuted and murdered for protecting the environment.
Climate Watch Thailand Executive Director and APWLD member Wanun Permpibul, one of the names called during the WGC protest, noted that the exclusion of both grassroots women and peoples of the developing countries has robbed them of the opportunity to demand real actions and accountability for false climate solutions that have exacerbated the conditions of women in the Global South.
“(There is a need) to break the strong and long rooted capitalism that is in favour of large-scale development, and the false solutions including net zero, natural-based solutions and geo-engineering that prioritise profits at the expense of natural resources and women’s livelihoods,” Wanun explained.
Wanun added that false climate solutions have not only misdirected the issue and further harmed biodiversity and ecosystems, but have also perpetuated oppression of women through militarisation, fundamentalisms and patriarchy, and have strengthened authoritarian governments.
The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) is a leading network of feminist organisations and grassroots activists in Asia Pacific. Its 266 members represent groups of diverse women from 30 countries in Asia Pacific.
The day was co-chaired by YOUNGO, the Official Children’s and Youth constituency of the UNFCCC which opened with a session called Unifying for Change: Global Youth voice at COP26, reports Asian Lite News
Young climate leaders came together in Glasgow on Friday with negotiators, officials and ministers from across the world, to make their voices heard and demand the action needed to prevent catastrophic climate change in their lifetimes.
Events across COP26 focused on harnessing the expertise of young people and putting their views directly to the negotiators and officials working to agree global action on climate change.
The day was co-chaired by YOUNGO, the Official Children’s and Youth constituency of the UNFCCC which opened with a session called Unifying for Change: Global Youth voice at COP26.
YOUNGO also presented the COY16 Global Youth Position statement, representing the views of over 40,000 young climate leaders from across the world. The statement presented their priorities directly to ministers, including action on climate finance, mobility and transportation, through to wildlife protection conservation.
COP26 President Alok Sharma said: “Wherever I have been in the world, I have been struck by the passion and the commitment of young people to climate action. The voices of young people must be heard and reflected in these negotiations here at COP. The actions and scrutiny of young people are key to us keeping 1.5 alive and creating a net-zero future.
“I am also aware of the fear and anxiety many of them feel about the future of the planet, including my own children. That is why we must act on the COY16 Global Youth Position Statement from COY16 and the manifesto from the Milan Youth4Climate Summit.”
YOUNGO Global Focal Points, Heeta Lakhani and Marie-Claire Graf, said: “YOUNGO has been working closely with the UK. Presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat to co-design Youth and Public Empowerment Day. We successfully profiled global youth voices through the COY16 Global Youth Statement, and brought together four generations to share best practice examples of achieving climate justice collectively.”
The UK also announced its draft Sustainability and Climate Change strategy to equip and empower young people with the skills they need to drive the future of climate action.
This includes the introduction of a Primary Science Model Curriculum, to include an emphasis on nature and the recognition of species, supporting the youngest pupils to develop conservation skills.
Education ministers from around the world also pledged to do the same with nations such as South Korea, Albania, and Sierra Leone pledging to put climate change at the heart of their curriculum.
The UK and Italy, in partnership with UNESCO, Youth4Climate and Mock COP co-ordinated new global action to equip future generations with the knowledge and skills to create a net-zero world.
As Education Ministers and young people gathered together, over 23 countries put forward impressive national climate education pledges, ranging from decarbonising the school sector to developing school resources.
The event also unveiled a new statement titled ‘Learn for our planet: Act for the climate’ which committed countries to revisit progress made on their pledges in advance of COP27.
The UK also announced a new 85,000 pound research grant to support the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre to produce better information on the education needs of refugee children and enable a more effective international response.
Thunberg calls COP26 a ‘PR campaign’
Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg on Thursday (local time) called the COP26 climate summit a “greenwash campaign, a PR campaign”. Speaking on the sidelines of the summit meeting, Thunberg said the event was “sort of turning into a greenwash campaign, a PR campaign,” for business leaders and politicians, reported The New York Times (NYT).
She said that the summit has become a venue for world leaders and business executives to pretend they are taking action on climate change without following through and termed the United Nations climate conference in Scotland as a ‘failure’.
Greta Thunberg (Image: Twitter@GretaThunberg)
“Since we are so far from what actually we needed, I think what would be considered a success would be if people realize what a failure this COP is,” Thunberg said.
Thunberg and other activists also spoke about the critical role that young women have played in pressuring world leaders to take action on climate change, reported NYT.
At panel events on Thursday at The New York Times Climate Hub in Glasgow, Thunberg and other young female activists, including Vanessa Nakate and Malala Yousafzai, also spoke about the critical role that young women have played in rallying protesters and pressuring world leaders to take action.
“It is the young people, especially young women who are the voices of the climate movement, and that gives hope to so many people,” Yousafzai said. Nakate, a 24-year-old climate activist from Uganda and founder of the Africa-based Rise Up Movement, said at the panel discussion that the pledge by leaders of the 20 largest economies to “pursue efforts” to keep the average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius did not go far enough.
She said that 1.5 degrees would “not be safe” for communities like hers. “Even right now, it’s already evident that the climate crisis is ravaging different parts of the African continent,” Nakate said.
Yousafzai, 24, said that women were disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis.
“Treating climate change and gender inequality and girls’ education as separate issues is not doing justice to the cause of creating a fairer and better and cleaner world for all of us,” Yousafzai said. “It is important that we take these issues seriously and see the link between all of these.”
The comments came on the fifth day of the summit meeting, a gathering that John Kerry, the United States climate envoy, had billed as the planet’s “last, best chance” to curb the fossil fuel emissions that are driving climate change, reported NYT. (with inputs from ANI)
