8th World Congress on Environment Management

Collaborating to Combat Climate Change
 
A Report
  

8th World Congress on Environment Management held by World Environment Foundation at Palampur (HP) from 09 to 11 June 2006, was a hugely successful event. It was participated by 2500 delegates and speakers and other enthusiasts. The unique features of the conference were sessions on the effect of climate change on people, global and regional eco-systems, mountain ecology, forests, wildlife and biodiversity. The participants included His Excellency Shri V.S. Kokje, governor of Himachal Pradesh, Raja Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of H.P, Smt Vidya Stokes, Minister of Power and Environment H.P, Sat Mahajan, the Revenues Minister, Shri B.B.L Bhutail, political advisior to CM (with rank of Cabinet Minister), Shri Sahib Singh Verma, former Chief Minister of Delhi and Union Minister for Labour, along with Mrs. Satu Hassi, Member of European Parliament and former Environment Minister, Finland and Justice A.M. Ahmadi, former Chief Justice of India.

           The event entailed an agenda for holistic transformation, and comprised the launch of global human chain as a mark of solidarity to create pubic awareness on the issue of climate change as the grass root action to bring social and economic development of the remote mountain regions.

             The essay competition on environment and climate change among senior school children and especially choreographed(depicting impact of climate change) dance performance by one of India’s outstanding Oddissi performers – Kavita Dwibedi were the main highlight of the evening events.

             Participants expressed serious concern at climate change and called for public-private partnership and important role of civic society for combating it. Whereas the current actions and projections are limited to high level scientists and scientific studies, there is an urgent need to create awareness in common man about the status of climate change and urge them to be proactive. The climate change is real and we need to action on it now. Mitigation of the impacts of climate change is recommended but it is more necessary for us to bring about an attitudinal change and adapt life styles to be in conformity with the emerging situation.

              Dr Madhav Mehra, President, World Environment Foundation, called on the participants to realize the imminent threat and adopt the 11 point Action Plan described with the acronym PROACTIVATE. He also asked every participant to take oath to protect environment and curtail activities leading to climate change. 

              Raja Veerbhadra Singh, Hon’ble Chief Minister of HP, the Chief Guest at the inaugural function described the observed impacts of climate change in hilly areas and receding glaciers, which in the initial stage will result in floods but ultimately in scarcity of water. This will adversely affect the tribal poor, under-privileged and marginal farmers as they don’t have any alternative to agriculture economy.

              The other eminent personalities at the inaugural session included Shri Sat Mahajan, Revenue Minister of HP, Shri B B L Butail, Chief Political Advisor to Chief Minister of HP, Justice A M Ahmadi (Retd.), former Chief Justice of India, Mr Vinod Dhall, Chairman, Competition Commission of India, Ms Satu Hassi, former Minister of Environment, Finland and Dr S S Rathore, Vice Chancellor, HPKV.

               The three day discussions were segregated under strategies to prevent global warming, combating climate change; environmentally sustainable systems. Urban and hazardous waste management strategies; water management; sustainable energy strategies for environment management and climate change issues and presentation of environment initiatives and case studies from Golden Peacock Environment Award winners.

               The Global leadership Award for Environment Management was presented to Ms Satu Hassi, MEP and former environment minister of Finland, Eco Innovation awards were presented to organisations by the chief guest at the inaugural session.

               The chief guest also flagged off the Global Human Chain to combat climate change : hundreds of students, residents of HP and participants of WCEM took part. This chain of over 2500 participants is being followed from Sydney to Alaska and is planned in 27 countries.

               5 Commendation awards for environment management were presented on June 10 by Ms Vidya Strokes, the Minister of multi purpose projects and power, HP.The finalists of the all India competition for essay made presentations conducted. The best essay was awarded to Siddhant Malik and six finalist certificates were given away. The topic covered was “What I will do to mitigate climate change”.

               Twenty organizations from different sectors of Manufacturing and service were given the Golden Peacock Awards by the Hon’ble Chief Guest HE Shri V S Kokje, Governor of HP.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following congress recommendations emerged:

  1. The climate change is “here and now” and cannot be considered an issue of the future.
  1. The impacts of climate change are already being felt and they will extend centuries into the future. Society needs to understand and predict climate change at the global, regional and local level to effectively adapt to ongoing climate change.
  1. Public – civic society - private partnership should be promoted on urgency to mitigate or to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change. Stabilization of GHG concentration requires future green house gas emissions to be only a fraction of today’s level. Given the magnitude of problem, it is necessary to apply all possible options and not merely search only for an optimized model.
  1. The climate change is caused mainly due to man made activities. To mitigate the impact it is necessary to bring about an attitudinal change so that natural resources are minimally and meaningfully utilized, including through recycle and reuse.
  1. Present day knowledge and debate on climate change is based on scientific and technological findings, predictions and model. It is necessary to present these facts in common man’s language and awareness campaigns need to be launched for the common man to make them partners in climate change mitigation efforts.
  1. Active support for R & D efforts are necessary on the global level so that the effort now limited to a few developed countries are spread horizontally also in developing countries. Funding will have to be raised through innovative approaches glbally.
  1. The time has come to introduce a system of economic incentives disincentives that will support the efforts to preserve the environment. We should consider an eco tax live able on environment depleting commercial activities, the proceeds from which would in turn be used for environment replenishment activities. 
  1. Nothing serves a cause better than a visible replicable model. Palampur is ideally to be developed as an eco-model habitation. The Govt. of HP is urged to develop Palampur as an eco-model habitation.
  1. The global warming stems from the fact that no monetary value is attached to natural capital. It is of foremost importance that all natural capital is appropriately priced. To create a sustainable approach to development on 11 point program with acronym PROACTIVATE should be introduced. Climate change mitigation can be effectively under taken through the 11 point action plan indicated by PROACTIVATE

            P            Price Natural Capital

R            Radically increase energy efficiency

O            Opt for minimalist lifestyle

A            Adopt closed loop and zero waste systems

C            Cost environmental impact of each activity

T            Turn to renewable

I            Invest in green issues

V            Vigorously pursue market mechanism to punish polluters

A            Activate women and teenagers for driving change

T            Train yourself to eco- innovate

E            Execution is the key. So begin with yourself.