Pitch
It is now imperative to take India's Action Plan on Climate Change to next level where it will include actions taken at individual level.
Description
Summary
Problem Statement:
There is often a debate while addressing the reasons for climate change, whether to focus on the adoption and implementation of climate policies/missions or on the actions to be taken at individual level. The real fact is that climate policies/missions can only work when the actions against climate change are initiated at individual level and subsequently these actions multiple at the local, regional, national and further at the international level.
Behaviour of human beings through their daily activities contributes significantly to the emission of greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide, methane, etc. Lack of concern for the environment and over-exploitation of the natural resources are the major reasons for climate change. As citizens of a country that is continually developing, it is imperative to enforce certain change in habits, which can help reduce per capita carbon footprint that is a result of mundane activities. Majority of the people are unaware of the impacts caused due to their individual actions on the warming of our planet. Although, there are several initiatives which are successfully being undertaken at individual or small group levels, these are currently lacking a proper platform/channel, so that successful initiatives and ideas can be replicated nation-wide. Hence, the need of the hour is that every citizen of India is sensitized and motivated so that voluntarily measures against climate change are initiated.Hence, there is a need to provide a further step to India’s existing action plan on Climate Change by including public awareness and individual leadership factors.
Actions Proposed:
- Collaboration with experts, scientists, lawyers, consultants, industry professionals for creating a team at national level i.e,Climate Action Team (CAT).
- CAT in collaboration with leading academic institutions, Pollution Control Boards, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to conduct interactive training workshops, national level conferences to provide a platform to initiate practical ideas for mitigating climate change. The data gathered or findings from the study already performed as a part of National mission for Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change can be utilized here.
- Involving the following professionals for their involvement and partnership -
- CAT to help individual states and union territories to establish Climate Change Communication/Awareness plan, which in turn will work with local government to implement it at local level.
- Creating a website of India’s action plan of Climate Change-a resource pool to show-case ideas.
Our project has an integrated approach to involve and motivate all the citizens of India to take effective actions against climate change. Hence, plan is highly feasible and desirable to effectively address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Which proposals are included in your plan and how do they fit together?
India’s National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) is fairly comprehensive in its coverage and has cross-sectoral links through the eight missions. Although, NAPCC has played a vital role in addressing the issue of climate change across different sectors and through its mission on Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change, it has formed the basis for research and technology development through collaboration with universities and research institutions, but it is now imperative to take it to the next level; where it includes actions that individuals can undertake at personal-level.There is a need to provide a further step to India’s existing action plan on Climate Change. This needs to be done by including a public awareness and individual leadership factors to it.
The project on Initiative, Enhancing youth engagement in climate policy by GreenBits is somewhat related to our project. However, our project has an integrated approach to involve and motivate all the citizens of India to take effective actions against climate change. Team effort from all sections of the society would always have a huge positive impact on reducing the effect of climate change and achieve sustainability.
Our project is aimed to take actions at local levels to strengthen the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
Explanation of the emissions scenario calculated in the Impact tab
Below stated is an approximate evaluation of the carbon emissions that can be avoided by individuals:
- India’s emissions per person per year: 1.7 metric tons
- India’s current population: 1.28 billion
- Total emissions generated across India per year by its individuals: 2.176 billion metric tons
- Assuming per person’s contribution to total emissions can atleast be reduced by 20-40% through proper awareness and making them responsible
- Total emissions that can be avoided as a result: 0.6528 billion metric tons
What are the plan’s key benefits?
Key benefits are as follows:
- All citizens would be sensitized on the impacts of climate change and positive actions taken by each individual will have domino effect and contribute significantly in reducing the impacts of climate change.
- Changing one's heart to rediscover that we are all a part of this beautiful planet Earth and belong to a single human family.
- Empowerment of all regions in India to work together to reduce carbon emissions.
- Generate a strong knowledge bank.
- NAPCC will get excellent trigger due to individual actions and will result in smooth implementation of actions against climate change.
- Collaborations with different experts.
- Create awareness among masses and also help collect success stories/ideas.
- The website will provide interactive platform to learn and educate. It can be further linked to social media sources like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter to attract and influence a larger audience.
- India would set an example for other developing nations to fight against climate change.
What are the plan’s costs?
Initially, any one or two cities in India (preferably a metro and non-metro city) would be selected. This pilot project would then be initiated by collaborating with experts in and around the respective city. Pilot workshops, seminars, conferences would be conducted in that particular city and accordingly it would be scaled-up for other cities and further at state level.
The approximate cost of implementing a pilot project is as follows:
- Cost for Involvement of Human Resources/Experts and formation of Climate Action Team = Rs.1,00,000
- Cost for Conducting Conferences, Seminars, Workshops, etc. for pilot project= Rs. 3,00,000
- Cost for Campaigning = Rs.20,000
- Cost for website development and maintenance = Rs.30,000
- Cost for Travel = Rs.50,000
- Contingency Funds = Rs. 50,000
Total Cost = Rs. 5,50,000
What are the key challenges to enacting this plan?
Some of the major challenges involved in this project are as follows:
- The time required for the visibility of the positive impacts caused due actions taken by individuals in reducing climate change would be difficult to predict. But, the actions taken would definitely have a greater positive impact after few months or years.
- Creating awareness and participation of students and other stakeholders can be challenging but the planning of this project is such that it would definitely overcome this challenge.
- The cost involved in the implementation of these initiatives would be high. Once this project reaches out to large sections of the society, then automatically more people would get involved and as a result more funding options would open up.
Timeline
The timeline for implementation of this project is as follows:
Related plans
The project on Initiative, Enhancing youth engagement in climate policy by GreenBits is somewhat related to our project. However, our project has an integrated approach to involve and motivate all the citizens of India to take effective actions against climate change. Team effort from all sections of the society would always have a huge positive impact on reducing the effect of climate change and achieve sustainability.
References
- National Action Plan on Climate Change http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/home/Pg01-52.pdf
- Government of India-National Action Plan on Climate Change. http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/home/Pg01-52.pdf
- Leiserowitz A and Thaker J, Report on Climate Change in the Indian Mind (Yale Project on Climate Change Communication in collaboration with GlobeScan Incorporated. Fieldwork in India was conducted by C-Voter and Markelytics. Funding was provided by the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and the Rice Family Foundation)
- https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-66-4-251.pdf
- http://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/india-current-population.html
- http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC
By:
ClimateSoldiers
