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Pitch

Changing attitudes local authorities and communities towards environment to strap individual and collective carbon footprints


Description

Summary

Climate change is not only about CO2 emissions and global warming. It is a revenge of nature because we flooded nature with tones of pollutants. Human actions in terms of disturbing nature are way beyond ecological resilience. In short the point is how to combat this global issue individually, as we all know climate change is a global problem. Every country is guilty for climate change although few of them are main contributor to this change. Now time has come that all countries should take combine efforts to overcome this issue.

Before suggesting any solution I would like to talk about few common problems in developing countries triggering climate change.

Air quality

1.      Gaseous emissions through industries

2.      Gaseous emission through vehicles (whole transportation system including trains running on fossil fuel).

3.      Emissions though small industries like brick kiln

4.      Emissions though food waste

5.      Extensive urbanization

Water quality

1.      Domestic sewage waste

2.      Industrial sewage waste

3.      Contamination of water stream due to pesticides drained through agricultural fields

4.      Other activities such as mining effecting water quality

5.      Extensive urbanization

6.      Ground water degradation

Biodiversity

1.      Extensive urbanization

2.      Slash and burn culture

3.      Using forest land for agricultural purpose

4.      Using agricultural land for urbanization

5.      Degradation of natural habitat of wildlife (including forests)

Solid waste

1.      Open dumping of all kind of solid waste (hazardous/none hazardous)

2.      Lack of recycle and reuse

3.      Conventional ways of burning solid waste

Climate change is directly triggered by CO2 emissions but indirectly all factors are involved in this whole cycle. SO If we want to combat this issue seriously we have to address all those issues involved directly or indirectly in global climate change.

Which proposals are included in your plan and how do they fit together?

1.      Involvement/ Empowerment of Local environmental bodies/Civic authorities

2.      Involvement of Local communities

3.      Installation of Pollution treatment units at all levels of industries

4.      Plantation/reforestation (Reduce existing deforestation) increasing forest area as well as density. Carbon sequestration.

5.      Solid waste management

6.      and environmentally compatible infrastructure development to increase resilience to climate change. (development aspect)

7.      Subsidizing recycled products and taxing their counterpart. 


Which proposals are included in your plan and how do they fit together?

1.      Involvement/Empowerment  of Local environmental bodies/Civic authorities

Local environmental bodies play very important role in sustaining over all environment. Level of involvement of Local concern departs dealing with environmental issues are.

1.1.   Specialized trainings/capacity building of staff

Every staff member will be trained according to his or her specialization and area of expertise. Departments may involve Environmental protection agency, Wildlife departments, Departments dealing water and sanitation, Waste management department etc. Training may include.

1.1.1.      Public dealing

1.1.2.      Environmental monitoring (Air, Water, Soil and Noise monitoring)

1.1.3.      Social Mobilization

1.1.4.      Pollution control technologies

1.1.5.      Environmental Management

1.1.6.      Biodiversity Management

1.1.7.      Environmental/Biodiversity Law implementation

Much other relevant training can be included according to country?

          Upgrading Monitoring Equipments and Laboratories

One of the major challenges faced by local bodies of any developing country is lack of resources. They do not have enough funds to acquire, upgrade or maintain monitoring equipments. Equipments may include all kind of monitoring devices, laboratories equipment, vehicles preinstalled with monitoring equipments etc

1.2.   Strengthening local authorities

Strengthen local authorities in such a way that they can handle all kind of pressure and implement environmental laws with the help of legislative and law enforcement agencies. Enhanced number of stations on field for micro level data monitoring.

 

1.3.     Introduction of Stern monitoring parameters and special task forces for vehicular emission control

 

2.      Involvement of Local communities

Time has proven that without involvement of local communities it is very difficult to complete projects successfully. Communities may be involve in

2.1.   Planning

2.2.   Implementation

2.3.   Mobilization

2.4.   Monitoring

2.5.   Training programs

Involvement of local communities demands massive efforts and money, but if we manage to involve communities in such projects, then we are half way to success. This activity may involve small or large grants for local communities as incentives to play active role in conservation and may act as pressure groups for those industries causing environmental damages.

Cost: 100 Million dollars to 1000 Million dollars each country

Community awareness programs through collaborative efforts and joint ventures of academia, civic authorities. Which may include prominent media outlets both electronic and print media to improve quantity and quality of coverage on subject matter.

3.      Installation of Pollution treatment units at all levels of industries

Most of the industries in developing countries lacking of pollution control technologies such as waste water treatment plants, air treatment devices etc. There are two ways to encounter this problem

3.1.   Reforms in Environmental Bill

Major reforms will be incorporated in existing national environmental bill which will address induction of pollution control technologies for all industries across the board. This bill will also focus on extending the attorney of environmental protection agencies, so to implement the law in true letter and spirit to attain desired objectives.

3.2.   Legal enforcement

All small and big industries may be legally bound to install treatment plants for all kinds of pollutants they emit or generate. This section will be directly connected with to 1.3 and international bodies like UNEP or WHO may be involved to act as pressure group.

 

4.      Plantation/ reforestation (Target Plants)

Increasing size and density of existing forests by funding public and private sector environmental agencies and providing alternate livelihood opportunities to local communities living in proximity of forests which rely on forests to earn their livelihood. Secondly, increasing the plantation in urban areas and particularly in cities which have large share in carbon emissions of country etc.

4.1.    Introduction of indigenous fruit plants (5 million plants)

To support local communities and increase trend of plantation it is highly recommended to introduce indigenous fruit plant species in cities (green belts, parks and other green areas where needed) and villages. This activity may target schools colleges and universities initially in the pilot project and may be further extended to far flung areas.

4.2.    Introduction of Indigenous plants (10 million plants)

In development countries the major problem is deforestation. To fight back this issue indigenous plant may be provided to local communities free of cost for farming and multiplication.

The communities will be made aware through frequent seminars, workshops to ensure non-casual use of products derived from forests i.e. less paper usage can save ‘eucalyptus’, use of matchstick can be replaced by electric lighter, plastic products can be used instead of wooden furniture etc. This will not only preserve the natural ecosystem but also educate people to reform their lifestyles for the sake of planetary justice in terms of nature conservation.

5.      Solid waste management

5.1.   Training Programs

This activity is connected directly with activity 1.1. The municipal corporations working in solid waste management will be trained and prompted to adapt state of the art solid waste disposal techniques apart from conventional means of burning that exude a great volume of carbon emissions in the atmosphere and trigger the climate change phenomenon.

5.2.    Introduction of Incinerators for Hospital and other hazardous waste

It is highly recommended to introduce incinerators which will be directly administrated under local municipal authorities.

5.3.    Introducing new technologies to convert waste into energy

Local investor may be encouraged to invest in waste to energy plants. Stake holders including energy companies and waste management departments may be integrated through conferences and seminars.

 

6.      Environmentally sustainable infrastructure development

Every year huge losses in terms of infrastructure are incurred to catastrophic events due to non existence of environmentally compatible infrastructure.

 

6.1.    Improving R&D facilities in academia to produce problem solving research in infrastructure development and urbanization

6.1.1.      Effective transport system

6.1.2.      Sewerage systems

6.1.3.      Flood control system

6.1.4.      Water reservoir management system

6.1.5.      Building designs

6.1.6.      Road layout

6.1.7.      Weather forecast 

This situation would be reversed by involving architecture engineers, civil engineers to develop environmentally sustainable infrastructure designs of bridges, underpasses etc. within the cities to shield from climate change impacts. Furthermore, through civic authorities stringent monitoring will allow building up of environmentally compatible housing societies, and development of such buildings, houses that allow maximum solar intensity so to mitigate domestic energy consumption which will reduce individual carbon footprints. 

 

7.      Subsidizing recycled products and taxing their counterpart

The most of the daily products used by humans in developing countries add to carbon emissions directly or indirectly. Taxing those products and subsidizing recycled products can reverse the situation to a great deal and can drive towards green revolution and quashing the carbon footprints at large.


Explanation of the emissions scenario calculated in the Impact tab


What are the plan’s key benefits?

- Community uplift

- Significant reduction in carbon emissions produced by industries such as energy, agriculture, vehicles, and domestic activities.

- Biodiversity Conservation.

- Forest Conservation.

-Sustainable environmentally compatible infrastructure development.

- Improvement in Air Quality

- Enhancement of Communities resilience towards climate change through adaptation and awareness.

- Improvement of water quality by installation of water treatment plants.

 

 


What are the plan’s costs?

 

Description Cost is in USD 

  1. Involvement/Empowerment  of Local environmental bodies/Civic authorities 25,000,000

 

2. Involvement of Local communities 10,000,000

3. Installation of Pollution treatment units at all levels of industries 1,000,000

4. Plantation/ reforestation 15,000,000

5. Solid waste management 5,00,000

6. Environmentally sustainable infrastructure development 3,000,000

7. Subsidizing recycled products and taxing their counterpart 500,000

 Grand Total (in digits) 54,500,000


What are the key challenges to enacting this plan?

- Government Polices and priorities

- Community Attitude

- Industrialists response towards installation of pollution controlling technologies


Timeline

  1. Short term

Singing MoU with government authorities and private sector counter parts to initiate joint capacity building programs

Conducting seminars to bring stake holder on a single platform 

2. Long term

Involvement/Empowerment  of Local environmental bodies/Civic authorities 

Involvement of Local communities

Installation of Pollution treatment units at all levels of industries 

Plantation/ reforestation

Solid waste management 

Environmentally sustainable infrastructure development

Subsidizing recycled products and taxing their counterpart


Related plans


References