Bhubaneswar: The ‘Dharitri Youth Conclave 2021’ was held at Hotel Swosti Premium in Bhubaneswar Wednesday to discuss the impacts of climate change with a special focus on Odisha.
Addressing the gathering, the speakers and participants highlighted the urgency of the issue and proposed various solutions that can be implemented to mitigate the negative effects of climate change.
Odisha Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena briefed about the policy initiatives of the state government to tackle the issue and suggested that mass awareness is required to effectively face the challenge. Everyone should contribute at their levels, he suggested.
Dharitri and Orissa Post Editor Tathagatha Satapathy said, geographically, Odisha has attracted a lot of natural calamities. Lighting deaths have increased. While encouraging the audience to see the bigger picture, he advocated for preserving the culture, tradition and suggested that we should go back to our roots.
British Deputy High Commissioner to Kolkata Nick Low said, “The scale of change we are witnessing is very very visible. Eight out of the 10 warmest summers were experienced in the UK recently indicating climate change.” He added that the effects are not only visible in the UK but also ferocious weather patterns are being observed all across the globe.
Sharing her experience, UNICEF Odisha chief Monika O’ Nielsen described how she witnessed droughts and floods at the same time during her travels across sub-Saharan Africa and attributed the causes to climate change. She focused on the importance of education to reduce climate change while adding that irrespective of the quality of education, children will be deprived of schools over this issue.
Speaking on the occasion, Director General of India Meteorological Department Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said climate change is observed only when there is a severe change. He added that urban area is under more threat. The flow of energy has changed from west to east while it was from east to west previously.
“While we see huge concern at the global level, with COP 26 having recently concluded and tough targets and commitments to work towards, Orissa is yet to witness consciousness at a wider scale. As they say, the future is borrowed from the young. It is the youth and children who can bring about a change at deeper levels. Every action and non-action right now has a direct impact on the future of youngsters and the next generation. We owe it to them to mend our way and look to them for leadership and guidance,” said Orissa POST CEO Adyasha Satpathy.
Archana Soreng, member, UN Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change emphasised on policy advocacy and steps that can be taken with urgency. “It is important to understand that we are not mere youth, but professionals who can contribute to the solution. If we don’t raise our voice and not change our perspective now, we cannot expect a better tomorrow,” said Soreng.
Ranjan Panda, Convenor of Water Initiatives Odisha spoke about how climate change is fuelling migration.
Several dignitaries including senior bureaucrat and Odisha Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena, Dharitri and Orissa POST Editor Tathagata Satpathy, Orissa POST CEO Adyasha Satpathy, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Odisha Chief Monika O’ Nielsen, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kolkata Nick Low, Founder and Secretary of Bakul Foundation Sujit Mahapatra and Soumya Biswal graced the occasion and addressed a huge gathering of audiences that included representatives of several reputed educational institutions of Odisha.
PNN