Raman Sukumar
Delivering the keynote address, noted ecologist Raman Sukumar emphasised that elephant deaths and climate change are interlinked issues, with human activities severely disrupting natural ecosystems. He also stressed the need for urgent climate action, highlighting that every individual must play a role in addressing this crisis. Criticising existing laws that penalise forest protectors, Sukumar called for legal reforms to empower and support conservation efforts. Underscoring the importance of mangroves in mitigating storm surges, Sukumar advocated prioritising indigenous knowledge systems as part of climate adaptation strategies.
Heeta Lakhani
Expressing her disappointment over the lack of progress in the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, noted environmentalist Heeta Lakhani said that it is important to make the voices of those working at the grassroots heard. She also underscored the need for more and more young people to take up the work for the protection of the environment. Involvement of youths in climate action is still minimal as people still consider it as a hobby rather than serious work, she said. “People were shocked when I left my job to pursue the cause of environment protection,” Lakhani recalled.
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Punyasloke Bhadury
Noted marine biologist and environmentalist Punyasloke Bhadury said that bringing young minds to the conclave is a good thing as they are the future of the world. He stressed the need for finding cost-effective and sustainable solutions to combat climate change. Bhadury also noted the local communities’ role in restoring mangroves in Odisha as a result of which the cyclone Dana didn’t have much impact on the coastal state.
Dibyakanta Nayak
Dibyakanta Nayak, Team Lead for Disaster Management at Reliance Foundation, highlighted the need for young volunteers to mitigate natural calamities. He noted that Odisha, with a 480-km long coastline and 11 river systems, has 381 tsunami-prone villages. This makes the role of young volunteers all the more crucial in relief and rescue operations. Nayak cited the example of the recent cyclone Dana when timely information from young volunteers helped the fishermen’s community.