Melting of snow will make life difficult: Robert
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 11: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha today said the youth will lead the world in offering pragmatic solutions on climate change and other global challenges of the 21st century.
Sinha said this while addressing the inaugural session of the Youth-20 (Y20) Consultation on “Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life’ at the University of Kashmir here.
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“I believe the young generation will synergise innovative ideas and actions to preserve natural resources and also become stakeholders in policymaking for sustainable development,” he said. He added the vision of India’s G20 presidency focuses on shared responsibility to tackle two great challenges – protecting climate and promoting sustainable development.
“As one family, we need to nurture the Earth that sustains life and commit ourselves for inclusive development to transform the lives of the common man,” he added.
Sinha said that Jammu and Kashmir Government has planted more than 15 million trees in the previous financial year across the region.
Sinha said that Jammu and Kashmir is not famous only for snow clad mountains but also for intellectual brilliance.
“In the past financial year only, we have planted more than 15 million trees across Jammu and Kashmir. I take pride in the fact that our natural resources are growing. The green cover has grown up in the past few years to 55 percent,” Sinha said.
He said that the message of Y20 consultation conference signals the encouraging prospect for a new energy in a global partnership on environment, development and the collective effort to ensure equity, global prosperity and better quality of life.
He further said that major challenges for the next 25 years is to protect the climate and promote sustainable development. “It means, as one family we need to nurture the earth that sustains life and sustainable development objectives should be translated into collective action to transform the lives of common man,” the LG said.
Sinha added that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already decided to fight against every climate change challenge into a mass movement and promote environment conscious lifestyle.
“The fight against the climate change has turned out to be the top priority for young generation and I am confident that the youth will bring good solutions of it,” he said.
Sinha also said that he believes that the young generation have seen a rise in innovative ideas with action to preserve the natural resources and also become active stakeholder in this movement to formulate and implement the polices on Healthcare, education, environmental and clean drinking water resources.
“I believe that each element in the ecosystem is of different music note and I called this sound of nature the best music ever produced on the climate,” he added.
Robert Pal, Director of restoration at Montana Technological University, said the world needs to promptly mitigate the ill-effects of climate change in order to save the glaciers.
Citing the example of the disappearing glaciers in the national parks in Montana in the US, Pal said: “It had over a 100 glaciers. Now, there are 10 left. We don’t want that situation… Snow melting very quickly will make our lives much harder. Hopefully, we still have a future and we can save the glaciers and restore the areas that can sustain human wellbeing.” He added that the rapid melting of snow can lead to the flourishing of invasive plant species, thus affecting the native plant biodiversity.
Pal hopes that the event will propel the global conversation on climate change, he said when asked about his expectations from the Y20 event, Julius F, a Nigera-based PhD scholar in natural language processing, said there is a need to act early owing to the rising rate of emissions due to rapid globalisation and industrialisation.
The ongoing Y20 consultation can help sensitise youths on the need for climate management through daily activities that often start from one’s home, he said.
“I am looking forward to carrying the message of this conference to other youths and encourage them in contributing to climate management,” Julius said.
Daria, a delegate from Russia, said the concerns around climate change only keep growing.
“If we don’t take actions right now, it will have a negative and detrimental effect on our environment,” she said.
The Y20 Consultation brings together young leaders from G20 countries to discuss and debate global challenges.
Om Pridarshi, Treasurer of Y20 said that amidst India’s growing global influence, marked by its G20 presidency and a series of significant events, a consultative meet is currently underway in the scenic region of Kashmir.
“The purpose of this meet, known as the Y20, is to bridge the gap between diplomatic discussions, usually confined to international newsrooms, and the wider public, including students and campuses. By hosting the event in Kashmir, a region of great significance to India, the organizers aim to ensure that these critical diplomatic issues reach common people effectively. The Y20 in Kashmir is progressing successfully, further enhancing the region’s importance in India’s global pursuits,” he said.
Prof, Manzoor Ahmad Shah, Convener of Y 20 meet, said that the primary objective of the G20 meeting is to provide a platform for our students to voice their concerns and perspectives, empowering them to learn about global policies addressing climate change, disaster management, and environmental sustainability. “By incorporating the youth’s viewpoint into these policies, this meeting holds significant importance. It enables their views to be heard on an international stage, ensuring a profound impact and fostering a more sustainable planet for all,” he added.
“We are delighted to have received numerous delegates, with representation from approximately 70% of the G20 countries, along with national and internal delegates totalling around 500,” he added.
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