Orissa Focus organises workshop on climate change

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Orissa Focus organises workshop on climate change

Orissa is experiencing natural disasters now on a yearly basis. To counter this, the Orissa government has already installed a radar in Paradeep with an investment of Rs 12 crore for Tsunami and cyclone warning assessment.

LAST YEAR, Focus Orissa had organised a two days’ workshop on Climate Change at the Redcross Bhavan, Bhubaneswar. Since then, while the concerns and actions of civil society and people in general is multiplying to prevent climate change, the world has been witnessing non-serious approaches by world governments, including India, in policy level dialogues and necessary follow ups to reverse the trend. On the other hand, there is hardly any change in the rate of increase of global warming.

The COP (Conference of Parties) 15 – the 15th Conference of United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is going to be held during December 7-18 at Copenhagen, involving environment ministers and concerned officials of 189 countries to review the progress till now and to reconcile the protocols on climate change. About 10000 participants, including representatives of business groups, non-governmental organisations and others as observers may participate in it.

After 15 years of engagements by world governments and corporations through such COPs, hardly anything has been achieved in terms of controlling CFC emissions, global warming and minimising the trends of climate change. Till now, there has been no consensus between the leading countries.

Many are not much hopeful about the outcomes of the COP 15 other than some concessions to corporations and continuance of the failed Kyoto protocol. India like China, instead of taking a pro-active role in controlling GHG emissions, is seeking maximum monetary inflows through the CDM and giving undue importance to domestic trading in credits under its mitigation programmes.

In this context, we need to discuss the issue intensively and take a position viewing forthcoming COP 15. We need to inform our concerns as regards to the policies and approaches of the Government of India and participants of COP 15. Keeping this purpose in view and to workout our future action plans, Focus Orissa forum on Climate Change is going to organise a state level workshop on Climate Justice - Our Message to COP 15 on December6 and 18, in Bhubaneswar.

The two day consultation organised on November 15 and 16, 2008 had expressed that Orissa needs to have a task force on climate change. It had also consented to have various research studies and action programs in the line of adaptation and mitigation of climate change. That must be people’s focus and environment friendly. At the same time, its important to have a network of all sections of people to take this campaign forward under the banner of Focus Orissa.

Places in Orissa like Puri, Gopalpur Satabhaya and Kantiagarh sea beaches are vulnerable to climate change caused sea erosion, while Titilagarh, Talcher, Sukinda and Jharsuguda have seen unprecedented warming in climate. Unprecedented floods, cyclone, drought and sunstroke are being experienced every year where thousands of causalities, loss of habitats and livelihoods are reported.

Orissa is experiencing natural disasters now on a yearly basis. To counter this, the Orissa government has already installed a radar in Paradeep with an investment of Rs 12 crore for Tsunami and cyclone warning assessment. According to government sources, several other such projects are also in the pipeline. Yet much more is required.

Join the workshop to deliberate on these and many other such issues at the regional science centre, Acharya Vihar, Bhubneshwar.