AUS, Namsai hosts NABARD sponsored Climate Change Seminar
Staff Reporter:
Namsai, 29 March: The Arunachal University of Studies (AUS) organized a one-day Seminar on Climate Change Awareness for Eastern Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, 29th March 2022 in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
The seminar was sponsored by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Arunachal Pradesh Regional Office, Itanagar in which around 150 people consisting of Government Officials, CRPF, students, SHGs, academicians and people from civil society participated actively.
The Chief Guest for the event Nang Urmila Mancheykhun, ZPC Namsai in her address showed concerns about growing levels of Climate Change and emphasized on awareness campaigns at village levels. She also promised to give her full support in all such activity planned in near future. She asked all the participants to take the knowledge gained during the day into action.
The Vice Chancellor of AUS Dr. B. Mohan Kumar talked about anthropogenic effects and limiting emission of GHGs. He talked about complexity of Climate change being a global problem but localized individual efforts being the solution. Himalayan ecosystem is the most vulnerable region and focus should be given for sustainable energy and task force formations. It is our duty to assist in mitigating climate change.
Rajesh S. Kumar, CCF, Deptt. Of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, GoAP, said the event is primarily focused based on “Pakke declaration”. Designing proper early adaptation strategies in response to global climate change to reduce emission, improve upon food production. The solution is unknown but we have to identify them. Awareness of people at various levels of society and community will be path forward in this direction. Let us start early to protect Arunachal Pradesh from threatening climate change.
Kamal Roy, District Development Manager (DDM), NABARD Namsai, spoke about the various Climate Change related initiatives being taken up by NABARD viz. Integrated Tribal Development Project, Spring-shed & Watershed Projects etc. He informed that, NABARD has played a pivotal role in implementing climate solutions, as the National Implementing Entity (NIE) for the Adaptation Fund under United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) of Government of India; it is also the Direct Access Entity to the Green Climate Fund. He reiterated that small changes in daily lives could make a major impact on mitigating climate change.
Present on the occasion the State Information Commissioner of Arunachal Pradesh, Gumjum Haider asked everyone to take equal partnership in mitigating climate change effects. The danger of climate change is seen but the catastrophic impact is yet to be seen if proper steps are not taken in advance. We have only one earth and we must take care of it in all possible ways.
D. Dohu Robin, Director (Environment), Program Coordinator, State Climate Change Cell (NMSHE), Deptt of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh appreciated the efforts taken by the AUS team in mitigating climate change in Eastern Arunachal Pradesh. A collaborative community based and participatory approach to address the problem of climate change has been emphasized in his speech.
Dr. Siddharth Kaul, President, Wetlands International, and Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Director Wetlands International, New Delhi talked about Wetlands Conservation and Climate Change Adaptation in the Himalayas. His talk highlighted the limited knowledge of system behavior of the ecologically fragile Himalayan Region and emphasized on the greater need for efforts in conservation of the region.
The day also saw talks by the faculties of AUS Dr. Chowlani Manpoong, Dr. Biplab Tripathi, Dr. Biswajyoti Bk. Deori and Mr. Kishore Boruah who all reiterated the effects of climate change on food security and agriculture, types of Himalayan ecosystem, among others.
The organizing secretary for the event Dr. Rani Jha, Director of Science & Technology, in her speech highlighted global climate change as one of the most significant challenges humankinds has ever faced. She emphasized the need to conduct such meetings at all community levels which bring us closer to the science that provides the foundation for understanding how the Earth has changed through time and hoped the various human dimensions that must be considered in addressing how to respond to the environmental changes that are taking place all over the world.