WE WANT EQUITY
|
At sharp 9:30 a.m. more than a hundred students from schools and colleges began
their demonstration at the lawns of Vigyan Bhavan. The main aim was to promote the idea of
renewable energy and resources. Placards that were held up read: ‘Earth has
fever-Dr.Bush is ill’ ‘CO2 emissions of 1 American = 19 Indians = 49
Sri Lankans = 107 Bangladeshis = 134 Bhutanese = 269 Nepalese’ ‘Stop CO2
lonialismí. Hundreds of colourful posters made by the students were brandished to show
those attending the conference that they ‘the future ‘ cared about what happened
to the Earth. All the demonstrators then trooped to the main central area where everyone
could see the demonstration. First the ‘carbon ball’ show was acted out where
students showed themselves being chained down by CO2 balls and not being able
to progress. Then came the ‘Fat Man, Thin Man’ act where North (developed
countries) was represented by a fat man and South (developing countries) was the thin man.
There was a stool that depicted the ‘ecological space’. The fat man sat on it
hogging up most of the ecological space not allowing the thin man to sit or get any space.
This act was repeated several times as it clearly showed that developed countries were
exploiting more of the atmosphere than the developing countries and preventing the latter
from getting any space or rights. The third act showed the European Union and the USA as
having the power to do what they want with the atmosphere while the rest of the world can
only sit and watch helplessly and hope for the best. Another bunch of people were building
blocks that read SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. The blocks kept falling over showing that the
model of sustainable development being followed is not a stable one. All these little acts
demanded equal atmospheric rights to all. They demanded reduction in CO2
emissions and a changed lifestyle for the improvement of the atmosphere. The NGO
organising all this, the CSE, brought out an ‘alternate day’ newsletter called
Equity Watch which was read with interest by the people watching the demonstration. Later,
at noon, the students walked down the road from Jantar Mantar to the parliament street
police station with their banners and placards, shouting slogans. The most memorable were
‘We want - Equity’, Clean Air is Our Birthright ‘Development - Without
pollution’.
There were press and other media coverage for the events from media such as Aaj Tak, Zee
News, Kerala TV, The Hindu and others. They further made the masses aware about the
conference and what the youth of India felt about it.
The students did all these demonstrations with a true heart and sincerity and it is hoped
that they actually made an impact on the conference. The future of the world knows what it
wants - Equity for all - so why donít all the countries work towards it?— Shubha Kamala-Prasad |
Twist with the twister
Whether the weather is fine,
Whether the weather is not,
Whether the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!- Kriti Mathur |
The Children’s Charter on
Climate Change
A meeting was held by TERI, in India Habitat
Centre on climate change. About 20 to 25 schools participated in this with around six
students from each school. Each participant got a cap and a T-shirt. After a warm welcome,
an ice-breaking session was organized, where everyone had to state his or her views on the
topic. The conference was also attended by two researchers from Jawarharlal Nehru
University (JNU), New Delhi, and Cars Halt Bekken from Norway. Till now seven COPs were
held but none have been really successful. Maybe this time things would be different. Mr
Bekken said, “It is really nice that so many children from different schools are
preparing a charter which will be put in front of the ministers. We have made a lot of
progress this time. Though unfortunately we did not make much progress in the past,
hopefully this time it will be successful”. After refreshments, the children were
shown clippings on global warming, and were divided into different groups according to
topics and they put forward their views.
Good effort!
— Richi Kashyap and Sambuddha Mukherjee |
