Climate Change Community

CCoommmmuunniittyy UUppddaattee No. 44: 1st August, 2013

In this Issue |From the Resource Person | Development in the Sector | Member Postings |Special Event

FROM THE RESOURCE PERSON Dear Members,

Your support, encouragement, comments and suggestions which we receive regularly has really

been extremely useful to enhance the activities of the community and also to increase its vibrancy which has led to innovative and succinct knowledge sharing initiatives.

As we are all aware that climate change is already happening and we are all experiencing its

manifestations. Please share your experiences / anecdotes related to climate change with us, so

that we can disseminate it to each one of you.

Thanks & best regards, Ramesh Kumar Jalan

Resource Person & Moderator

Climate Change Community, Solution Exchange-India

United Nations Development Programme New Delhi

DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTT IINN TTHHEE SSEECCTTOORR

Community response to the recent catastrophe due to massive flash floods and landslides causing severe damage to land, life and livelihoods in the Uttarakhand

Himalayas.

Massive cloud bursts caused severe flash floods and landslides in different parts of Uttarakhand

Himalayas on the 15th and 16th of June this year. This year the damage and loss of life, livelihood, land and property has reached an alarming level. The active landslides continue to

haunt the mountain communities living in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. The system responded to this massive emergency and did whatever was possible to rescue stranded tourists

from the mountains but for the local communities living there, the nightmare still continues.

Many volunteers from all over the world came forward in solidarity and support for the victims of this tragedy and are still working hard to provide immediate relief to the stranded

communities. Many friends and coworkers of Himalaya Seva Sangh and HIMCON have joined hands in this process. In the process we also visited and talked to several men and women from

among the local communities to understand what needs to be done to bring peace and harmony

back in nature. We would like to share the highlights of a spontaneous response from a section of the affected community that gave us some food for thought.

Most people saw this catastrophe as a warning signal from nature to all of us,

challenging the present pace of human interventions, developments and lifestyles which is disturbing the fragile ecology and environment of the growing Himalayan mountain

systems.

A wise old man said that such a crises is an opportunity for any society to sit back and

rethink our priorities while making a paradigm shift and may be take a few steps backwards in order to save ourselves.

A lot of them said that the increased pace of blasting for various construction activities

in the fragile Himalaya ecology has activated so many landslides that have become a cause of continuous damage and destruction to the land, water, forests, property ,

people and livelihoods of the mountain communities. One woman even commented that what are we going to do with the roads and modern concrete structures if our farm

lands, water sources, springs and forests are destroyed by these increasing landslides

every year. She said that it is time we revert back to our traditional housing system that went with the rhythm of these mountains and were constructed with locally available

materials. A lot of them saw massive soil erosion and destruction of farm lands caused by these

landslides as a major threat and challenge for their life and livelihoods.

Someone said that although relief, rehabilitation and reconstructions after such a

catastrophe has to be done at several levels but the biggest priority is to find out ways

and means to stop the increasing landslides while putting a break on the highly mechanized developmental activities.

After making a detailed analysis of all the inputs that we got while talking to the affected

communities we found that the major challenges and threats have been wisely defined by the local affected communities and they point out towards an ecologically sustainable action

program to be taken up by all concerned. Some of the suggestions and recommendations from the community that we found doable are as follows:

Community wants to study and find out the reasons for increased landslides causing

massive destruction to their farm lands, life and livelihoods in the Himalayan region.

They want to reclaim and save their farm lands getting destroyed by the increasing

landslides. There is strong felt need to understand and find out ways for stopping landslides and

soil erosion in the mountains.

People want to revive and rejuvenate their springs that are getting affecting due to

excessive human intervention and landslides. Some people strongly felt that mountain communities should go back looking in to the

traditional practices of house construction using locally available construction materials

following the traditional wisdom of identifying stable spots where construction should take place.

Likeminded friends, volunteers, activists and organizations interested in joining hands in this

venture with the Himalayan communities may contact :

Himalaya Seva Sangh

15-Rajghat Colony, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Complex, Rajghat

New Delhi-110002 himalayasevasangh@gmail.com

HIMCON

Village & Post-Sabli-249199 Tehri Garhwal

Uttarakhand himconindia@gmail.com

Solar City of Coimbatore to install solar concentrator on local school

Together with United Nations Development Program-GEF Concentrated Solar Heat Project and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), ICLEI South Asia organized the ‘Workshop on

use of concentrating solar technologies for community cooking and air conditioning application in institutions and religious sectors’ in Coimbatore on 12 June 2013.

India has plenty of success stories on solar concentrator technologies, with the world’s biggest

solar cooking system installed in Shirdi, Maharashtra, and designed for cooking food for the devotees visiting the Sri Sai Baba temple. The main bottleneck in the roll-out of such technologies

observed so far is the lack of awareness about their benefits. UNDP-GEF in association with MNRE has launched a market development initiative for different Solar Concentrating systems, providing

funding for demonstration and replication projects. The workshop aimed to bring together all stakeholders, prospective beneficiaries, MNRE officials, local bodies, manufacturers and

consultants.

One of its main outcomes was the decision, by the Coimbatore Corporation, to install a solar concentrator at its North Coimbatore School to tap heat energy to cook noon meal for students. If

the experience proves to be successful, the city will extend it to other 15 Corporation higher secondary schools – the Council has already granted its approval for such activity. The decision is

part of Coimbatore’s master plan as a Solar City that the city is developing with the support of

ICLEI South Asia.

Mayor S.M. Velusamy stated that, in line with the several measure the State of Tamil Nadu has

initiated to tap renewable energy sources, the city of Coimbatore has taken many steps too: three Amma canteens use solar power for lighting and running fans and another three utilize solar

power for heating water; solar panels have also been installed on some of the Corporation’s buildings.

South Asian cities prove their commitment to adaptation

It was not just listening, talking and networking at the Resilient Cities conference in Bonn, Germany, on 31 May - 2 June, for Mr. Chammany (Mayor of Cochin, India), Mr. Chauhan (Mayor

of Shimla, India), Mr. Hilmy (Mayor of Matale, Sri Lanka) and Mr. Adhikari (Chief Executive Officer and Acting Mayor of Kathmandu, Nepal): the high-level South Asian representatives showed their

commitment to advancing sustainability by signing the Durban Adaptation Charter – a global

agreement between mayors to mainstream climate change adaptation. Led by the Mayor of Bonn, Jürgen Nimptsch, other 9 cities joined the South Asian representatives

in signing the Charter, representing 15 million constituents and committing to integrating climate adaptation into urban planning and bolster their resilience against climate risks.

“The signing reflects the high importance of local climate action to address climate change adaptation and we hope that the 1,100 signatories will multiply in order to ensure the readiness

of cities worldwide to adapt to climate change” said Gino Van Begin, Secretary General, ICLEI. The Charter, which was developed and adopted during the COP17 UN Climate Summit in Durban,

South Africa, in 2011, calls for mainstreaming adaptation as a key informant of all local government development planning while recognizing the needs of vulnerable communities and

ensuring sustainable local economic development. The Charter offers cities a channel of

opportunity to leverage funding sources and partnerships. During the Charter’s implementation guidance workshop held in Durban last March and co-organized by ICLEI, city officials further

identified potential governance mechanisms, the need for implementation support and for appropriate mechanisms for documenting progress.

The 11 cities which signed the Charter are: Bonn, Germany; Kathmandu, Nepal; Seoul, South

Korea; North Vancouver, Canada; Cochin, India; Linköping, Sweden, Tevragh-Zeina, Mauritania; Seferihisar, Turkey; Shimla, India; Matale, Sri Lanka; and Pekalongan, Indonesia.

“Urban Vulnerability Assessment (UVA) in South Asia: Challenges and lessons learnt”.

This was inspired by the UVA project that ICLEI South Asia undertook with the support of GIZ,

and that originated from the results of a recent ICLEI – MIT survey, that identified how less than 40% of the surveyed cities had undertaken an urban vulnerability assessment, despite the

acknowledgment that such tool is essential to increasing urban resilience.

The experience of Barisal (Bangladesh), one of the cities part of the UVA project together with Panaji (India), presented confirmed the relevance of such an assessment as the foundation for

any resilience strategy, allowing the city, on the base of its results, to understand its

vulnerabilities and accordingly develop an action plan outlining clear resilience interventions. The local government must take ownership of such process, and therefore see its value and actively

use the learning derived from it - as it was the case of Barisal. Once again, it was clear that the involvement of stakeholders is crucial: bringing in local agencies

can help fill the often existing gap in data availability; carrying out structured and inclusive

meetings (as mirrored by ICLEI’s UVA’s model, that foresees two rounds of stakeholders’ engagement) contribute to instilling a sense of ownership among the several actors relevant in

such a process. Their involvement is essential in identifying the city vulnerabilities and impacts, and in prioritizing the corresponding responses.

The discussion highlighted how the clear involvement of the local government and the

engagement of stakeholders not only make Urban Vulnerability Assessments a very valuable tool

but, as confirmed by some of the funders present at the session, push them high up on the priority list of funders, who are reassured by the long-term benefits of such a process, thanks to

the joint ownership of the city government and community.

Why stabilizing Population is important and the role of Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh

(JSK)”. Further details are available at: http://www.jsk.gov.in/

Stabilizing population is an essential requirement for promoting sustainable development. Making reproductive health care accessible is the foundation for stabilizing population.

Some Facts:

1. 51% of India's population is in the reproductive age-group.

2. 157 million more people will be added by 2016.

3. About 42 % of population increase is contributed by births beyond two

children per family

4. 188 million couples require contraceptive coverage.

5. Out of them only 53% are currently using contraceptives

Role of JSK:

JSK has mapped 450 districts in India through a unique amalgamation of GIS maps and Census data which gives a picture of each district, its sub-divisions and the population

of every village along with the distance to the health facility. The maps highlight inequities in coverage down to every village to enable resources to be targeted where they are needed most. The GIS mapping and amalgamation of census data has been

completed for the entire country except North Eastern states and Himachal Pradesh due to the non-availability of village level boundary data there.

JSK has won the award under the category of Best Government Initiative for mapping

Health amenities with the help of GIS maps for entire country except North eastern states

and Himachal Pradesh due to the non-availability of data. The award was given in an event named “eINDIA 2008” held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 31st July 2008. The

event provided a collaborative forum to 4000 participants came from around the world to share knowledge and ideas.

JSK has used a 2006 Ranking of Districts study and exhibited inter-district disparities

on contraceptive use, percentage of women having three or more children and under five mortality rates and motivated 600 key district officials and political representatives to

concentrate efforts on the underserved sub-districts and villages.

World Population Day 2012 as part of its awareness and advocacy efforts on

population issues, Jansankhya Shtirata Kosh (JSK) organised a series of advocacy events on the occasion of World Population Day, July 11, 2012. The events were organised to

capitalize upon the global efforts at the Family Planning Summit in London. These included three key events: a walkathon and National Conference for Population Action led

by JSK, and in the evening a small focused group discussion with the Members of

Parliament to garner their engagement for family planning (FP), organised by JSK in collaboration with Citizens’ Alliance.

Resource Efficiency – Key for Sustainable Development Further details are available at: http://www.teriin.org/files/brochure.pdf. The complete TERI News is available at: http://newsletters.teriin.org/htmlview.aspx?value=02B8786F-5178-4819-84C6-61EF7ED8EEA5&sid=AF046250-35C6-4178-8696-9BD31EA62CB6 Natural resources are essential for our quality of life and health. We depend on resources like

biogenic or mineral raw materials, energy resources like fuels, sun and water as well as

biodiversity and ecosystem services, land area and clean air for our survival, and they all constitute vital inputs that keep our economy functioning.

Consequently, the importance of devoting attention to resource use, with rising wants and needs

but finite resources, is ever becoming more important. It is obvious that the availability of natural

resources is limited on a finite planet. But resource demands are ever increasing. Industrialized countries already have a high level of resource use while developing countries need resources to

arrive at an appropriate living standard for their population. Coordinated and collaborative efforts are required to ensure both availability and conservation of natural resources. Industrialized

countries have to demonstrate how they can maintain their living standard with a considerable lower use of resources and developing countries need to reflect on how they can enhance their

necessary growth with the most efficient use of scarce natural resources.

India's material demand To eradicate poverty and meet India’s human development needs, the

Planning Commission of India estimates that India needs to grow at a rate of 8% annually until 2031/32 compared to the base year 2003/04. Concomitant with this growth is the need for

increased energy, minerals and metals, water and food. Per-capita consumption of materials in

India is still low compared to the rest of the world: with 3.8 tons per capita, India ranks at the 161st position in the world out of 191 countries (Dittrich et al., 2012). However, considering the

future economic growth rate and the growing population, it is obvious that in absolute terms the material consumption will rise significantly.

During the past twenty years, India doubled the amount of materials used for food, housing, infrastructure and energy supply as well as for consumption. Based on a Material Flow

Analysis, in 2008, India consumed around 1.9 billion tons of biomass (including all food, feed, animal and forestry products as well as products made of biomass such as

paper), more than 2.5 billion tons of non-renewable materials, of which more than 1.8 billion tons are minerals (including metals, industrial and construction minerals and

products made out of minerals and metals such as machines or glass) and around 700

million tons are fossil fuels.

Where will the materials come from? In the light of increase material consumption, a key question of where to source the materials

arises. Materials come either from domestic resources or can be imported as raw materials or

finished goods. Both sources have advantages as well as limitations as described below.

Domestic extraction of materials India is rich in primary raw materials. Currently, around 97 % of all materials, including all biotic

and non-renewable materials, consumed in India are extracted within India. However, meeting a tripling demand of domestic raw materials would mean that extraction has to increase from

currently around 4.5 billion tons up to more than 13 billion tons in the year 2030. To achieve this

will require a concentrated effort, financial outlays and social acceptability. For example, some constraints to increased domestic mineral availability are the following:

Insufficient exploration activity and lack of information: According to the Ministry

of Mines, India's mining sector has one of the lowest explorations spends worldwide. The

reserves for iron ore and bauxite in Australia grew 150 to 200% between 1985 and 2005.

In contrast, in India they increased by only 15-20% as result of low exploration activity.

Large investments in exploration and generation of good quality geological data are

required.

Technological constraints: The lack of cost-effective technology for viable extraction

hampers the effort to increase the domestic supply. For instance, suitable underground

mining technology could increase the chromium ore supply by 33%. Molybdenum could

be obtained as a by-product of copper in the presence of suitable technology for by-

product production.

Overlap with social/ecological sensitive regions: As some mineral reserves are

located within environmentally sensitive region, access to these materials is difficult.

Material extraction is linked to environmental, social and health impacts.

Policy/ regulatory deficits: There are problems in terms of unclear jurisdictions; non

action or delays in clearances; inefficient administration, a set of issues that is currently

receiving policy attention through the MMDR.

By Agastin Baulraj, TIRUNELVELI, Tamil Nadu MEMBER’s FEEDBACK: Resource Efficiency – Key for Sustainable Development

It is true that the resources used in food, housing has gone up in India. The awareness,

advocacy and action triangle should become complete in such matters. What causes worry is that the government should enact laws and frame policies which make energy audit mandatory for

government and government funded, partly or fully, institutions.

In my observation education has not resulted in behavioral change. The mushroom growth of

engineering colleges should be used in training construction personnel, right from architects to unskilled laborers to reduce wastage, if we cannot reduce the need and greed.. When I

constructed a house I contacted a friend of mine who was teaching in a college and he gave me designs which used double the steel, compared to the design given by a chartered engineer to

another friend for more or less the same type of house. The local bodies which approves building plans must give counseling to the ones who construct houses, realtors etc.

In case of food wastage in hotels and functions, it can be minimized if we take proper care. Religious institutions can play a major role in educating the devotees and the new

commandments have to be given in the name of God.

Urban Planning and Rural Urban Planning”. The complete article is available at: http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/global-site-plans-grid/163451/urban-planning-all-shapes-and-sizes-rural-urban-planning-planning-too?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Sustainable+Cities+Collective+%28all+posts%29 .

When most think of ‘urban planning,’ small, (i.e. less than 5, 000) rural communities are

not at the forefront of the conversation.

Most might envision the original, square street grid, large transportation systems, or

master-planned communities. But (urban) planning is not always large cities; the small

communities count too!

Whether the planning is large or small, short or long term, all cities use planning to make

their communities sustainable socially, economically, and ecologically.

The rural-urban transect, includes the rural community as a stop from the natural

environment to the built, urban core of cities.

Large cities have more planning sectors to focus their energy, while small towns might

have one or two downtown corridors.

Small towns might have less of a focus on incorporating both affordable and market rate

housing, while a larger city will have stricter housing typology policies.

The Congress for the New Urbanism promotes looking at planning communities at the

neighborhood scale; which in most instances can be applied wholly to an entire small

town

These rural communities were settled behind an (usually) economic reason: there was

economic opportunity in a given area too far from a large city for a daily commute.

The small communities have to plan for population fluxes, water droughts, physical

circulation questions, etc.

The bottom line: anywhere people settle there will be a need for planning to account for

a sustainable community – a community that can survive socially and economically

without completely depreciating the surrounding environment.

World Bank Highlights Little Green Data Book’s Relevance to Post-2015 Agenda“. The Complete Report is available at:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSDNET/Resources/Little-Green-Data-Book-2013.pdf

The World Bank has released the 2013 edition of the 'Little Green Data Book,' the Bank's

annual compilation of environment data.

The Book assesses development and environment using over 50 indicators, including

adjusted net savings (ANS), which aims to foster innovative ways of understanding

sustainable development at the macroeconomic level, and to complement gross domestic

product (GDP) measuring; both of which are key aspects of the post-2015 agenda.

The Little Green Data Book, released on the occasion of World Environment Day 2013, is

a pocket-sized reference on key environmental data for over 200 economies, based on

World Development Indicators 2013 and its online database.

Key indicators are organized under the headings of: agriculture; forests and biodiversity;

energy and emissions; water and sanitation; environment and health; and oceans. Data

are presented for the following regions: East Asia and Pacific; Europe and Central Asia;

Latin America and the Caribbean; Middle East and North Africa; South Asia; and Sub-

Saharan Africa.

According to the World Bank, "ANS measures the real difference between production and

consumption, taking into account investments in human capital, depreciation of fixed

capital, depletion of natural resources, and damages caused by pollution."

Also called genuine savings, ANS shows the level of sustainability of a country measuring

whether depletion of natural capital is being compensated by other investments, such as

in human capital and infrastructure.

The Book complements the work of the Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of

Ecosystem Services (WAVES) project, a global partnership led by the World Bank that

seeks to include the value of natural capital in countries.

Successful South-South cities cooperation celebrated at closure workshop in Yogyakarta

With over 50 participants from Indonesia, India and South Africa, the workshop held in

Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 19 – 20 June 2013 was the ideal platform to share all results achieved during the REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership) funded project “South-

South cooperation between cities in India, Indonesia and South Africa”, a part of ICLEI Local

Renewables initiative. During the initiative, the city of Coimbatore acted as “resource city”, providing guidance to the other two municipalities involved, Ekurhuleni in South Africa and

Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

Dr. H. Haryadi Suyuti, Mayor of Yogyakarta and host of the workshop, highlighted the Renewable

Energy (RE) and Energy Efficiency (EE) activities undertaken by the city during the last 3 years. The inauguration of the “Yogyakarta Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Resource Centre”

symbolically marked one of the milestones achieved by the city. “Space has been allotted for the

Resource Centre in one of the main city halls where electricity bills are paid to ensure good

visibility” commented the Mayor, wishing that the centre will help disseminate knowledge on RE and EE among the general public.

The city representatives from Ekurhuleni and Coimbatore shared their own experiences as well.

Other Indonesian cities present at the event showed interest in going deeper into the lessons

learnt during the project, especially in terms of GHG inventory, identification of low carbon actions and strategy for implementation, especially in the context of Local Action Plan for Greenhouse

Gas Emission Reduction.

The next phase will focus on the promotion of the recently completed solar city guidebooks for South Africa and Indonesia at the national and local level.

South Asian cities and tools on stage at Resilient Cities 2013

South Asian countries, as many others in Asia are particularly vulnerable to climate change – cities in this region are however not just waiting to react to future problems but, led by ICLEI

South Asia, are taking pro-active measures to get ready to face the upcoming challenges brought

by a changing climate. The wealth of tools, experiences and recommendations gathered so far and still under development was presented during the Resilient Cities conference, that took place

on 31 May - 2 June in Bonn, Germany

"Taking the right decisions under uncertainty: What do local governments need?" was

the tagline of the session organized as part of the AsianCitiesAdapt (ACA) project and that looked into the challenges which local government decision-makers, who have embarked on an

adaptation process, are confronted with. The session analyzed the interface between science on one hand and policy/practice at city level on the other one, looking at how researchers and

decision-makers can make up for the gaps in knowledge and move forward with their adaptation processes.

Despite the often lack of quality, reliable, and up-to-date data, the need to move forward with those available was emphasized. Language barriers between science and cities were highlighted

as another current difficulty; developing local knowledge and capacity building was identified as one of the solutions to it, together with inter-organization collaboration and coordination and the

sharing of information among different countries. Bringing in local universities, scientific, and

research partners – as it was done in the ACA project – is another way to fill the knowledge gap and can be extremely beneficial to advancing local adaptation efforts.

The need to involve the scientific community in the city’s resilience planning was acknowledged

by Mr. Chammany, Mayor of Cochin, one of the Indian cities involved in the project, who stated

"Scientists have knowledge, politicians have power. Combining the two will bring social change".

ICLEI’s toolkit helps more cities become resilient

Following the successful testing in three Indian cities of the ACCCRN toolkit, a climate resilience

planning tool developed by ICLEI South Asia and ICLEI Oceania, six additional cities in South Asia

embarked on the 12 months journey that will result in the development of a City Resilience Strategy to be incorporated into the city’s planning processes.

Barisal, Singra and Mongla in Bangladesh, and Shillong, Leh and Panaji in India are part,

together with four additional municipalities in the Philippines and Indonesia, of the new batch of

cities that, supported by ICLEI South Asia, will go through the different phases of the toolkit, from engagement with local stakeholders, to assessment of impacts and of vulnerabilities, to planning

and implementation of a resilience strategy.

“The Rockefeller Foundation and ICLEI’s partners are committed to building a more resilient future. With the completion of the new Guide and Toolkit, this marks an important milestone in efforts to scale up ACCCRN initiatives to more cities and new countries everywhere so that they can prepare for and enable a swifter recovery to shocks and stresses that are only going to increase in frequency and scale" said Heather Grady, Vice President of Foundation Initiatives at

the Rockefeller Foundation, speaking at Resilient Cities 2013.

Food Waste Recovery: A Beneficial Cause for Any Environmentalist. The complete article is available at: http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/grace-magee/163831/food-waste-recovery-most-beneficial-volunteer-job-any-

environmentalist?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Su

stainable+Cities+Collective+%28all+posts%29.

Awareness of global warming, among endless societal predicaments, has sent many into

a state of overwhelming helplessness, if not plain denial. Environmentalist Joanna Macy

calls this common feeling “planetary anguish”. Professor of sustainability, Glenn Albrecht

has coined the term ‘solastalgia’ to describe “a type of homesickness or melancholia that

you feel when you are at home and your home environment is changing all around you in

ways that you feel are profoundly negative”.

With endless organizations working to make a difference, it can be a job in itself to

choose one worth our time. For the indecisive humanitarian, food recovery groups often

benefit the environment, economy and community members.

Long Island Food Not Bombs puts a stop to the waste and greed causing hunger in

communities. Their food shares take place in low income areas on Long Island on a

regularly scheduled basis. Volunteers provided over 1 million pounds of groceries last

year. The food, picked up from supermarkets would otherwise be thrown away. Jon

Stepanian, CEO of this industrious chapter, explains the benefits of food recovery on an

economic, environmental and humanitarian level.

Stepanian: "Prevention of food waste reduces landfill and greenhouse gases. There is

also the theoretical notion that on a large scale food recovery would reduce the need for

our current over-production model. Hypothetically meaning we'd be able to use less land,

water, labour, etc... effectively reducing our direct use of the land, and further reducing

CO2 emissions by reducing the amount of food that needed to be transported using fossil

fuels. However, we already produce vastly more food than the inhabitants of our planet

need, so reducing food waste really wouldn't have the later benefits unless we also

changed the economic model used for the growth and distribution of food. "

Stepanian: “Because of commodification, food prices have steadily increased over the

past 15 years and over the same time wages have flat lined mostly due to America’s shift

to a service based economy. The result is that; Community organizations that implement

food rescue programs keep many families that were considered middle class a decade

ago, from falling into poverty."

"Especially for low income earners, food rescue provides access to more nutritious foods.

Foods that lower income earners may be priced out of. Organic foods, and produce are

usually more expensive than unhealthy fast food, but they are also the foods that are

being wasted in the largest quantities. Lower income earners gain access to more

nutritious foods through food rescue, and in so doing, the added health benefits those

foods provide."

Stepanian: “Long Island Food Not Bombs needs more vehicles to transport rescue foods.

The only limit on what we can collect and distribute is the few hundred vehicles we have

to collect it with. You can help us in this regard by volunteering your time and vehicle or

donating funds to support our project. "

Stepanian: "We're a decentralized organization, meaning that everything we collect must

be immediately distributed within 3 hours. City Harvest and most large food collection

agencies are centralized. All the food they collect must go to a warehouse to be sorted,

then that food is put on trucks and sent to soup kitchens and pantries where it will be

distributed. This creates a delay of roughly 48 - 128 hours between the times foods are

collected, to the time they're able to be distributed. Because of this, agencies like City

Harvest can't effectively collect most forms on produce or perishables. Bananas, greens,

vegetables and fruits all have limited shelf life. The result is that organizations like City

Harvest distribute mostly bread and canned goods. In fact, produce usually makes up less

than 10% of all their distributions. For us, over 50% of what we distribute is fresh

produce."

The personal benefits of volunteering for a food recovery group become immediately

clear at a Food Not Bombs Food Share, run by Mr. Stepanian. Every Sunday at 2 pm, you

will find him at the Hempstead Long Island Railroad Station along with a community of

volunteers and about one hundred and fifty citizens with grocery bags to fill for their

families for the week. Boxes upon boxes of fresh produce, bread, prepared salads; juice,

organic peanut butter, desserts, baby food, diapers, and bird seed are unloaded onto

tables and up for grabs. Volunteers do help to maintain some order: To receive, you must

be on the other side of the table and allowed one of each item before returning to the

back of the line for seconds. There is always plenty, however, and nobody is ever turned

away. Everything comes from well known, high quality supermarkets who simply cannot

keep these leftovers because of the need to constantly restock.

Jon also spends early mornings cooking hot vegan dishes to share with his

community. Without volunteers, this group would be unable to keep their commitments

to each served community on Long Island (Every Saturday, there is a Brooklyn Share at 3

pm)

Grassroots entities such as these only make sense in a world in need of

change.

If you have ever felt frustration or hopelessness from the on-going status of the “haves

and have-nots”, hunger, poverty, food waste or climate change, perhaps invest some

time in a food recovery group.

You are welcome to take what you need, as Food not Bombs believes food is a right,

not a privilege.

IISD, IDS Present a User-Oriented Analysis of Climate Knowledge Brokering Platforms.

The article is available at: http://climate-l.iisd.org/news/iisd-ids-present-a-user-oriented-analysis-of-climate-knowledge-brokering-platforms/ . The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Climate &

Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) have released a paper that examines the current state of alignment between Climate

Knowledge Brokering (CKB) platforms and the information-seeking and knowledge-sharing

behavior of users of online climate change information.

The paper, titled 'Understanding needs, meeting demands: A user-oriented analysis of online knowledge brokering platforms for climate change and development,' authored

by Anne Hammill, Blane Harvey and Daniella Echeverria, reviews the case for knowledge brokering and how brokering activities are put into practice online for climate change and

development.

The paper then outlines the results of research undertaken to understand how CKB platform

users assess, access and apply knowledge. It includes interviews and surveys with over 200 online climate change information users to understand their needs, preferences and behaviors.

It also features case studies of four CKB platforms, namely:

AfricaAdapt

Climate Finance Options

Climate Change Policy & Practice

Eldis Climate Change Resource Guide

The paper highlights key findings and recommendations regarding user behaviors and

preferences, potential areas for innovation in online knowledge brokering and the need for taking CKB beyond its online functions.

MEMBER POSTINGS

Workshops and Conferences Upcoming: 4th National Conference on "INDUSTRIAL, URBAN &

BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT" at J.B. Auditorium, Ahmedabad Management Association, Ahmedabad to be

held on 1-2, August 2013.

Saket Projects Limited is a multi-disciplinary company involved in creating interactive knowledge based platforms through various activities including publications, conferences and exhibitions. One of

the core focus areas is related to “Industrial, Urban &

Biomedical Waste Management-2013.”Encouraged by the overwhelming response received for previous three conferences

held since 2010 at Ahmedabad, we plan to jointly with Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) as the Prime Supporter; organize

the 4th National Conference on “Industrial, Urban & Biomedical Waste Management-2013.”on the themes :

SPECIAL EVENT

Call for suggestions, solidarity & support for the Uttarakhand catastrophe Massive cloud bursts caused severe flash

floods and landslides in

different parts of Uttarakhand Himalayas

on the 15th and 16th of June this year. This year

the damage and loss of

life, livelihood, land and property has reached an

alarming level. The active landslides continue to

haunt the mountain

1. Capacity Building and Knowledge Management in Industrial Waste Management.

2. Capacity Building and Knowledge Management in Urban & Bio-Medical Waste Management.

This will be held on August 1-2, 2013 at Ahmedabad. The announcement is available at:www.saketevents.com

The previous conference was supported by leading industry associations namely National Solid Waste Association of India

(NSWAI),The Gujarat Dyestuffs Manufacturers’ Association (GDMA), Gujarat Chemical Association (GCA), Vapi Industries

Association (VIA), Bharuch District Management Association (BDMA) and Ahmedabad Textile Processors’ Association

(ATPA), Indian Society of Hospital Waste Management (ISHWM),

Association of Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities (ACBWTF), Eco – Sarjan (ECO), etc.

The previous Conference was addressed by more than 30 experts from the fields of industry, research, government, professionals,

academia etc. on various important aspects related to waste

management. It was attended by around 700 delegates consisting of policymakers from government, technology suppliers,

professionals from various industry segments, hospitals, town planners, Waste Management / Audit Companies, NGOs,

organizations involved in waste collection, transportation, disposal, landfill development, incineration, effluent

treatment etc.

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will be

organizing second edition of Indian Life Cycle Assessment and

Management Conference (ILCM 2013) from 26-27 September, 2013 in Bengaluru, India.

ILCM 2013 aims to showcase practical examples implemented

across various sectors. In line with this objective, ILCM 2013 invites policy makers, business managers and social scientists to bring in

different perspectives and create a richer understanding of the

subject.

The three key areas for conference are: Life Cycle Approaches: Local Vs. Global perspectives. Life Cycle Approaches: Business opportunities and

challenges in using LCA

Life Cycle Approaches: Social LCA for developing the institutional framework in India

Early registration is open through August 31, 2013, and it is

important for all authors to keep in mind that they must be duly registered by this date.

communities living in the

lap of the mighty Himalayas. The system

responded to this massive emergency and

did whatever was

possible to rescue stranded tourists from

the mountains but for the local communities living

there, the nightmare still continues.

Many volunteers from all

over the world came forward in solidarity and

support for the victims of this tragedy and are still

working hard to provide

immediate relief to the stranded communities.

Many friends and coworkers of Himalaya

Seva Sangh and HIMCON have joined hands in this

process. In the process

we also visited and talked to several men and

women from among the local communities to

understand what needs to

be done to bring peace and harmony back in

nature. We would like to share the highlights of a

spontaneous response

from a section of the affected community that

gave us some food for thought.

A community response and suggestions gathered by HIMCON & Himalaya Seva Sangh, New Delhi while interacting with the mountain communities that have suffered badly due to the recent flash floods and landslides in the Himalayan region

Background picture

Please note that early bird registration and student discounts are also available. A special discount is also applicable to low- and

middle-income countries as per WB categories.

Instructions on how to submit an abstract can be found

at: http://www.indialca.com/conference2013.html .

For more information please visit http://www.indialca.com/ or contact the organizers at ilcm@ficci.com

National Conference on New Frontiers in Medicinal Plant Research” on 3 and 4 October 2013 being hosted by the Department of Ethnobotany and Social Medicine Studies, Sikkim University. For more information visit: https://www.sikkimuniversity.ac.in/images/stories/downloads/notifications/fc.pdf . The deadline for abstract submission for oral and

poster presentation is 20 August 2013.

First two days of the conference is dedicated for technical sessions.

Each technical session will have plenary talk, oral & poster

presentations on the following themes:

An overview on Medicinal plant research in India Taxonomy, Biodiversity & Conservation

Breeding, Biotechnology & Genomic Tools Phytochemistry, Pharmacology & Clinical Research

Bioprospection & Herbal Drugs

Indigenous knowledge, Community Rights & IPR Eastern Himalayan Medicinal Plants: Prospects & Perils

A special meeting is organized on Medicinal plants for Livelihood

Security & Community Empowerment in Eastern Himalayas on 5th

October 2013.

This conference is a mapping exercise, which attempts to supply a comprehensive understanding and an overall picture to researchers,

NGOs, private companies, conservation & development agencies,

policy makers and other stakeholders. It also intends to provide an initial framework for capacity building and empowerment of Eastern-

Himalayan ethnic communities, so that they will have a competitive advantage in the medicinal plant sector in the global market.

GWRC is organizing a National Seminar on 19 Aug 2013 (9

AM to 5 PM ) at A-15, Paryavaran Complex, New Delhi-110030. The Theme is "DISASTER MITIGATION IN

MOUNTAIN STATES- NEW CHALLENGES AND

DIMENSIONS."

The recent catastrophe

due to massive flash floods and landslides in

Uttarakhand Himalayas caused severe damage to

land, life and livelihoods

Ongoing work

Volunteers came forward to provide immediate relief

to stranded communities

Friends and coworkers

joined hands in this process

Talked to local communities to

understand what needs to be done to bring peace

and harmony back

Highlights of the

community response

Catastrophe seen as a warning signal from nature

Can use this crises as an

opportunity to make a paradigm shift

Increased pace of blasting

for various construction

activities has activated landslides

A need to revert back to

traditional housing system

that goes with the rhythm of the mountains and are

constructed with locally available materials

Massive soil erosion and destruction of farm lands

caused by landslides is a major threat and challenge

for the locals life and

The entire Nation is deeply shocked and grieved by the horrendous

natural disaster which has struck the mountain states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. While the Government,

Army and Air Force, NGOs and others are struggling to cope with the calamity, we consider it of utmost importance to take necessary

steps with ultimate aim of prevention of similar disasters and to be

able to effectively and efficiently address disasters which may still occur.

The National Seminar aims to bring together on a common

platform various sections of society for a free and frank discussion on this nationally important issue. The objective being: "to analyze

the root causes of the disaster, identify the perceived shortcomings

in tackling the recent disaster and to arrive at a consensus on the formulation of preventive and remedial measures." This important

Seminar shall be attended by dignitaries from the Government, Business and Industry, Foreign Missions, United

Nations, renowned Experts, NGOs, Media, Universities, Political

Parties and eminent citizens.

We are well aware of your keen interest in the Himalayas. We, therefore, extend to you a cordial invitation to grace this important

National Seminar. We would be privileged if you would kindly accept our invitation and add great value to the Event by your

presence

Please confirm your participation to: sahai_devendra@yahoo.com .

Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India has announced the “3rd edition of India Engineering Sourcing Show”

scheduled from 22-24th January, 2014 in Mumbai, India. IESS 2014 is an essentially a Partnership event and aims at developing

business partnerships with India in the engineering sector. Energy,

particularly renewable energy is a focus sector. The show will also have concurrent programs like Investment Forum, Global Sourcing

of Indian large companies, Entrepreneur Award, Innovation conclave, CEO Forum, etc. For information on IESS 2014, please

visit http://www.iesshow.in. Organizations/individuals interested in organizing technical session on renewable energy during the event

are request to contact gmajumdar@eepcindia.net

In association Spring Board Nigeria, Concepts & Actualities Nigeria,

Innoaction consulting, we (Innoaction India) are organizing 10 days training programme from 5th August to 14th August, for the

delegates from Nigeria in Community and innovation based entrepreneurship. The participants include Relevant Government

MDAs, Trainers in Academic Institutes, Civic/Community leaders,

CBOs, NGOs and entrepreneurs from Nigeria. The objective of the programme is to equip the participants with the technical know-how

to establish innovation and community-based projects in the

livelihoods

The biggest priority is to

find out ways and means to stop the increasing

landslides while putting a

break on the highly mechanized

developmental activities

Suggestions &

recommendations received from the

community

Study and find out the

reasons for increased landslides

Reclaim and save farm

lands from destruction by

the increasing landslides

Understand and find out ways for stopping

landslides and soil erosion

in the mountains.

Revive and rejuvenate the springs affected due to

excessive human

intervention and landslides

Look in to the traditional practices of house

construction using locally

available construction materials, follow the

traditional wisdom of identifying stable spots

where construction can

take place

What you can do

Please send in your added

comments and invaluable

suggestions for developing a positive direction for this

action program.

following industries- Energy. Agriculture and food processing, ICT,

Waste-management and Bamboo & Cane technology. The details are in the following link:

http://www.innoaction.net/admin/images/uploads/banner/Copy29brochure.pdf.

Concluded: Last month a meeting was organized at Chennai on Climate

Change in the Gulf of Mannar.

A short report on it is available at http://trinet.in/?q=node/1149 in

case you are interested.

For further details, please contact Ahana Lakshmi at :

ahana@trinet.in

A Symposium was held in Sri Lanka on July 16 -18 on

Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change with over

150 participants attending. The highlight was the presentation of

the five Community Demonstration models we had implemented

over the past three years. It was a sharing experience effort to

inspire discussion and debate on future action. For further details

please contact Shireen Samarasuriya at:

shireen.samarasuriya@undp.org

Contact Details

You can write to

Himalaya Seva Sangh

15-Rajghat Colony, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Complex,

Rajghat

New Delhi-110002 himalayasevasangh@gmail

.com

HIMCON Village & Post-Sabli-

249199

Tehri Garhwal Uttarakhand

himconindia@gmail.com

Announcements

Intern for the analysis of Rock Glaciers-ICIMOD. The last date for application is 4th August, 2013.

We are pleased to share the Vacancy Announcement for Intern for the analysis of Rock Glaciers - ICIMOD.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing center serving the eight regional member

countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Our aim is to influence policy and practices to meet

environmental and livelihood challenges emerging in the HKH region.

To do this we bring together researchers, practitioners, and policy makers from the region and

around the globe to generate and share knowledge, support evidence-based decision making, and encourage regional collaboration.

ICIMOD delivers impact through its six Regional Programmes of Adaptation to Change,

Transboundary Landscapes, River Basins, Cryosphere and Atmosphere, Mountain Environment

Regional Information System, and Himalayan University Consortium (emerging).

These regional programmes are supported by the four Thematic Areas of Livelihoods, Ecosystem Services, Water and Air, and Geospatial Solutions and underpinned by Knowledge

Management and Communication.

ICIMOD seeks to improve the lives and livelihoods of mountain women and men, now and for the

future.

Minimum Qualifications MSc in environmental sciences, ideally glaciology, geomorphology, or geology

Fieldwork experience in high-altitude alpine mountains is highly preferred

From one of ICIMOD’s regional member countries (RMC) Competencies

Motivated young graduate interested in working in a multicultural work environment Possesses self-motivation and a strong sense of initiative

Able to work smoothly and effectively with others in the team Written and oral English language skills

Duration: 6 months

Starting Date: Preferably from August 2013

Remuneration: Attractive internship stipend (plus living allowance for interns from Regional

Member Countries other than Nepal) , Transport from home country to Kathmandu and back including en-route costs Visa costs for Nepal

Gender and Equity Policy

Qualified and eligible women candidates and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply. ICIMOD implements a gender fair policy and is supportive of working

women. It operates a Day-Care Centre at the campus and is committed to gender mainstreaming

at the organizational and programmatic levels.

Detailed ToR is available at: http://www.icimod.org/?q=11103

Method of application: Applicants are requested to apply online before 4 August, 2013

through ICIMOD's Online Application System.

Vacancy Announcement for INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT (PROJECT DEVELOPMENT).

The last date for application is 5th August, 2013. India has a major challenge in enabling access to modern and affordable energy services in un-

served and underserved regions of the country. The challenges include reaching out to people

who do not have access to energy and in providing energy solutions that address the impacts of climate change. In addressing these challenges, specifically related to energy access, a list of

actions were taken by the government of India through policy interventions which emerged as a result of Electricity Act 2003, Rural Electrification Policy 2006, and Integrated Energy Policy 2006.

Energy access to rural areas comes from both grid power supply and alternate sources. Therefore

in the provision of energy access, there is a huge potential for the promotion of modern and clean energy services and technologies especially in remote and underserved villages. There are

pockets of successful case studies, which need to be scaled up and replicated. This involves promotion of investments in energy service delivery and deployment of modern and clean energy

technologies.

In order to tap into these potentials, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) with the

support of UNDP is proposing an initiative to upscale the access to clean energy for productive uses, and will do so beyond pilots by addressing barriers and developing the market. The

initiative is to be taken up as a project “Scale up of Access to Clean Energy for Rural Productive and Domestic Uses” whose objective is the enabling of access to modern and affordable energy

services in un-served and underserved regions and communities for meeting their domestic and

commercial energy needs. The expected outcomes from the various components of the project that will contribute to the realization of this objective are in line with the GEF-5 climate change

mitigation (CCM) focal area strategic objective CCM-3.

The proposed project focuses on the removal of barriers to enable the creation of favorable

investment conditions for energy access projects in un-served and underserved regions and rural communities through scale up and replication of investment financing for rural energy technology

enterprises, and end-users with productive applications.

Details of the position are available at: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=38788

Request for Proposal (RFP) for Development of Ecologically and Biodiversity Friendly Plan for Port and Shipping Sector in East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem (EGREE), Kakinada, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. Last Date: August 08, 2013, 1730 hrs. (IST).

We are pleased to share the Announcement of the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Development of Ecologically and Biodiversity Friendly Plan for Port and Shipping Sector in East Godavari River

Estuarine Ecosystem (EGREE), Kakinada, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. Last Date: August 08, 2013, 1730 hrs. (IST). The RFP is available at: http://www.in.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/procurement/RFP-UNDP-INDIA-2013-024.pdf. One of the enabling activities envisaged in the project is to develop an ecologically and

Biodiversity Friendly Plan (herewith referred to as the Plan) for Port and Shipping Sector in East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem (EGREE) that would be based on a highly consultative

process. The Plan would be based on relevant key guidelines (global, national and local) available

on this sector. The Plan would aim at preparation of eco-friendly good practices that may be implemented by the Port and Shipping sector in the EGREE Region for reducing the pressure on

the rich coastal and marine biodiversity. The following are the key initiatives expected:

• Develop an ecologically and biodiversity friendly Port and Shipping Sector Plan that

outlines clear approaches for the sector to follow in the EGREE region • Conduct national and international literature survey to document good practices on environmental mainstreaming into Port and Shipping operations and elicit reasons behind

the success (or failure) of such initiatives; collate information on situations where Strategic Plan approach has been evolved • Provide at least 5 to 10 good practices in Port and Shipping sector for sustainable/eco-

friendly practices related to environmental impact mitigation and management practices including anchorage, Ship traffic and discharges, cargo & berth terminal operations and

maintenance dredging and navigation routes in the EGREE Region Develop an initial draft of the Plan that can be integrated into other production sectors’

good practices and shall contribute towards effective and sustainable environmental

management of the EGREE Region • Review of the port land-use as well as contribute towards the overarching principles

entailed in the landscape level ‘Biodiversity Friendly Strategic Plan’ of EGREE region • Prepare an advanced Plan after extensive consultations with respective stakeholders at

EGREE Region, especially with Port and Shipping linked communities. • Review environmental clearance and compliance of the ports • Review CSR policy and activities of the ports for Ecologically and Biodiversity Friendly

practices • Identify economically viable, cost effective, technologically feasible and pragmatic solutions for the success of the Plan in the EGREE region. • Revise the draft Plan on the basis of comments from the Governing Body of the EGREE Foundation, and place the same before the State Project Steering Committee/Governing

Body of EGREE Foundation for approval • Collaborate with the Forest Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, UNDP and other stakeholders and partners as part of this assignment and undertake any other

related tasks prescribed by UNDP after mutual consultations • The Plan should be aligned with, but not limited to, the outputs of Project Document of

“Mainstreaming Coastal and Marine Biodiversity into Production Sectors in the East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem, Andhra Pradesh”.

4th Conference on Community Resiliency 2013. Further details to register for the conference are available

at: http://resilienceconference.org/registration/ . We are pleased to inform you that Virginia Tech and the Global Risk Forum (GRF) are organizing

The 4th Conference on “Community Resiliency” being held from 29 - 30 August 2013 in Davos, Switzerland. It will contribute significantly to advancing our knowledge and actions at

strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure that will enable vulnerable communities to prosper in an era of increased and emerging risks.

Distinguished persons from science, policy, and the private sector will join and speak at the event.

GREEN TEACHER DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 2013, which is a distance education programme for teachers and educators. Further details regarding the Green Teacher Diploma are available at: http://www.greenteacher.org/?page_id=273 . CEE announces the GREEN TEACHER DIPLOMA IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 2013, which is

a distance education programme for teachers and educators. Further details regarding the Green

Teacher Diploma are available at: http://www.greenteacher.org/?page_id=273

Teaching-learning of environment and the various issues surrounding it is compulsory in all schools in India. Teachers are the most important link in the chain of any school education

system. However, not all our teachers serving in the system today are trained in the teaching-

learning of environment.

There exists a need for in-service teacher training in environment and sustainability education. It is in this context, that the Green Teacher Programme offers practicing teachers/ educators an

opportunity to empower themselves with the requisite knowledge and skills for effective

transaction of concepts related to the environment and development in the classroom. The Programme has been designed by CEE in partnership with, and support from the

Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada.

The Green Teacher Programme is a one-year Diploma Programme for practicing teachers and educators. Being offered in the distance mode, this Programme is the first of its kind in India. It is

designed with the objective to enable teacher-learners to effectively take up environmental

concerns and issues in their classrooms and engage their students in practical, action-oriented Environmental Education activities and projects.

Over 400 teachers/educators are already a part of the Green Teacher family. The 9th batch of the

Programme will commence in August 2013. We are sure many teachers/educators will find this

Programme useful. For individual enrolments, the Programme fee is Rs. 7000.00. For groups of 5 or more there is a provision of waiver of a part of the Programme fee.

Selected Reading: Articles

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/extreme-weather-warning

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/uttarakhand-ravaged-god-or-governance

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/even-climate-change-discriminates-between-

women-and-men

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/rain-rain-go-away-our-cities-cant-keep-water-

bay

http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/himalayan-states-are-they-indias-crown-jewels-

or-distant-cousins

News Updates http://sandrp.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/uttarakhand-disaster-moef-should-suspect-

clearances-to-hydropower-projects-and-institute-enquiry-in-the-role-of-heps/

http://sandrp.wordpress.com/2013/07/17/brahmaputra-the-beautiful-river-or-the-

battleground/

Many thanks to all who contributed to this issue of Update!

If you have items to feature in the Updates, please send it to Solution Exchange for the Climate Change Community at

se-clmt@solutionexchange.net.in

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