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1
JANUARY 2011 expressions
 CONTENTS & CREDITS

25 Wildlife Conference at Dolmaar Resorts Haseeb Shaikh

34 Expressions’ Coffee with Shweta Stora Bashyam

CO NTENT S
36 Adapting to Climate Change The Economist
Cover Story
30 Great Power Greater Responsibility Hema Maira
Regulars
Feautured 18 Photographing Doon Sandip Puran Singh

8 Face to Face with Divya Mansukhani 26 Photo Story Ayaan Vaid

10 How Doon’s beauty can be restored 56 In The News icare
and conserved Prof M. Sekar Keerthi

12 Environmental Degradation Divya Srinivasan

15 Youth & Environment Chaitanya Kumar

icare
6 Message from the founder
20 Protecting Wildlife in India icare
48 Journey So Far
22 The Role of Youth in Environment Conservation Ernst Keursten
52 People Who Really matter

founder & editor creative editorr subscription team advertising

C R E DI TS Yudhishter Puran Singh Akshay Madan Harshal Mirchandani, Lavish Bhatia Tushar Goel (NCR Region)
tushar_icare@live.com
copy & desk editor news editor marketing
Gaurav Gupta (Rest of India)
Shubhodeep Pal Subhinay Khosla Lotus Leaf Business gaurav_icare@live.com
features editor photo editor Exhibitions cover design and photographs
Karishma Gulati Sandip Puran Singh Akshay Madan
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES PERMISSIONS ALL EDITORIAL QUERIES MUST BE DIRECTED TO
For subscription queries, For permissions to copy or The Editor, Expressions,
Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of
write to reuse material from 51-A Subhash Road, Expressions., its publisher and/or editors. We at Expressions do our best to
subscribe_icare@live.in EXPRESSIONS, write to Dehradun 248140, Uttarakhand, India verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the
or call +919760614317 yudhishter@icarefordoon.org M: +919411114921, Fax: 011-66173614 absolute accuracy of the information

2 3
expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
As icare arrives at its first “true” milestone - the completion of a year
The December issue of Expressions is wonder- since its inception - it is time to pause for a bit and consider what this truly
ful. The articles are very informative: My stu- means. Or even, what it should mean to us and to our readers. First, let
dents had a look at the magazine today and it us not be overwhelmed and overawed at having completed one year so
has made them keen to work actively for the en- soon, so well. The numerous successes - big and small - over the past
vironment. year are significant, but only because they are meant to reinforce our
By: Prof. Sekar Keerthi belief in our work. We really have no time to be complacent; and we
promise that we shall not be! Second, we realise it is now time for us to
not consider ourselves small anymore. We have a voice that is heard by
Great December issue. I think the quality of con-
more than 1500 people across India as well as other countries. Hence, it
tent has improved a lot. Good work iCARE! is time to dream bigger, aim bigger and bring more people together. Last
By: Shivang Mehta but not least, it’s time to be thankful for having an enthusiastic and com-
mitted team that works tirelessly to move icare forward (yes, that means
Just read the December issue of Expressions. I’m thanking myself too)!
This issue tackles the prickly issues regarding
the Earth’s problems with finesse and accuracy. This issue focuses quite aptly on the youth and the potential, as well as power, it has to affect change.
I recently read a quote that said “The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have
All the articles were a good read especially “An
reminiscences of what never happened”. I, as well as the entire icare team, beg to disagree with this
Economist’s Views on Nature”. The photographs
cynical view of our world. We believe that if change is to occur, both the old and the young must work
by Shivang Mehta were wonderful. Expressions together to envision and create that change. Change will not come to us. We must pull it towards our-
is excelling at providing diverse and informative content! Bravo! selves - with the wisdom of our elders, and the fresh, untested and strong arms of the young. In an
By: Vineeta Bhardwaj increasingly depressing, violent and seemingly decadent world, it is important not be bogged down
by the pressure of increasing hope as well as the depression inevitably interlinked with it. Having
December happened to be the first time I got a chance to read Expressions. One of my friend completed a year, I believe icare is eminently suited to espouse this line of thought - we have worked
Shivani forwarded the magazine to me and by the time I managed to read a few articles I was a at the grassroots with a number of educational institutions throughout the year to affect change that
drives hope and happiness (more details within).
fan already. Kudos to all the members who work tirelessly day in and day out to present such a
great informative magazine.
While dismissing the prevalent cynicism of the age, it might, however, be instructive to note a singular
By: Rahul Kumar point that, although cynical, does have some value to it. Consider why we want to protect the planet -
the environment, the seas, the forests, the minerals. Is it because we are in love with our planet? Yes,
it is indeed beautiful and there is much to love about it. However, are we now trying to save what we
can so that we hurt the planet less? I hardly think our motives are as selfless as that. In a TED talk, Sir
CON TA C T U S Ken Robinson mentioned how he’d read that if all the insects on the planet were to die, humans would
die within years. The same stands true for our forests and oceans as well. The more we hurt them,
Write to us at For Free Subscription the more we hurt our chances of survival. We are doing this not for the planet, but for ourselves and
Expressions SMS I CARE to +919411114921 the generations to come.
51-A Subhash Road Call +919760614317
Adj. Needs Super Mart Fax: 011-66173614 At the beginning of a new year icare beseeches you to do your bit for the planet. It’s your survival at
Dehradun – 248001
Uttarakhand
www.icarefordoon.org stake. Save the planet. Save yourselves!

Shubhodeep Pal
Copy and Desk Editor, Expressions

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expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions
 icare message from the founder
icare came into existence with the objective of promoting and supporting the youth in
making this planet a better and sustainable place to live in. Today when I look back, the
past 12 months have been the most satisfying moments of my life. It is because of ICARE
I saw the potential of the youth and got an opportunity to work with young students from
various that schools and colleges from all across the country.
icare was officially launched on 23rd Jan 2010, a novel initiative which could blossom in
any direction. The team then comprised only a few students from Dehradun Hills Acad-
emy and me. We weren’t certain about anything back then except that iCare would focus
on the importance of youth in environmental conservation. How would we do so? I had
no answers back then. I was excited but scared since this was a entirely different field.
icare is chiefly a result of Networking. The most difficult task that we faced this year was
getting the youth to believe in the dream of initiating a change. I remember spending
hours online trying to get in touch with people who too wished to contribute.
Today we have partnered with various schools and colleges across Dehradun, and have
a member base of more than a 1000 people across the globe. We have successfully
completed 7 issues of our monthly magazine “Expressions” and today icare has a battery
of young members working tirelessly to show others just how it is done. All this would
not have been possible without the support from people all around, be it the citizens of
Dehradun, the media or people from various other cities and towns who have been fol-
lowing our work and egging us on each time.
icare could possibly have not achieved whatever little it may have without the dedication
and commitment shown by the core committee. To me each one of my fellow colleagues
is the CHANGE that we all talk about. I can hold my head high and be proud that I am
working with some of the finest talents in the country for I believe that it is not the qual-
ity of work that makes you stand apart but it is the sincerity with which you work each
passing day knowing that the journey is endless. I take this opportunity to introduce you
all to my fellow members:
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expressions JANUARY 2011
message from the founder icare
Akshay Madan Creativity at its best. Can be best seen through Expressions.
Nupur Dobhal Simplicity personified. The pillar behind icare.
Shubhodeep Pal Lets his work do all the talking.
Tushar Goel Always up for work. Bring it on.
Ankit Shrivastava Talks less but packs a punch when he does so.
Karishma Gulati Cool and calm. Works well under pressure.
Harshal Mirchandani Organizing events are his forte.
Adhidheb Bhattacharya Legal advice was never this easy.
Let me brief you all about what we have in store for 2011. To begin with Expressions is
going to be registered with ISSN No. and this will act as a self revenue generation module
which can fund our projects. We have also shortlisted a few organizations in the corpo-
rate sector with whom we will be doing a few nation wide events. Also not to forget is
Doon’s much awaited youth environment ambassador event. To top it up, we will also
be organizing iCARE Awards this year to honour young people who have been striving
to bring about a change.
Let me take this opportunity to thank my parents who were by my side, constantly sup-
porting me in this endeavour. I’d also like to thank Mr. OP Sinha from Lotus leaf business
exhibitions for his valuable guidance. I couldn’t have possibly achieved all this without
the support of Nirvi Shah who has been like a support system to me all these years and
Pooja Bhatt, the one person who laid the foundation of Expressions along with the crea-
tive maestro Akshay Madan who is by far the backbone of our organization.
Yudhishter Puran Singh
21 year old graduate from Mumbai University, a
young entrepreneur who loves to devote whatever
time he can towards creating awareness about the
need for preserving environment. Presently he leads
the icare team and is also the editor of expressions
JANUARY 2011 expressions
FACE TO FACE FACE TO FACE
with
(E) How can others who aspire to be of service to the community join your efforts?

Divya Mansukhani (DM) I am also in the midst of setting up an online volunteer portal (Make a Difference - An online plat-
form to power offline action ) which is aimed at mobilising young people into accredited volunteering.
The ultimate aim of the portal is to to cre-

“
Divya Mansukhani is the Youth Programme Coordinator at
the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFU-
NA). She has authored the ‘Handbook for Establishing a Na-
tional Youth Delegate Program to the United Nations’ which
is one of the key guidance documents on fostering youth par-
ticipation within the UN system. She is a freelance journalist
and writes about the importance of Youth in combating en-
vironmental crises. She is currently writing ‘Making Benevo-
lence Fashionable’, a document focused on environmental
sustainability by promoting eco-friendly materials/products
among young people.
ate an easily accessible online database of
My belief is that we available volunteer opportunities, to connect
people who have time, with NGOs who need
should envision what them & finally to connect good people with
can realistically be good causes. The easiest and most effective
way to be of service to the community is to
achieved - set targets give your time. The portal will be up and run-
which can be realised in ning in March next year - please register! All
we ask for is your spare time - an hour, a
the near future. day, a week - it doesn’t matter.

EXPRESSIONS (E): Tell us about your journey till now. How did it all start and then evolve?
DIVYA MANSUKHANI (DM): My interest in global affairs first stemmed from the concept of the
“Model UN” - sessions where in Committees of the United Nations were simulated. Effective partici-
pation required thorough research on various issues. While studying in the 9th grade at Bombay Inter-
national School, I was selected to represent my school at the prestigious Harvard Model UN in Boston.
I had the opportunity to present at an international forum, interact with indivuals from all over the world
and discuss issues of great global importance. My interest ran constant and I went on to participate
and organise Model UNs as well as various Youth projects & Workshops at local, national, regional &
international levels extensively over the next eight years. This culminated in an internship at the United
Nations in New York where I worked with the World Federation of United Nations Associations as the
Youth Projects Coordinator. During my internship I began research on the various different methods
of effective youth participation at the United Nations as I noticed that although various platforms for
inclusive participation existed - resources providing the information were few. After completion of my
internship - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) expressed interest in publishing my work. I
was then hired as a Youth Consultant to further my research and put together a comprehensive docu-
ment of information on the topic. This has now be published - “Handbook for Establishing a National
Youth Delelgate Programme to the United Nations”. It was launched at the World Youth Congress in
Mexico earlier this year. I am now working on another document focused on environmental sustain-
ability by promoting eco-friendly materials/products among young people.
(E) Tell us about the book you’re currently working on.
(DM) As I mentioned I authored the ‘Handbook for Establishing a National Youth Delegate Program
to the United Nations’ which was published by WFUNA & United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) it
was launched at the World Youth Conference Mexico, 2010. The handbook is one of the key guidance
documents on fostering youth participation within the UN system. It will assist youth in advocating
their governments to establish a Youth Delegate Program with the ultimate aspiration of contributing
to increasing the number of youth delegates as well as achieving a regionally balanced participation of
youth at the United Nations.
(E) What is the one thing that we need to change most urgently about a)the world b) India, specifically
(DM) My belief is that we should envision what can realistically be achieved - set targets which can be
realised in the near future. My vision is for the world to meet the set target of achieving the Millenium
Development Goals by 2015. These goals address the most important challenges being faced by the
world collectively. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world’s time-bound and quanti-
fied targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease,
lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental
sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, edu-
cation, shelter, and security.
(E) What’s your vision for India in 2020?

“
(DM) I strongly believe that education is the starting point for India’s development and progress. While
there are numerous intiatives that have been launched including Teach for India, Teach India, iCare,
My belief is that we should envision what can
efforts in this regard must be intensified. My vision for India for 2020 is where every individual has
realistically be achieved - set targets which can access to a basic education. The rest will follow in suit.
be realised in the near future. © EXPRESSIONS 2011

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expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions

As we all know, Doon valley has many fresh water
swamps. One such swamp, Mothronwala Fresh
water swamp has degraded to a great extent dur-
ing the last few decades due to human settlement,
agriculture, cultivation and related developmental
activities. Lopping of trees has resulted in the de-
formity of some of the trees with the consequent
effect on the ground floor vegetation. Invasion of
large numbers of exotic species like Lantana ca-
mara, Eupatorium adenophorum, Parthenium hys-
terophorus, Ageratum conyzoides, Ipomea car-
nea, Malvastrum coromendelicum has changed
the vegetation of the swamp.
Unless we replant all the lost tree species, I am
afraid we may not see the Doon of yesteryears but
just a fragment of its lost glory. Statistics say that and rope in schools and colleges to adopt a village,
Mothronwala Fresh water swamp, one of the few
fresh water swamps which had withstood the test
of time has lost lots of flora and fauna in the past
40 to 50years. Herbs have gone down from 224 to
194, shrubs from 52 to 34, climbers from 42 to 25
and trees from 38 to 25.About 11 new tree species
RESTORING & CONSERVING
DOON’S BEAUTY
to be extinct,so that it would invite all the wildlife
which had left. When it comes to aforestation, peo-
ple opt for alien trees from other countries.
Expressions can be used as a tool to create aware-
ness not only among the city youth but also among
the rural youth, because, it’s the rural youth who
live with nature. They need to be educated on for-
est management and water management, so that
they can educate their villages. Hence, we need to
have a magazine in the vernacular too. We may
also have periodical film shows to educate the
villagers. Expression through arts like dance and
music can also be used to educate the villagers.
After all, visual communication is more powerful
than aural communication. iCARE should also try
through which they can not only educate the vil-
lagers but also educate themselves. We may call
this “Educate to Educate”.Corporates can back
them financially and technically. Unless we bring
our whole community together, our efforts might
beineffective.

T
☺he ecology of a particular place sustains not due to hu-
man efforts, but by nature itself. The nature of biodiversi-
ty depends upon the vegetation of a particular area which
in turn depends upon the topography, type of soil and water re-
sources of that area. After all, it is the vegetation that determines
the dependent wildlife species of that particular vegetation. Each
tree species may have at least 10 to 30 different dependent fauna
species.When one tree species is lost, we’re not just short of one
tree but we fall short of a complete set of wildlife which depends on
that tree. If we lose ten different tree species, we may lose at least
a hundred wildlife species. We have already lost so much in terms of
Forest and wildlife. Can we afford to lose more? The more we lose
the sooner we trigger the extinction of humans.
have been recorded after 1965, which means that
the vegetation of Doon has changed. If you really care for the dwindling forests, drying
swamps and the disappearing tree species of Doon
Ecological awareness is rife among youngsters, valley, come and join forces with the young green
thanks to organizations like iCARE which are tak- brigade of “iCARE”. I am from Coimbatore which
ing serious and sincere efforts to re-establish is in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. I don’t have
Doon’s past glory. Utmost care should be taken in any physical contact in or with Doon. But, I can say
the choice of trees to be planted. Instead of opt- that, as a lover of ecology and nature, I want to do
ing for ornamental trees, the need of the hour is to something for Doon. My firm belief is, what I sow
plant native trees, those trees which are thought for Doon, my state would reap sooner or later.
© EXPRESSIONS 2011

Vegetation varies across the country. Man can get Prof. M. Sekar Keerthi
photo akshay madan

accustomed to different climatic conditions, un-

like vegetation. Vegetation can bring characteristic Head , PG and Research Department of Zoology , Government Arts Col-
changes to soil. That is the reason we need to have lege, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu , India completed his college education in
a clear understanding of the past vegetation of the the same department that he heads today. He has completed 29 years as
place we live, before we plan on the future vegetation
a Professor and now his primary objective is the upliftment of the the less
of our place.
privileged students.
10 11
expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions

The sun, the moon and the stars would have
disappeared long ago... had they been within
the reach of human hands.
TTake a look around at the world that we live in
today, a world in which a country is judged by its
technology, military power, territorial jurisdiction,
economic growth and ecological prowess.
Here well, everything of that, owes ecology an
apology.
While writing this article I was listening to a song
called ‘How far we’ve come’ by Matchbox 20,
and though I was occupied with the issue at hand,
the title of the song remained in my head, playing
over and over again.
Seriously, how far have we “been able” to come
with the issue of ‘Environmental Degradation’
hampering generations across the globe?
Nature represents beauty and bounteousness at
the highest level. But man- the baby nurtured by
nature is bent upon robbing nature of her beauty
and bounteousness, and consequently, is doing ir-
reparable harm to himself.
12
expressions JANUARY 2011
Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923
Down the ages man has been in incessant pursuit
of greater physical comforts and material pros-
perity. In this pursuit, he has steadily improved
the technologies and other means necessary for
higher production of wealth and for the availabil-
ity of devices that could give more physical and
mental pleasure. In the process many social, po-
litical and cultural convulsions have happened.
A great many wars have taken place, many hu-
man lives, lost, and there have been instances of
civilizations being wiped out. Nevertheless, man’s
relation with his environment remained almost
unchanged for a long time; his interaction with na-
ture remained harmonious based on the principle
of mutual give-and-take.
The situation began to change rapidly with the ad-
vent of the Industrial Revolution in the West in the
eighteenth century, when man’s appetite for pelf
and prosperity began to grow rapidly. He began
to loot nature and pollute the environment without
a thought for the consequences.
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
The Industrial Revolution led to a drastic escala-
tion in air pollution. Coal was used in the emerg-
ing modern industries and factories on a very
large scale. Later, it also came to be used in
generating electricity. As a result, in the nine-
teenth and early twentieth centuries, many cit-
ies of Europe and the U.S. were covered with
black shrouds of smoke. Industrial centres like
Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania developed an at-
mosphere so inky that automobile drivers were
sometimes forced to use their headlights at
midday. With the passage of time, the pace of
industrialization increased, with a correspond-
ing increase in air pollution. Later, toxic wastes
of the factories began to be dumped on land
and in the waters of rivers and seas. Thus land
and water began to lose their quality as well.
When the western countries started fighting
against the pollution caused by the industries af-
ter the 1930s, people in other parts of the world
had already joined the race of industrialization
and blindly embraced all the ills. Consequently,
today man’s activities have made the entire
world’s environment grossly polluted. Despite
certain successes in controlling environmental
degradation, the situation is worsening in maxi-
mum parts of the world.
Industrialization is not baneful per se. In fact,
the methods, technologies, impatience, intoler-
ance and greed that man applied in this process
have caused havoc.
man’s culpability is, indeed,
immense. To feed, clothe, and
shelter himself, he brazenly
robs nature.
A corollary to the Industrial Revolution was the
craving of human beings for urbanization. Peo-
ple began to throng to the industrial centers,
towns and cities in large numbers without any
regard to the capacity and limitations of a place
in providing adequately the basic civil amenities
to the inhabitants. As a consequence large slum
areas, filth and squalor grew. It became hard to
maintain the sewage system as well as healthy
sanitation (The crisis continues with greater in-
tensity in the Third World countries.).
Industrialization and Urbanization also put pres-
sure on the agricultural lands, the shortage of
which began to be more acutely felt with faster
and uncontrolled population growth. Remark-
able progress made in the medical sciences has
brought about a decline in the death rate. But no
similar decline was attempted by the people in
the birth rate. Two thousand years ago humans
scarcely numbered 250 million; only in the
early 1800s did the figure reach one billion. A
second billion was added in another 100 years,
a third in 30 years, a fourth in 15 years, and a
fifth in just 13 years. What a pace of population
growth!? To feed the ever increasing numbers,
agricultural production was increased. Tech-
nological inputs certainly produced quick re-
sults. But the chemical fertilizers and pesticides
have taken a big toll on the soil. They have also
brought in their wake, new pesticide-resistant
pests which devour farm crops. The harmful
chemicals get into the ecological cycle and lead
to large-scale damage to plants, animals and
ultimately even to humans. Recently, a study
found that the milk and cereals consumed by
Indians contain a high degree of toxic material-
all due to indiscriminate use of pesticides. Large
scale agricultural production also encouraged
huge irrigation projects with concomitant loss
of forest land. Canal irrigation has put to waste
large tracts of land due to unchecked seepage
leading to salinity and alkalinity of soil.
photo akshay madan
13
JANUARY 2011 expressions
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
The scarcity of agricultural lands became an ex-
cuse for man to clear off the dense forests which
Man’s act of deforesting
the land is also ominous to
the existence of many
species of flora and fauna
added to the harm and injuries caused by indus-
trialization and urbanization. Trees are merci-
lessly felled to meet the industrial needs of vari-
ous kinds as well as the needs of the vast urban
population. With deforestation comes the grow-
ing menace of soil erosion, drought and other
natural calamities and deadly famines. Man’s
act of deforesting the land is also ominous to the
existence of many species of flora and fauna,
even as the extinction of many marine species
is feared due to the poisoning of rivers and seas
by man-made wastes. The adverse impact on
biodiversity may destabilize the ecological bal-
ance whose ill-effects are quite intelligible.
Man’s growing lust for luxuries and industrial
products has recently further aggravated the
We as Humans merely share the Earth.
We can only protect the land, not own it.
Divya Srinivasan
She is pursuing B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) with specialization in Energy Law from UPES, Dehra-
dun. She is an ardent nature lover.
14
expressions JANUARY 2011
crisis. The chloro-fluoro carbons (CFCs) re-
leased into the atmosphere because of the ever-
growing use of refrigeration and cooling devices
are depleting the ozone layer which protects
the species on Earth from being exposed to the
harmful ultra-violet rays. Man’s devastation of
nature could thus easily rebound on him.
In we analyse the nature of environment deg-
radation, we can only come to the conclusion
that man’s culpability is, indeed, immense. To
feed, clothe, and shelter himself, he brazenly
robs nature. The growing population almost
renders it impossible to compensate the loss-
es suffered by the environment or allow it the
time required to recover. The urge for greater
and greater prosperity has not only degraded
natural resources but has certain dangerous
portents. The damage caused in the recent Gulf
War to the seas and marine life shows the ex-
photo akshay madan
tent to which man can go, without compunction,
to achieve self-aggrandizement. The search for
energy and defense superiority has led man to
exploit the power of the atom. But he has shown
a callous disregard for the accompanying dan- How old will you be in 2050?
gers of radiation and in tackling nuclear wastes.
Unless man mends his ways, and fast, he will This was the phrase that reverberated through be the issue that defines the future of this planet,
create another Venus or Mars out of the Earth. the walls of the Bella Center in Copenhagen dur- then the youth of the world should have the right
We have forgotten how to be good guests, how ing the climate talks in December 2009. So how to be equal stakeholders in the decisions that will
to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures old will you be in 2050? I will be 64 in 2050 and the be taken to mitigate climate change.
do. decisions that political leaders and Governments
take today on climate change will affect my life The importance of youth has often been mooted
and the generations after me in a profound way. by government leaders and policy-makers across
The signs are indeed ominous, like the recent re- the world. In India, the National Youth Policy of
port from NASA which revealed that 2010 was 2003 reiterates the need for an all round develop-
the warmest year this decade. A warmer climate ment and empowerment of young people from
is predicted in the years ahead. The floods in Pa- all classes and strata of society. It is stated that
kistan, the ongoing floods in AP, India, record- the youth of the country should enjoy greater
breaking heat-waves, forest fires in Russia and participation in the processes of decision-making
© EXPRESSIONS 2011 many other erratic acts of nature are being wit- and execution at the local and higher levels. Such
nessed across the world. “Climate change is the participation would be facilitated by identifiable
pre-eminent geopolitical and economic issue of structures, transparent procedures and wider
the 21st century. It rewrites the global equation representation of the youth in appropriate bodies,
for development, peace and prosperity”, said the with the emphasis being more on working with
UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon. If this is to the youth than for the youth.
15
JANUARY 2011 expressions
YOUTH & ENVIRONMENT
From a mere 50 people in 2004 to more than
500 in 2009, youth involvement in interna-
tional climate negotiations has risen dramati-
cally. Agenda 21 of the 1992 Rio declaration,
the Aarhus convention, Article 6 of the UN-
FCC and many similar texts have called for ef-
fective youth involvement in policy making. In
keeping with these principles, for the first time
in 2009, the youth were given the official sta-
tus as “YOUNGO” at the UN climate talks. This
bolsters the hard work that many have put in
to secure their voice at these negotiations and
similar engagement needs to happen across dif-
ferent sectors. Almost 85% of the world’s youth
(between 15-24 years of age) live in developing
countries. Children and youth are the least re-
sponsible for climate change but in many ways
are the most vulnerable. While there is a long
way to go, YOUNGO did a wonderful job in
bridging the gap between the Global North and
the South.
It is interesting to see how young people are
working for the environment across the world.
India’s vibrant civil society has been fighting
for environmental issues since the days of Gan-
dhi who was one of the first world leaders who
professed the need for sustainable living and
for protecting nature and its resources. Youth
participation in environment began quite late in
India and it has risen only in the 21st century.
Technology has paved the way for an unprec-
edented ease of communication that has en-
hanced the participation of youth both directly
and indirectly over the last few years.
Some key examples have been organizations
like the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN)
that I am associated with. It mobilises young
people to build a consensus on what role India
should play in the global climate arena and also
to equip them with the right tools to take effective
action on climate change. With 18 local chapters
across the country and hundreds of young peo-
ple in the network, various activities have been
taken up ranging from campaigns, youth sum-
mits and direct policy interventions to executing
16
expressions JANUARY 2011
GHG reducing projects like waste management,
rural energy systems and environmental audit-
ing. 350.org is another example of youth mobili-
zation across the globe. What began as a small
campaign in the United States has bloomed into
a global movement of young people across all
nations who have shown relentless enthusiasm
in organizing creative campaigns, climate work
parties and global art as a clarion call to all the
leaders of the world to address this challenge.
Almost 85% of the
world’s youth (between
15-24 years of age) live
in developing countries.
Children and youth are
the least responsible
for climate change but
in many ways are the
most vulnerable.
As one of the national coordinators of IYCN,
over the last one year I have received several
calls and emails from young people who have
told me about the amazing work they have been
doing to tackle climate change. Many of them
are keen to learn and equip themselves better
to tackle this issue. From college campuses to
rural landscapes, the level of interest to bring
about positive change is growing. The recent
Great Power Race (a clean-energy competition)
between campuses in India, China and the U.S.
has reinforced the serendipitous truth that stu-
dents and young professionals are devoted to
this cause. In 2010, over 500 campuses in In-
dia signed up for the race and executed projects
like organic gardens; solar water heating; less
YOUTH & ENVIRONMENT
carbon-intensive stoves; paper- and electronic- society members like WWF, Oxfam etc have
waste recycling; energy efficiency and many been supporting many youth groups working on
more. Beyond just execution, many young peo- local and national environmental.
ple are exploring innovative and disruptive tech-
nologies for clean energy as well as business So what lies in the future? The world has wit-
solutions for the wider dissemination of renew- nessed an explosion in communication technol-
able energy. Social entrepreneurship has moved ogy and more conversations are taking place
leaps and bounds since the turn of this century today than in the entire history of mankind. This
and young people are at the center of it. is a great opportunity for collaborative work
that goes beyond petty borders and limits. Cli-
In Chattisgarh, a team of school students have mate change poses a threat to all the species on
been working ardently to protect their local pond, this planet and such a global challenge cannot
green their campus and raise awareness about be handled through divisive and protectionist
environmental issues. In Kashmir, campus stu- policies. Youth have to be encouraged to learn
dents are braving the political turmoil to work on about and understand the issues whilst demand-
polythene bag eradication and waste manage- ing swift and adequate action from our govern-
ment. In Kakinada, AP, students and professors ments. My ability to communicate and learn from
have come together to organize climate semi-
nars and talks and convinced the University Vice
a stranger in Latin America or Australia speaks
volumes of the possibility of a global coalition
Chancellor to set up eco-clubs in all campuses. that the youth can create. Here, in India, there is
In Bangalore, a team of young professionals are a need to make the young people aware of their
busy working on rejuvenating a lake and supply- responsibilities and the opportunities to create a
ing solar lanterns to a nearby village. I have had
the pleasure of witnessing these projects and
better future. The future is what we make of it
and young people, I believe, have the potential to
similar stories from Varanasi, Kerala, Assam, imagine and create a better, greener future.
Hyderabad and many other places.
”The young do not know enough to
The Government has also acknowledged the need be prudent, and therefore they
for more youth participation in decision making attempt the impossible - and achieve
and the recent youth consultation for India’s 12th
it, generation after generation
five year plan is a positive step toward achiev-
ing this. Industry is opening doors of opportunity Pearl S Buck
to young entrepreneurs in the clean-tech sector
to build and execute innovative models for build-
ing a clean-energy future. Mainstream media
has also been featuring and encouraging youth
to take up environmental issues. Established civil
Chaitanya Kumar
(24) is currently working as the National coordinator of the Indi-
an Youth Climate Network (IYCN). With a background in com-
puter science engineering, his move to the environment arena
was driven by the understanding he gained of the human im-
pacts on the environment.
He believes in the huge potential available with businesses, gov-
ernments and the civil society to work on mitigating climate
change and moving towards a sustainable society.
17
© EXPRESSIONS 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions

PHOTOGRAPHING DOON
Nature in
CLOSE-UP
L ike myself, I imagine many landscape photographers develop a sort of distant vision with a tendency to
constantly scan the countryside looking for potential subjects. I find it quite hard to switch off from this
mode and, even when travelling without a camera, I subconsciously look for photogenic scenes. This often
has the effects of making you blind to the possibilities of subjects, which are much closer to you.
The soft light
of the shaded
orchard suited
this subject
very well.
F UNGI
I shot this picture on a bright, sunlit autumnal
morning in a patch of grass beneath an apple tree
at a friend’s orchard in Kanatal. It was a chance
visit when Karan had come on a brief holiday from
Tamil Nadu and I’d gone along hoping to try out a
new piece of equipment knowing that the autumn
colour would provide me with some good oppor-
tunities. Unfortunately the full glory of the autumn
colour had not yet developed. Also the light was
very soft beneath the trees, creating a rather flat
and lifeless look, which made the chance of tak-
ing a worthwhile picture seem unlikely. But this
display of fungi(like a big mushroom) growing
on moist soil caught my eye, mainly because of
the striking pattern that the edges of the fungi
18
expressions JANUARY 2011
6
sandip puran singh
had created. The soft light of the shaded orchard
suited this subject very well. I used a macro lens
to enable me to shoot a small area of the ground
in order to maximize the impact of the shape and
texture of the fungus. The damp conditions had
allowed some water droplets to form and, in or-
der to make these sparkle more brightly, and con-
trasted deeply with the green of the undergrowth.
There is such a rich variety of colors’, textures,
shapes and patterns within even the most ordi-
nary natural forms that there never need be an
occasion when you are unable to find a worth-
while subject. It is simply a question of focusing
your attention on things at a closer range.
PHOTOGRAPHING DOON
sandip puran singh
FLYI NG BEA T LES the warm light of the sun
This image was captured at another friends orchard
had created an element of
colour contrast along with
at Niudi. The photograph was taken late one au-
tumn morning after a hard frost had melted leav- the difference between the
ing the yellow grass patches open between the fruit
trees on the terreces. The sun had been up some
parts of the flower and the
time and some of us wanted to bathe in the rivulet insects.
nearby. While we waited and took turns with our
wash I was attracted by this small wild-flower bob- ment of colour contrast along with the difference
bing about in the wind and because it was quite between the parts of the flower and the insects.
well separated from its surroundings. I also liked I lay down on the ground to get the frame at eye
the fact that the warm light of the sun was attract- level rather than a top-view which would have been
ing these colorful beetles which were trying to mate too common an approach. Taking more than one
or at least so I thought. This had created an ele- shot got me the beetle in flight.
© EXPRESSIONS 2011
Sandip Puran Singh
Writer is the founder of SUSWA, an NGO working along the northern
boundary of Rajaji National Park. He’s also an avid bird watcher and an
amateur naturalist working on the Doon valley.
His love for photographing the valley can be seen by logging onto www.
icarefordoon.org and can be reached at seemasandeepsingh@gmail.com
19
JANUARY 2011 expressions
 PROTECTING WILDLIFE IN INDIA

photos akshay madan

(a) The Public Prosecutor has been given an op- also been made empowering officials to evict en-
portunity for opposing the release of the person croachments from Protected Areas.
on bail; and
Offences not pertaining to hunting of endangered
(b) When the Public Prosecutor opposes the appli- species
cation, the Court is satisfied that there are reason-
able grounds for believing that he is not guilty of Offences related to trade and commerce in tro-
INTRODUCTION such offences and that he is not likely to commit phies, animals articles etc. derived from certain
any offence while on bail”. animals attracts a term of imprisonment of up to

T
three years and/or a fine of up to Rs. 25,000/-.
he need for conservation of wildlife in India headed by the Addl. Director General of Forests
In order to improve the intelligence gathering in
has often been questioned because of the (Wildlife) who is also Director, Wildlife Preserva-
wildlife crime, the existing provision for rewarding
inefficient policies and also priority issues. tion and the Management Authority of Convention
the informers has been increased from 20% of the CONCLUSION
This can be very easily deduced from the fact that on International Trade in Endangered Species of
fine money to 50%. In addition to this, a reward of
in India there are only 1411 tigers left despite the Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).
up to Rs. 10,000/- is also proposed to be given to So, in short we have a lot many legislations and
conservation activities which have always primar-
the informants and others who provide assistance projects in place which prescribe punishments
ily focused on saving tigers. Comprehensive Legislation; in detection of crime and in getting hold of the of-
Wild Life Protection Act, 1972; for their violation including a term of imprison-
fender.
In this article we would like to highlight the exist- Government of India had enacted a comprehen- ment. However a number of issues still remain
ing laws and policies that focus on wildlife conser- sive legislation “Wild Life (Protection) Act, Stringent measures have also been proposed to unaddressed. We need to address the problems
vation that need to be further addressed by the 1972” with the objective of effectively controlling forfeit the properties of hardcore criminals who of the forest guards who need to work late in the
Government. This should be done in the light of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and its deriv- have already been convicted in the past for hei- night in jungles. Poachers need to be punished
the fact that though these policies exist, we have a atives. This has been amended recently (January, nous wildlife crimes. These provisions are similar every time they enter the jungles to carry out
really bad situation. 2003) and punishment and penalty for offences to the provisions of ‘Narcotic Drugs and Psycho- illegal trade. Unless we strengthen the present
under the Act have been made more stringent. tropic Substances Act, 1985’. Provisions have system we cannot even protect the endangered
Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies The punishment and penalty for the violations are
that, “The state shall endeavour to protect as follows; species, forget others. The exploitation of land
and improve the environment and to safe- Wildlife Division in the Min- and forest resources by humans along with hunt-
guard the forests and wildlife of the country” Offences pertaining to hunting of endangered spe- ing and trapping for food and money has led to
and Article 51-A states that “it shall be the duty of cies and altering of boundaries of protected areas; istry is responsible for car- the extinction of many species in India. So Wild-
every citizen of India to protect and improve the rying out the activities life Protection is the need of the hour and needs
natural environment including forests, lakes, riv- The punishment and penalty have been enhanced.
ers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living The minimum imprisonment prescribed is three pertaining to Wildlife conser- to be addressed as quickly as possible. is the
need of the hour and needs to be addressed as
creatures. Further, Wildlife Division in the Min- years which may extend to seven years, with a vation with the State Gov- quickly as possible.
istry is responsible for carrying out the activities minimum fine of Rs. 10,000/-. For a subsequent
pertaining to Wildlife conservation with the State offence of this nature, the term of imprisonment ernments and to provide
Governments and to provide financial and techni- shall not be less than three years but may extend financial and technical assis-
cal assistance to them for scientific management to seven years with a minimum fine of Rs. 25,000.
of the wildlife resources in the country. It is also Also a new section (51 - A) has been inserted in tance to them for scientific Ankit Shrivastava
responsible for carrying out the events associated the Act, making certain conditions applicable while management of the wildlife Abhidheb Bhattacharya
with wildlife research and training of personnel granting bail: Such an offender will be granted bail
involved in wildlife management through Wild- only if : resources in the country.
life Institute of India. Presently Wildlife Division is
© EXPRESSIONS 2011

20 21
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 THE
ROLE
OF
youth in ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
Dr. Ernst
Kürsten
Born in 1956
He got involved with
environmental protection
in many ways, both
voluntary and profes-
sional. In 2007/08 he
served as a lecturer at the
Forest Research Institute
University in Dehradun.
Today he is a project
manager and lecturer
at the College of Wood
Technology in Bad
Wildungen (Germany).
22
expressions JANUARY 2011
I was asked to write something about this “quite sim-
ple and interesting theme”. From my point of view there
are two basic questions: How can young people become
sensitized to the problems of environmental protection,
and what can they really do and achieve? As I am not a
scientific researcher, I can only answer these questions
based on my personal development in this regard and
on the experiences I had myself with young people later.
When and how was I motivated to work for environmen-
tal protection? I think it all began in my grandmother’s
big garden. As a child I spent all my holidays there hid-
ing in the bushes, climbing on the fruit trees, playing
with the pets and walking through the nearby forest. I
learned to love nature.
In 1971, when I was 14 years old, the next phase began.
I began collecting all newspaper reports on environ-
mental problems. I became angry about the way people
destroyed nature! It was in the year when citizens and
politicians in Germany became aware of water and air
pollution, waste dumps and other problems. The first
Federal Environmental Programme was brought into be-
ing. I joined a local group in my home city Wilhelmshaven
which argued against the industrial location (electroly-
sis of salt for chlorine and subsequent PVC-production)
there and measured dust particles. The next year I was
deeply impressed by the book “The limits of growth”
modelling the consequences of a rapidly growing world
population and finite resource supplies, commissioned
by the Club of Rome. Even though the predictions did
not come totally true, now, nearly forty years later we
are facing an increasing scarcity of many resources!
I gradually read more books about the environment and
listened to lectures about it. When I was 16 years old I
did some scientific work to find arguments against the
expansion plans of a military airbase in a nearby for-
est: I counted the visitors in that forest and applied a
new method of calculating the value of a landscape for
recreation. So I got some real data on the importance of
the threatened forest area for the recreation of the local
population. My results were published in the local news-
in ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
the role of YOUTH
paper and I won a prize in a science competition for students. The airbase
was not extended later, surely not (only) because of my work.
I wanted to become a professional environmentalist. The question was how?
What should I study? First I thought about Chemistry, because air and water
pollution has something to do with chemicals. Then I became aware that I
love maps and plans. Therefore Landscape Planning and Nature Conserva-
tion seemed to be perfect for me. But when I applied to university my marks
weren’t good enough. So I decided to study Forest Sciences but there I faced
the same problem. Finally, I enrolled for Geology because there were no re-
strictions based on marks. Of course, this is a science with high significance
to the environment (ground water) and natural resources. In December 1975
I finally got admission into the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology
at the University of Göttingen. I loved field trips to the forest and was keen
to learn about ecosystems. Life as a university student opened up new pos-
sibilities for action: I wrote articles in a students’ magazine, e.g. about the
waste of resources by using disposable plates in the canteen, and I joined the
movement against the construction of new nuclear power plants in Germany.
Very enthusiastically, I looked for alternatives in form of renewable energies
and advocated their use via presentations and articles. Today - after more
than 30 years – our ideas have become reality in a way we could never have
dreamt of. Nowadays, when you travel through Germany, you see photovol-
taic panels, wind mills and biogas plants almost everywhere. Energy saving
is a hot topic. Of course, these developments are essentially driven by the
rising oil prices. But due to the movement I have been a part of, politicians in
Germany created laws which motivated many people to invest in renewable
energies. This is a rewarding feeling!
In later years, while pursuing my PhD, I joined a group of a dozen volunteers
who organised some weekend seminars for young people on all aspects of
the protection of the environment and the cultural heritage in our northern
German state of Lower Saxony. We would come up with an interesting topic,
chose a location for the seminar, invite experts as lecturers and organized
the seminar itself with some field trips. There were funds available to cover
the travel expenses and other costs. For me these seminars were not just a
perfect way to learn something new and to inform and motivate other young
people. A very important “side effect” was that I found a likeminded young
lady in our group who later became my spouse.
My first assignment after finishing my forest science education was to be the
Secretary of the “Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald” (SDW) (Association
for the Protection of the German Forests). Now it was my job to support the
following very traditional and valuable forms of environmental awareness
23
JANUARY 2011 expressions
youth
THE ROLE OF
WILDLIFE CONFERENCE AT DOLMAAR RESORTS

in ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

building activities for children and teenagers: Forest Games (for the 8 to 13
year old school children) – this is a round tour in a forest where the children
have to stop at different places to answer questions about nature and to do
some practical exercises related to the forest like throwing cones through
a ring. In our state there were 11 forest camps for students (14 to 18 years
old), run by the state forest service. At this time the groups could stay there
for free for two weeks. In the morning they had to do some real forest work
and in the afternoon they had field trips with the forester and leisure time.
These sojourns were not only excellent possibilities to get into a close con-
tact to nature but also were a valuable first experience with field work. In
addition, our association used to spread the idea of school forests, where
students could plant trees and manage a peace of forest land. This is a
more long-term form of observation and caring than the above mentioned
short term experiences. Finally, there was and still is a youth organisation
of the SDW, the so called Forest Youth (Waldjugend). These young people
spend their leisure time and holidays in the forest, enjoying nature, sing-
ing, hiking, and learning about nature.
In times when our fragile wildlife and forests are being torn apart like old carpets, and when wildlife lov-
Unfortunately only a very small proportion of the young people in Germany ers, conservationists and activists find nothing but glumness all around, there does seem to be a stream
are committed to this cause. Most of them grow up with little contact with of hope trickling out from the Valley of Flowers: Dehradun.
nature, spending too much time in front of a computer or TV. This is more
attractive for many of them and often their parents are scared that they
icare a team of enthusiastic youngsters who have risen to hold up the baton for the cause of environ-
might become dirty or even hurt if they climb trees etc. Recently a study
ment and wildlife. These young lads have chosen to walk a difficult road that most people shy away
was conducted in Germany with interviews of more than 3000 students (12
and 15 years old). The results were alarming: Many of the kids really are from! I happened to meet Yudhishter Puran Singh, the ‘team leader’ of icare on Facebook. I learned
not aware about the links between nature and the food and products they that icare is deeply involved in promoting awareness about our dwindling wildlife and environment. Yu-
use every day. Consequently, they will not be able to understand why we dhishter and I got acquainted with each other when he requested me to permit him to publish one of my
should limit the consumption of resources and follow the principle of sus- graphic works on Tigers which I had uploaded on my profile on a social networking site in Expressions.
tainability.
I finally got to meet the young icare team at Dolmaar Resorts near Nainital where we all got together
This lack of nature experience among young people is not only a problem for the launch of the ‘Wild Tuskers Society’. Yudi, as I fondly call him, along with his young team came
for the promotion of an environmentally sound policy but it can even make upon my invitation to cover the event.
them ill: Nature Deficit Disorder, a term coined by the American Richard
Louv in his 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods”, refers to the alleged trend These lovers of wildlife and environment instantly gelled with my team and I got to learn more about
that children are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of icare and Expressions. I must applaud them for the amazing work they’re doing by publishing young
behavioural problems. wildlife photographers, conservationists and activists in this magazine. With a team that is a perfect
combination of youth, intelligence, enthusiasm and a cause that needs urgent attention, these boys and
To shortly summarize all this: Let the kids experience nature and provide their organization are destined to go a long way.
opportunities for students to organize environmental actions!

© EXPRESSIONS 2011 Haseeb Shaikh

A wildlife enthusiast who works as a graphic designer
in Baroda (Gujrat). He is also a numismatist and pursues
Arabic and Urdu calligraphy as serious hobbies.
24 25
expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions
PHOTO AT HOME YOU SHOULD BE DANCING PHOTOPHOTO
STORY
STORY STORY

AY AAN V A I D
Ayaan is a wildlife enthusiast and a budding photog-
rapher. His parents, both wildlife enthusiasts intro-
duced him to the marvels of nature very early in his
life. He learned the tricks behind photographing na-
ture from his Dad, a wildlife photographer himself. He
loves being in the wild and quotes, “Forests should
be saved so that our animals can get a chance to live
freely, as we do.” TEQUILA SUNRISE
26 27
expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions
PHOTOSTORY
PHOTO PHOTO
STORY STORY

EYE OF THE TIGER

MY BACKYARD photos by AYAAN VAID

28 29
expressions JANUARY 2011 JANUARY 2011 expressions

G R E AT P O W E R
GREAT E R R E S P O NS IB ILITY
“I would feel more optimistic about a bright
future for man if he spent less time proving
that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting
her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
E. B. White, 1977
Environment! Wildlife!
Conservation!
Sustainable development!
A
slew of words is being heatedly bandied about today generat-
ing a variety of responses from a wide cross section of people.
Some don’t care or may well think it’s fashionable to get on the
‘buzzword bandwagon’ while others think it fit to discuss these issues,
and venture their opinions, from the comfort of their air-conditioned
drawing rooms or sundry other venues.
Yet, others, I am very happy to say, are follow- iCARE is celebrating it’s first anniversary in Jan-
ing the proverbial adage and ‘putting their money uary, 2011! Hearty congratulations to this en-
where their mouth is!’ terprising young team, which is demonstrating
great power and greater responsibility through
I am talking about iCARE, a Dehradun group, their proactive stance!
founded by Yudhishter Puran Singh. iCARE is a
youth-based organization, working towards cre- Spanning the centuries, India has an ancient
ating a beautiful and sustainable future by pro- track record of stressingthe import of ecologi-
moting community involvement and educational cal harmony through it’s venerated scriptures as
outreach. They believe that conserving our natu- well as it’s various religious traditions.
ral and cultural heritage is of paramount impor-
tance and that there is an urgent need for us to * “The Vedic Hymn to the Earth, the Prithvi Sukta
be conscious of our relationship with nature and in Atharva Veda, is unquestionably the oldest and
to change our perception such that the interac- the most evocative environmental invocation. In
tions between us and our environment becomes it, the Vedic seer solemnly declares the enduring
mutually rewarding.
30
expressions JANUARY 2011
filial allegiance of humankind to Mother Earth:
‘Mata Bhumih Putroham Prithivyah: Earth
is my mother, I am her son.’ Mother Earth is
celebrated for all her natural bounties and par-
ticularly for her gifts of herbs and vegetation. Her
blessings are sought for prosperity in all endeav-
ours and fulfilment of all righteous aspirations. A
covenant is made that humankind shall secure
the Earth against all environmental trespass and
shall never let her be oppressed. A soul-stirring
prayer is sung in one of the hymns for the pres-
ervation and conservation of hills, snow-clad
mountains, and all brown, black and red earth,
unhurt, unsmitten, unwounded, unbroken and
well defended by Indra.
That everything around us is a manifestation of
Brahma and reverence of all living things as cre-
ations of God are well known precepts in Hindu-
ism. The importance of maintaining the balance
of nature by taking only what you need and the
interconnectedness of all life forms, are also in-
tegral beliefs.
Buddhism and Jainism, perhaps as much, if not
more, than any other traditions, reject the notion
of humankind as the exclusive centre of life and
existence.
The Jain code of conduct,through ahimsa, is
distinctly ecological. By not killing or destroying
plants or animals one can help to maintain the
ecological balance.
Buddhism also propagates ahimsa, simple living
in harmony with all creatures and the intercon-
nectedness of all life.
*Singhvi, Laxmi Mall. “ENVIRONMENTAL WISDOM IN ANCIENT INDIA.” Earth Friendly Products, Organic Gifts, Organic
Products, Natural Products, Eco-friendly, Greentailing, Non Toxic, Green Guide, Sustainable, Recycled, Hemp, Solar. Web.
23 Dec. 2010. <http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/eastgreen.htm>
COVER STORY
a ksh a y
Closer to modern times, Gandhiji exhorted -
• “What we are doing to the forests of the world
is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to
ourselves and to one another.”
• “The earth provides enough to satisfy every
man’s need but not every man’s greed.”
• “The future depends on what you do today.”
• “Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is
very important that you do it.”
Unfortunately, we seem to have forgotten these
ancient and wise injunctions, in our path towards
‘economic progress.’ Man is considered the
most ‘intelligent’ of all life forms. However, as
we can clearly see, Man is also the only life form
that brings the ravages of selfishness and greed
to bear upon the earth. I am not suggesting
that economic activity be halted in the name of
conserving the environment. However, we are
now at the point where we are exploiting natural
resources faster than they can be regenerated.
What happens when the last tree iscut down?
When we have extracted/used up the last natural
resource?
31
JANUARY 2011 expressions
COVER STORY COVER STORY

A natural balance must be maintained. To ex-
ploit all that the earth has to offer, blindly, is not
Man’s God given right. “We do not inherit the
world from our ancestors, we borrow it from
our children,” as the Native American proverb
says. It behoves us to pause and think about the
future.
It is a grim scenario that faces us today. Air,
water and noise pollution, climate change, de-
forestation, poaching of wildlife and mining-
continue all around us. In addition to greed,
corruption, apathy and rapid, unsustainable in-
dustrialization, the legally appointed guardians
of our environment, too, seem to be snoozing
on the job. There is little sense of urgency, or
commitment….despite all.
Which brings us to Gandhiji’s, “Be the change
that you wish to see in the world.” iCARE was
born because of a proactive mindset. Since it’s
inception, iCARE has initiated and/or been in-
volved in various environmental conservation/
awareness programs and campaigns. These
have included widespread tree plantation, edu-
cational programs in schools and colleges, and
energy conservation among others. Organising
seminars, campaigns and projects this enthusi-
astic, energetic and motivated team is doing an
amazing and critical job. They take their goal of
creating awareness, very seriously and are go-
ing all out to spread the word as far and wide
as possible. While iCARE is essentially a Doon
based organization, I am delighted that they
are going all out to have a far greater reach.
Collaboration with schools and colleges across
many cities has also been an integral part of
their agenda.
iCARE’s approach is directly in keeping with the
beliefs delineated by the UN for working with
youth. I quote from the website/charter of Youth
and the United Nations, as the way forward -
“The deterioration of the natural environment is
one of the principal concerns of young people
world wide as it has direct implications for their
well-being both now and in the future. The natu-
ral environment must be maintained and pre-
served for both present and future generations.
The causes of environmental degradation must
be addressed. The environmentally friendly use
of natural resources and environmentally sus-
tainable economic growth will improve human
life. Sustainable development has become a key
element in the programmes of youth organiza-
tions throughout the world. While every seg-
ment of society is responsible for maintaining
the environmental integrity of the community,
young people have a special interest in main-
taining a healthy environment because they will
be the ones to inherit it.
Proposals for action
Integration of environmental education and
training into education and training programmes
Emphasis should be given in school curricula to
environmental education. Training programmes
should be provided to inform teachers of the en-
vironmental aspects of their subject-matter and to
enable them to educate youth concerning envi-
ronmentally friendly habits.
The participation of youth groups in gathering en-
vironmental data and in understanding ecological
systems and actual environmental action should
be encouraged as a means of improving both
their knowledge of the environment and their per-
sonal engagement in caring for the environment.”
I believe it is the duty of each of us to do whatever
we can to help preserve and protect our fragile,
beloved earth. Not just because the survival of
the human race depends on this but for it’s sheer
wonder and natural beauty as well as the right of
all living things to co-existin the natural order of
things, interconnected as we all are.
While my personal passion is the majestic and
charismatic tiger and it’s conservation, I am a na-
ture and wildlife lover. I believe that the way for-
ward is by arming our youngsters of today, who
will be the guardians of our planet tomorrow, with
the knowledge and clear imperative of how cru-
cial it is to take care of our only home.
As a passionate “Earth warrior” (to borrow
Darryl Cherney’s phrase), I cannot but
commend the iCARE team for being so pro-
active. To start with, I love the name they
have chosen. To me, it immediately personalizes
and taps into the “I care” energy within each of us.
As a teacher of young children, I wholeheart-
edly endorse their mission. Awareness is key…..
among a host of key issues, yet a perfect start-
ing point! Not only is the educational part very
important but the subject itself is so child friendly
that willy-nilly the ‘environmental club’ will collect
many more members, so urgently needed.
While it is an uphill battle and, at times the odds
seem insurmountable, it is the motivation, enthu-
siasm and action of teams like iCARE that are the
hope for a brighter tomorrow. For the planet and
for us!
As Mahatma Gandhi said – “You
may never know what results
come of your actions but if you do
nothing there will be no results.”
Hearty congratulations, Team
icare
© EXPRESSIONS 2011

It is a grim scenario that faces us today. Air, water and noise pollu-
tion, climate change, deforestation, poaching of wildlife and mining Hema Maira
She is based in New Delhi and has been teaching primary students for
continue all around us.In addition to greed, corruption, apathy and
the last 30 years. She is a passionate nature and wildlife lover. She feels
rapid, unsustainable industrialization, the legally appointed guard- exceedingly concerned about the state of our environment today and
ians of our environment, too, seem to be snoozing on the job. is committed to doing whatever she can to help preserve it.

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EXPRESSIONS’ COFFEE EXPRESSIONS’ COFFEE
(E) How do Indian policies fare compared to those in other developing nations?
(SSB) As far as I can tell India made a start with the NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate

with Swetha Stora Change) and PAT, for domestic carbon credits which is going to be implemented. Though Indian
policies seem to fare better compared to the other developed countries, implementation of these
policies will be the main challenge.

Bashyam (E) Tell us about some local initiatives of which you’re a part. What changes have you helped bring
about?
(SSB) In the past one year of work with IYCN, we have taken up a lot of awareness campaigns and
held conferences for youth across the country. Some of the local initiatives we have started along
Swetha is a final year undergraduate student of Bachelor of Science with the usual plantations are- a waste management system in one of the slums in Hyderabad and
(Botany, Zoology and Chemistry) at St. Francis work on saving 5 degraded lakes in our city.
College for Women, Hyderabad, India.
The changes that I am proud of bringing about are making my college one of the most green col-
leges in the country by installing a waste management system, converting all the light bulbs to
CFLs, improving the biodiversity on campus and starting an organic farm on campus where we
She has been a member of the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) for a year now and grow vegetables. Along with that I am delighted that I was successful in convincing a shopkeeper
through this organisation she received an opportunity to participate in the United Nations near my house to stop giving plastic covers and promote cloth bags.
Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen (COP15) as an Indian youth delegate. This
year, she guided her College to participate in an International Clean energy competition (E) Give us a step-by-step approach of how you’d tackle environmental problems in India keeping
called the Great Power Race which helped her college go green in several ways and even in mind that the solutions should be practical and actionable.
won it the second position in India and the award for the Most Creative College among
(SSB) The environmental problem in India cannot be solved in a day or two. It would require a
colleges from the three participating countries. She was also one of the main organizers of
lot of awareness work by a lot of people in our country. The important step according to me is a
the 10/10/10 work party in Hyderabad along with other members of IYCN. They worked
change in the attitude of people. You need to think about the consequences of your actions rather
on five degraded lakes in Hyderabad and helped improvise them besides helping out with
than just your luxury. It needs to be a collective effort and not something an individual or a group
the nearby communities.
can achieve. I would like to tackle the environmental problem by first making “going green” it the
trendiest thing. This should go a long way according to me as we all love to be “cool”. This may
EXPRESSIONS (E):Tell us about some innovations in clean energy that have excited you, with a focus
be followed by making sure every company have minimum carbon emissions and anything above
on India.
this should be penalized by making the employees do green work. These are just few ideas I have.
SWETHA STORA BASHYAM (SSB): Some of the innovations I like are the Nisarguna developed
by BARC, this is an effective organic waste to energy convertor, desulpharizing coal with natural © EXPRESSIONS 2011
micro organisms and the small vertical axis wind turbines. A lot of interesting work is also being
done under carbon sequestration as well.
India has a lot of amazing small scale clean energy industries which have great potential in the
green industry. Few of my favorites which I have been able to implement are the small steps bags,
which are made to prevent the use of plastic covers and the Palm leaf plates, which can substitute
the disposable plastic and paper plates.

(E) What are the problems that you see in global policies regarding env conservation?
(SSB) The most basic problem is that negotiators and policy makers fail to see the gravity of the cli-
mate scenario. They are fighting for a development which we as the future generation don’t agree
with. Climate change needs to be seen as a serious problem and not just for through the carbon
trading prospective.
The transfer of clean energy technology to the developed countries is also something that needs to
be looked into.

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 ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Many countries have, in signing the accord, prom- chief economist, Fatih Birol, is “too good to be be-
ised actions that will or should reduce carbon lieved”. Every signatory of the Copenhagen accord
emissions. In the World Energy Outlook, recently would have to hit the top of its range of commit-
published by the International Energy Agency, an ments. That would provide a worldwide rate of de-
assessment of these promises forms the basis of a carbonisation (reduction in carbon emitted per unit
“new policies scenario” for the next 25 years (see of GDP) twice as large in the decade to come as in
chart 1). According to the IEA, the scenario puts the one just past: 2.8% a year, not 1.4%. Mr Birol
the world on course to warm by 3.5°C by 2100. For notes that the highest annual rate on record is 2.5%,
comparison, the difference in global mean tempera- in the wake of the first oil shock.
Facing the consequences ture between the pre-industrial age and the ice ages
was about 6°C.
Global action is not going to stop climate change. The world needs
to look harder at how to live with it. The IEA also looked at what it might take to hit a But for the two-degree scenario 2.8% is just the be-
two-degree target; the answer, says the agency’s ginning; from 2020 to 2035 the rate of decarbonisa-
ON NOVEMBER 29th representatives of countries
from around the world will gather in Cancún, Mexi-
co, for the first high-level climate talks since those in
Copenhagen last December. The organisers hope the
meeting in Mexico, unlike the one in Denmark, will
be unshowy but solid, leading to decisions about fi-
nance, forestry and technology transfer that will leave
the world better placed to do something about global
warming. Incremental progress is possible, but con-
tinued deadlock is likelier. What is out of reach, as at
Copenhagen, is agreement on a plausible programme
for keeping climate change in check.

The world warmed by about 0.7°C in the 20th century.

Every year in this century has been warmer than all
but one in the last (1998, since you ask). If carbon-
dioxide levels were magically to stabilise where they
are now (almost 390 parts per million, 40% more
than before the industrial revolution) the world would
probably warm by a further half a degree or so as
the ocean, which is slow to change its temperature,
caught up. But CO2 levels continue to rise. Despite
20 years of climate negotiation, the world is still on
an emissions trajectory that fits pretty easily into the
“business as usual” scenarios drawn up by the Inter-
governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The Copenhagen accord, a non-binding document

which was the best that could be salvaged from the
summit, talks of trying to keep the world less than 2°C
warmer than in pre-industrial times—a level that is
rather arbitrarily seen as the threshold for danger.

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ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
tion needs to double again, to 5.5%. Though they are on adaptation to climate change—finding ways to
unwilling to say it in public, the sheer improbability of live with scarcer water, higher peak temperatures,
such success has led many climate scientists, cam- higher sea levels and weather patterns at odds with The three-degree difference
paigners and policymakers to conclude that, in the those under which today’s settled patterns of farm-
words of Bob Watson, once the head of the IPCC and ing developed—are starting to see their day in the In a late 21st-century world 3°C warmer than any subsidence is often coupled with a lessened sup-
now the chief scientist at Britain’s Department for uncomfortably hot sun. That such measures cannot the pre-industrial norm, what changes are most ply of replenishing sediment, which is often trapped
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, “Two degrees protect everyone from all harm that climate change marked? Start with the coldest bits. Arctic summer upstream by irrigation, hydropower production and
is a wishful dream.” may bring does not mean that they should be ig- sea ice goes, allowing more shipping and mining, flood-control projects. One estimate puts 8.7m more
The fight to limit global warming to easily tolerated nored. On the contrary, they are sorely needed. removing a landscape of which indigenous peoples people at risk of flooding in deltas by 2050 if sea
levels is thus over. Analysts who have long worked were once an integral part. Permafrost warms up, level follows current trends.
and infrastructure built on it founders. Most moun-
tain glaciers shrink; some disappear. Winter snows Tropical cyclones, which account for much of the
melt more quickly, and the risks of spring floods anddamage the sea does to the land, may become less
Public harms summer water shortages on the rivers they feed in- frequent. But the share of the most destructive—cat-
crease. egory 4 and category 5 hurricanes—seems likely to
Many of these adaptations are the sorts of thing— Its frequently private and slightly blurry nature is not increase. And bigger storms do disproportionately
moving house, improving water supply, sowing dif- the only reason why adaptation has been margin- Sea level rises, though by how much is hard to say greater damage.
ferent seeds—that people will do for themselves, alised. The green pressure groups and politicians (see chart 2). Some of the rise will be predictable, In warmer oceans, coral bleaching triggered by tem-
given a chance. This is one reason why adaptation who have driven the debate on climate change have in that oceans expand as they get warmer. Some, perature stress will be more common. This is bad
has not been the subject of public debate in the same often been loth to see attention paid to adaptation, though, will depend on the behaviour of the Green- for fishing and tourism but not necessarily fatal to
way as reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions on the ground that the more people thought about it, all the reefs: bleached reefs may be recolonised
from industry and deforestation have. But even if a the less motivated they would be to push ahead with by new corals. Reefs may also face damage from
lot of adaptation will end up being done privately, it isemissions reduction. Talking about adaptation was ocean acidification, an effect of higher CO2 levels
also a suitable issue for public policy. for many years like farting at the dinner table, says rather than of warming, as may other ecosystems,
an academic who has worked on adaptation over the though the size of the impacts is uncertain. In warm-
For a start, some forms of adaptation—flood bar- past decade. Now that the world’s appetite for emis- er oceans nutrients in deeper water will be less eas-
riers, for instance—are clearly public goods, best sions reduction has been revealed to be chronically ily recycled to the surface, which may lead to lower
supplied through collective action. Adaptation will weak, putting people off dinner is less of a problem. biological productivity overall.
require redistribution, too. Some people and com-
munities are too poor to adapt on their own; and if Another reason for taking adaptation seriously is that On land, wet places, such as much of South-East
emissions caused by the consumption of the rich im- it is necessary now. Events such as this year’s dev- Asia, are likely to get wetter, and dry places, such
poses adaptation costs on the poor, justice demands astating floods in Pakistan make it obvious that the as much of southern Africa and the south-western
recompense. world has not adapted to the climate it already has, United States, drier. In northern climes some land
be it man-made or natural. Even if the climate were will become more suitable for farming as springs
Furthermore, policymakers’ neat division of the topic not changing, there would be two reasons to worry come sooner, whereas in the tropics and subtrop-
of climate change into mitigation, impact and adap- about its capacity to do more harm than before. One ics some marginal land will become barely inhabit-
tation is too simplistic. Some means of adaptation is that it varies a lot naturally and the period over able. These places may be large sources of migra-
can also act as mitigation; a farming technique which which there are good global climate records is short land and West Antarctic ice caps, which cannot be tion. Such effects are already visible in, for example,
helps soil store moisture better may well help it store compared with the timescale on which some of that predicted with any certainty. Less than half a metre the large part of the population of Côte d’Ivoire who
carbon too. Some forms of adaptation will be hard to variability plays out. People thus may be ignoring the by 2100 would be a lucky break; a metre-plus is pos- come from Burkina Faso.
distinguish from the sort of impact you would rather worst that today’s climate can do, let alone tomor- sible; more than two is very unlikely, but possible
avoid. Mass migration is a good way of adapting if row’s. The other is that more lives, livelihoods and later.
the alternative is sitting still and starving; to people property are at risk, even if hazards do not change,
who live where the migrants turn up it may look aw- as a result of economic development, population Even as the waters rise, many coasts will be sinking Increases in average temperature will be less no-
fully like an unwelcome impact. growth and migration to coasts and floodplains. because of the subsidence that follows as cities suck ticeable than those in extremes. According to a
up groundwater. Deltas are doubly damned, since comparison of over 20 climate models, by 2050 the

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ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
probability of a summer warmer than the warmest yet recorded will be between 10% and 50% in much of
the world. By 2090 it will be 90% in many places (see map).
Watching the weather
People will also have to contend with unpredictable
shifts in weather patterns. Many models say the fac-
tors that give rise to the Indian monsoon are likely to
weaken. The strength of the rainfall within it, though,
is likely to rise, because the air will be warmer, and
warmer air can hold more water. No one can say
are you going to trust? Decisions about adaptation
will be made in conditions of pervasive uncertainty.
So the trick will be to find ways of adapting to many
possible future climates, not to tailor expectations to
one future in particular.
Even then, adaptation can help only up to a point.

London versus the ocean

how these two trends will play out. Similar uncer- A 2009 review of the cost of warming to the global
tainties dog predictions about the great slopping of economy suggests that as much as two-thirds of the
warmth back and forth across the Pacific known as total cannot be offset through investment in adap-
El Niño and other climatic oscillations. In general, tation, and will be felt through higher prices, lower
the closer you want to get to firm statements about growth and misery regardless. But adaptation can
what is likely to happen, the less adequate current still achieve a lot.
climate science is revealed to be.
The best starting point for adaptation is to be rich.
It is tempting to imagine that adaptation decisions It is not foolproof: not even the rich can buy off
might wait for models that can provide greater cer- all hazards, and rich countries and individuals will
tainty about what might happen where. This is a make poor decisions. The need to restrict farming
forlorn hope. Faster computers and new modelling with subsidised water in a drier south-western Unit-
techniques might well provide more details and finer ed States does not mean that the political means of
distinctions. But they will not necessarily be more doing so will be found before damage is done. But
accurate, or capable of being shown to be so: if dif- wealth buys information (a lot of people are studying
ferent models become more precise and as a result what to do in the south-west) and it opens up op-
their disagreements grow rather than shrink, which tions. Resources help people adapt both before the

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ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
fact, by reducing risks, and after it, by aiding recov- make people more realistically wary of coasts and thresholds for maize (corn), soya and cotton, Amer- extra farmland roughly as big as Russia. In that it
ery from harm. floodplains. Public-health systems are another: in ica’s largest crops by value. One extremely hot day, avoids deforestation, intensification is one of a num-
Wealth can create hedges against the effects of cli- better-off countries these did far more to reduce the their model suggests, can cut annual productivity by ber of adaptation strategies which also help mitiga-
mate change, even if they are not conceived of as effects of malaria in the 20th century than warming 7%. Applying their findings to models of a world with tion.
such. Insurance markets are a case in point, though did to worsen them. Economic development should unabated emissions, they found yield declines of 63-
they have flaws: a lack of relevant history makes see improvements in health care that will, in aggre- 82% by the end of the century, with hefty drops even Successful adaptation will require not just expanded
evolving risks hard to price, and government poli- gate, swamp the specific infectious-disease threats in the relatively clement first half. research into improved crop yields and tolerance of
cies often dampen the signals that would otherwise associated with climate change. temperature and water scarcity, but also research
This study, like many, made no provision for CO2 into new ways of managing pests, improving and
fertilisation. The question of how to do so is vexed. If conserving soil, cropping patterns and crop-man-
The indiscreet charm of being loaded plants grow in chambers with high concentrations of
CO2, yields rise a lot (which is why tomato farmers
agement techniques that add resilience. Such re-
search—and its application—will make it more
Rich countries can also afford big, expensive pro- in his book, “Climatopolis”, the politics of such huge and others use CO2 in their greenhouses). More re- likely that enough food for 9 billion people can be
jects. Studies suggest that although much of the and hugely costly engineering might prove difficult. alistic experiments using carefully contrived sprays grown in a three-degrees-hotter world without much
Netherlands lies below sea level or is at risk of river New Amsterdam does not have the attitudes of old of CO2 upwind of crops show a much lower bonus. of the planet’s remaining uncultivated land or pas-
flooding, the Dutch can view the prospect of a rising Amsterdam. Remarkably, experiments like this, which provide the tures coming under the plough.
sea level with a certain equanimity, at least for their nearest analogues to what the world may be like in a
own land. Plans outlined in 2008 to deal with a rise of Poor countries will often lack the financial means, few decades’ time, are carried out in only a handful If yields cannot be improved sufficiently, though,
more than two metres by 2200, as well as increased technical expertise or political institutions necessary of places. None regularly looks at tropical crops. desperation may lead to more wilderness being up-
winter flow along the Rhine and Meuse rivers, put for such endeavours. Yet they are often at increased rooted or burned. A headlong rush for biofuels might
the cost of holding at bay the worst flood expected risk, principally because they are usually more de- Against the uncertainty over thresholds and CO2 fer- have similar effects. This would be one of those ad-
for 10,000 years at €1 billion-2 billion ($1.5 billion-3 pendent on farming than rich countries, and no oth- tilisation must be weighed farmers’ ability to adapt to aptations to climate change that looked a lot like
billion) a year for a century. That is easily affordable. er human activity is so intimately bound up with the change and improve yields. Despite many warnings an adverse impact. Faster loss of species is highly
weather. Crops are sensitive to changes in patterns of doom, yields of arable crops have grown remark- likely in many ecosystems as a result of warming;
Other rich coastal areas have considered similar of rainfall and peak temperature, as well as to aver- ably in the past half-century. Among other things, greatly expanding farmlands will make this worse. It
commitments. The Marina Barrage offers Singapore age temperature and precipitation; so are the pests this intensification of farming has saved a great deal will also add to the fundamental problem, as clearing
some protection against floods, as well as improving and diseases that attack them. of wilderness from the plough: to feed today’s popu- forests releases greenhouse gases.
its ability to store fresh water. London has its Thames In its 2007 assessment, the IPCC’s picture of agricul- lation with 1960’s yields would require an area of
Barrier, first imagined after floods in 1953. The bar- ture in a warmer world was one of two halves. In low
rier was intended to deal with the worst flood ex- latitudes higher temperatures are likely to shorten Keeping the poor always with us
pected over a millennium or more. That period looks growing seasons and stress plants in other ways. In
more testing now than when the barrier was built, high latitudes, if warming is moderate, growing sea- Even if the world contrives to keep feeding itself with- ties and planting patterns. They will often prefer sur-
but Britain’s Met Office thinks the barrier, combined sons are expected to lengthen and yields to rise, in out too much ecosystem damage, many of those de- er chances but lower yields. Worse, in bad weather
with other measures, is pretty much fit for purpose part because raised CO2 levels aid photosynthesis. pendent on agriculture or in poverty could still suffer a whole region’s crops suffer together.
for this century. a great deal. Regional droughts could wreak havoc,
The IPCC thus sees agriculture as being not too bad- with bad ones causing global surges in food prices. Here as elsewhere, there is a role for insurance to
ly affected by 2°C of warming, as long as you stick to transfer and spread the risks. Marshall Burke of
New York might, in principle, protect itself against global averages. Above that (probably towards the Many of the millions of poor farming households in the University of California, Berkeley, a specialist in
a hurricane-driven storm surge on top of a higher end of the century) things look bad. Some think they poor countries, who make up the bulk of the world’s climate impacts, argues that the best agricultural-
sea level with a much more massive set of barri- look bad well before that. One worry is that a lot of agricultural labour force if not its agricultural output, insurance options for developing countries will pay
ers that could seal the Verrazano Narrows and the harm may be done if temperatures breach certain already face more variable weather than farmers out not when crops fail (which reduces incentives for
smaller spans of Throgs Neck, at the base of Long thresholds even briefly. A fine-grained analysis of in temperate countries do. That and a lack of social the farmer) but when specific climatic events occur,
Island Sound, and the Arthur Kill, west of Staten Is- historical data from the United States by Wolfram safety-nets makes most of them highly risk-averse, such as rainfall of less than a set level. But getting
land. However, as Matthew Kahn, an economist at Schlenker of Columbia University and Michael Rob- which further limits their ability to undertake some farmers to invest in such schemes, even with small
the University of California, Los Angeles, points out erts of North Carolina State University found such adaptation strategies, such as changing crop varie- premiums, is hard. It also requires finding reinsur-

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ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
ance for the local insurer, because there is a sub-Saharan agriculture in Africa not seen else- is obscure: it may simply be that overheated harder to grasp. Action on climate bleeds into
high chance of a lot of claims coming in at once. where, which is not perhaps surprising given people work less hard. That can be seen either more general development measures.
What’s more, actuarial accounts of future cli- the huge effect of the 1980s droughts across the as adaptation or as a worrying impact, slowing
mate risk are necessarily speculative and error- Sahel. down the economic growth which is the surest The poorest countries all have wish-lists for ad-
prone. A downside to urbanisation is that cities are hot- foundation for other, more positive adaptations. aptation funding, drawn up in the UN climate-
ter than the surrounding countryside, creating If climate change does slow poor countries’ convention process of which the Copenhagen
Farmers may be cheered by the thought that what meteorologists call “urban heat islands”. growth rates, the onus on rich ones to help will and Cancún meetings are part. Money and
food prices are likely to rise. For poor farm- But there are ways of dealing with this. More be even larger. This was recognised to some ex- know-how are essential, but so is example.
ers, who spend much of their income on food, greenery in a city, spread through streets and tent in the Copenhagen accord, which proposed Rich countries can show, through their own pro-
this is a mixed blessing, especially if higher fre- over roofs, means more cooling as water evap- that $100 billion a year should flow from north grammes for flood defence, zoning laws, sew-
quencies of drought make prices more volatile orates from leaves; the bits which are not green to south by 2020, to be split between invest- erage and so on that adaptation must be part of
too. For poor people more generally, it is even can be painted white, to reflect sunlight. ments in mitigation and adaptation. But whereas the mainstream of political and economic life,
worse news. investments in mitigation are fairly easy to un- not an eccentric and marginal idea. Adaptation
And cities have intrinsic advantages. City dwell- derstand—build windmills not coal-fired power by and for the poor alone is likely to be poor
Even if prices are higher, crops more resilient ers’ emissions per person tend to be lower, and stations, and so on—those in adaptation are adaptation.
and insurance more readily available, abandon- the more planners can do to increase popula-
ing the farm may be the way many farmers tion density the better. Protecting a single port Reused with permission from The Economist.
choose to adapt. It may be prudent even before city from floods is easier than protecting a simi- http://www.economist.com/node/17572735?story_id=17572735
the fact. Paul Collier, Gordon Conway and Tony lar population spread out along a coastline of
Venables, three British development specialists, fishing villages (though when things go wrong
have suggested that attempts to provide antici- disasters can be correspondingly larger and
patory help to poor African farmers could be harder to address). Cities have higher rates of
badly overdone. Better to encourage them into innovation and of developing new businesses,
cities and to reform labour markets, restrictions business models and social strategies, formal or
on the opening and closing of firms and so forth informal.
in ways that will help them earn money.
Ideally, there would be opportunities to move
More than half the world’s people live in cities to cities in other countries, too; the larger the
already. Three-quarters or more may do so by region in which people can travel, the easier
mid-century. Encouraging this trend further, at it is to absorb migrants from struggling areas.
least in some places, may be a useful way of This is one reason why adaptation is easier for
reducing the economy’s exposure to climate large countries or integrated regions. Within the
change. Statistical analyses by Salvador Barrios EU, Greeks and Italians will be better placed to
of the European Union’s Joint Research Centre move to cooler climes than inhabitants of simi-
and his colleagues suggest that climate change larly sized countries elsewhere.
is already a factor in African urbanisation. A
related study shows strong climate effects on

Powers of example
The cost of all this adaptation is hard to judge—
and is another area where adaptation and im-
pact become confused. Melissa Dell of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her
colleagues argue that in developing countries
GDP growth has been lower in hotter years than
in cooler ones. This may carry over into longer-
term increases in temperature. The mechanism

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 icare THE JOURNEY SO FAR
Green Campaign December 2009
Our green initiatives received a truly heartwarming response from the youth of Doon
Not only did we increase awareness about our organisation and the cause it
espouses, we gave many enthusiastic students an opportunity to discover their
hidden talents, have fun and achieve something substantial doing tie-ups with
committed organizations. Hence, we managed to create valuable opportunities
for the youth to to contribute in their own special way to Doon.
Green Campaign:
It all started when, one morning, curious about the kind of response he’d get,
Yudhishter decided to do a small campaign which involved school students and
teachers. On 5th Dec 2009, which is also International Volunteer Day, icare
asked the school community to step up to the occasion and express, in any form,
their support for the global cause. At the end of the day, the students, in large
numbers numbers produced many valuable slogans, posters and articles.
Green Exhibition:
Our next initiative was to organize an exhibition to showcase the creative talents
of students. We invited a number of guests to the exhibition who witnessed a
number of unique creations. The students were thrilled by the appreciation.
48
expressions JANUARY 2011
icare
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
Save the trees drive:
Soon after the exhibition ended, we enlisted a few students to become actively
involved in our efforts. One particular day, the students read a newspaper clip-
ping which claimed that some 20 trees were to be axed soon. This perturbed
them greatly and they got in touch with us. That is how the Save the Trees cam-
paign started. Eventually, over 2000 signatures were collected during the course
of our campaign.
Green Seminar
December’s much-discussed Copenhagen Climate Change Summit prompted us
to organize a green conference for the students of the academy. The objective
was to give them a chance to interact with the people who matter: we had invited
Uttarakhand Environmental protection and pollution control board officials for a
conversation. The event was a resounding success.
icare’s Official Launch January 2010
In order to commemorate its official launch, icare, in association with the students
of theDehradun Hills Academy conducted a seminar as well as an exhibition for
the cause of the environment. Padma Shree recipient Dr. Anil P Joshi, founder of
the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation was the
chief guest for the occasion.
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 icare
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
Plantation Drives April - May 2010
with graphic era university
Students of Graphic Era University and Dehradun Hills Academy along with
members of icare initiated a tree plantation programme on the premises of
the academy. This plantation drive was a component of icare’s enterprise to
reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere, thereby providing a cleaner, healthier
environment for the people to live in. During the programme, 52 trees were
planted in the academy as well as in the adjoining village.
with IMSI India Private Limited and other colleges
Volunteers from icare, in association with a corporate firm, IMSI India Private
Limited, launched a tree plantation drive in Dehradun during which about
500 saplings were planted. The participating institutions included Dehradun
Hills Academy, Graphic Era University, University for Petroleum and Energy
Studies, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy, Beverly Hills and The Hilton School.
Expressions E-Magazine Launched June 2010
icare’s official environmental e-magazine, Expressions, was previewed at a
launch-cum-exhibition in Doon. Deepak Bhardwaj, the President of the Na-
tional Real Estate Development Council (Uttarakhand chapter) was the Chief
Guest. The magazine, since its first issue in June 2010 has had a hugely suc-
cessful run and now has a readership of almost 1500 readers. It is an open
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icare
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
platform for students, environmenatlists and scholars to voice their opinions. Its
aim is to increase awareness about the problems plaguing our environment and
supplement as well as promote the work icare does.
Plant for the Future Campaign July - October 2010
As the name suggests it was a campaign promoting the planting of trees by in-
volving the youth (mostly from schools and colleges). The campaign reiterated
the need for the youth to take stock of the situation and ensure that the seeds for
a greener and sustainable future are planted. The campaign saw active par-
ticipation from various educational institutions such as the the Doon International
School, Carman School, Sunrise Academy, Beverly Hills, KV Bhel, Graphic Era
University and UPES
Seminar on Energy Conservation &
Uttarakhand Nimbu Amla Festial November 2010
The Dehradun Chapter of the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air
Conditioning (ISHRAE) in association with its partner iCare conducted a seminar
on the ‘Recent trends in Energy Conservation’. It was a proud moment for icare
and ISHRAE as a memorandum of understanding (MoE) was signed between the
two organizations to promote environmental awareness amongst the students of
the Valley. The event was presided over by former Ambassador to Canada and
other countries, Dr. Rakesh Shankar.
icare also organised the Uttarakhand Nimbu Amla festival to commemorate the
International Bio-diversity year 2010, in association with other organizations.
The aim of the function was to increase awareness about biodiversity and further
the cause of environmental protection.
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 icare
member profile
The People who really matter
Yudhishter Puran Singh founder
Yudhishter is an educationist with a vision working
towards sustainable development with a focus on
the need to integrate ‘eco- awareness’ and ‘cog-
nitive learning’ ultimately leading to responsible
leadership and enlightened lifestyles.
Growing up in the Suswa River Valley, he became
involved in environmental outdoor activities like re-
cycling, waste land tree planting and campaigning
for involvement of children in local issues from an
early age. He is a commerce graduate from Mum-
bai University with a clear understanding of what
is the‘need of the hour’ and has set up ‘icare’, Doon
valley’s first youth based pro-active organization.
For the organization’s e-magazine ‘Expressions’ he most often writes about
ideas and products that can help us all be a little greener and live a little bet-
ter. He believes in human ingenuity and the power of positive thinking, that the
demo cratic process works when everyone engages in it, and that we should
all vote with our wallets and our actions. Yudhishter believes everyone can do
some thing every single day to make the world a better place.
He is a sports enthusiast & a great fan of Premier League football, music and
youth motivation, and believes that they all have a place in our greener world
and are a great way to engage a mainstream audi ence in a greener lifestyle.
He is also the secretary of Dehradun Hills Academy, an educational institution
affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education New Delhi, situated
along the Rajaji National park in Dehradun.
He was recently felicitated with ‘The Priyadarshini Vriksh Mitra’ award by
HSDA (Human Service Development Association) for his work with youth organ-
izations in Uttarakhand.He can be reached at yudhishter@icarefordoon.org
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expressions JANUARY 2011
MEMBER’S PROFILE MEMBER PROFILE
icare
Pooja Bhatt public relations
Pooja is a design student currently studying in NIFT Banga-
lore. She’s a nature enthusiast and cares about the planet
and wants to prevent its deterioration. She loves music, cin-
ema, learning, art, ideas, reading, writing and so on. She also
loves meeting good interesting people, absorbing ideas and
joining pro-active groups, passionate people who want to do
something for the world. Pooja believes each one has an im-
portant role to play, an action that would ‘inspire’ others and
spread goodwill, above all, preserve humanity.
She can reached at Pooja_icare@live.in
Nupur Dobhal public relations
Nupur is a final year student at the University of Pe-
troleum and Energy Studies (UPES). She was born
in Dehradun and did her schooing from the Convent
of Jesus and Mary. She is deeply passionate about
restoring the beauty of Doon and can be reached at
nupur_icare@live.com
Akshay Madan creative head
Akshay has a degree in Software Engineering from the
Dehradun Institute of Technology and is currently work-
ing as a graphics and web designer. He wishes to tackle
and resolve the current environmental crisis plaguing the
planet. He heads the IT Team at icare and is also the
Creative Editor for Expressions. He can be reached at
akshaymadan@live.in
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JANUARY 2011 expressions
 icare MEMBER’S PROFILE
Shubhodeep Pal copy editor, Expressions
Shubhodeep is a final year student at the Singa-
pore Management University (SMU), Singapore. He
was born and educated in Dehradun and is deeply
passionate about conserving its beauty. He is almost
equally passionate about exploring beauty through
words. His first collection of poems, Interruptions,
was released by Ruskin Bond in 2009.
He can be reached at s@shubhodeep.com.
Karishma Gulati features editor, EXPRESSIONS
Karishma is a first year student at VIT University doing
B.Tech in computer science Engineering. Having been
brought up in army background, she has seen nature
in its most beautiful form in the cantonment of various
cities - something that inspires a want for a better and
cleaner (read survivable) world. She is also a keen
dancer, sportsperson and loves adventure.
She can be contacted at karishma_icare@live.in
Abhidheb Bhattacharya legal advisor
Abhidheb is a final year law student at the University of
Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun. He has
a keen interest in Environment and Energy Laws. A keen
debater, Adhideb, represented his school, St. Xavier’s, in
various state and national level competitions. He has also
participated in various national and international moot
court competitions.
He can be reached at adhidheb_icare@live.in
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expressions JANUARY 2011
MEMBER’S PROFILE icare
Ankit Srivastava legal advisor
Ankit is a final year law student at the University of Pe-
troleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun. He has a
keen interest in Environment and Oil and Gas Laws. An-
kit developed a keen interest in writing at an early age.
He has published several essays and articles in national
magazines such as Competition Success Review as well
as law journals. He can be contacted at
ankit_icare@live.in
Tushar Goel event co-ordinator
Tushar is a third year engineering student specializing in Pe-
troleum engineering from the University of Petroleum and
Energy Studies, Dehradun. He is a core member of the team
and in instrumental in not only planning but also organiz-
ing icare’s events. He is off the opinion that the youth must
be given the confidence and support they need to create
a better and sustainable tomorrow. He an be contacted at
tushar_icare@live.in
Harshal Mirchandani event co-ordinator
Harshal is a third year engineering student at theUniver-
sity of Petroleum and Energy Studies,Dehradun. He is a
core member of the team and plans as well as organises
icare’s events. He believes that it is critical for students
from over the world to be involved in the effort to save
our environment.
Harshal can be reached at harshal_icare@live.in
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IN THE NEWS
Over thousand wild animals killed in Madhya Pradesh
09 December 2010 17:08:02 by IANS ( 2 comments )
Bhopal, Dec 9 (IANS) Over a thousand wild animals, including seven tigers and 22 leopards, died
in Madhya Pradesh in the last four years even while Rs.100 crore were spent to conserve the wild
cat, according to the 2010 tiger census report.A staggering 1,017 wildlife animals lost their lives
from October 2007 to October 2010. These animals were tigers, leopards, bears, deer and Neelgai
(blue bulls).
The government said all the killed animals were poached and cases against 604 people have been
lodged for their slaughter. Madhya Pradesh has nine national parks and 25 wildlife sanctuaries
spread over a total of 10,862 sq km, constituting 3.52 percent of the state’s total area. The central
government launched “Project Tiger” in 1973. Kanha National Park was one of the first nine pro-
tected areas selected under the project in the country.
At present, the state has six Project Tiger areas. These are - Kanha, Panna, Bandhavgarh, Satpura,
Pench and Sanjay Dhubri. Madhya Pradesh contains 19 percent of India’s total tigers and ten per-
cent of the world’s tiger numbers. Every year, the central government allots over Rs.25 crore to
Madhya Pradesh in the name of wildlife animal conservation. According to the 2006 tiger census,
there were around 300 tigers and 3,000 leopards in Madhya Pradesh.
“There is fall in the poaching of wildlife animals but the small animals are an easy target of villagers.
It is not easy to stop them but still we are trying hard to control them,” said Forest Minister Sartaj
Singh.
Pasted from <http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/over-thousand-wild-animals-
killed-in-madhya-pradesh_100471745.html>
Mission Green
Rajiv Mahajan
He is just 21 and before shaping his career, he intends to do something for the cause of environ-
ment. SagarChopre, a youth from Parbhani in Maharashtra, is currently touring the country on his
bicycle, disseminating the message of environment conservation by growing more trees.
After touring Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, this
youth recently entered Nurpur, the gateway to Himachal Pradesh.
Sagar launched his cycle journey with a cause, which has gained momentum in the wake of global
warming, on Republic Day this year, from Jarri in Parbhani district (Maharashtra) and decided to
culminate his journey on the Republic Day next year, covering major cities and villages of all 28
states.
While entering the hill state, he told mediapersons that he was upset and wanted to do something
constructive for the cause of environment. “I am inspired by late Baba Amte and with strong family
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IN THE NEWS
support, I adopted farming. I personally experienced that climate change by and large affects the
farming community more,” he said, adding that he wanted to make people, especially youth, aware
of global warming and climate change and thus, initiated this journey across the country for spread-
ing the message to grow more trees and conserve environment. Interestingly, he did not accept
any sponsorship for this campaign.
Source: Tribune News Service
 
A voice for Indian youth at Copenhagen summit
Staff Reporter
The Hindu Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh along with the youth
delegation which will be part of Indian delegation for COP-15 The UN framework convention on cli-
mate change at Copenhagen. (from left) Deeksha Singh, RuchikaPokhriyal, AadyaDube and Ram-
shaSajid in New Delhi, on Friday. Photo: V. Sudershan
The Union Environment and Forests Ministry and WWF-India on Friday announced the names of
the four-member youth delegation that will be part of the India contingent at the climate change
summit in Copenhagen.
The four are –RamshaSajid (16) and AadyaDube (17) of Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School,
Bhopal; RuchikaPokhriyal (19) of AcharyaNarendraDev College, New Delhi; and Deeksha Singh
(20) of Patna Women’s College. They were selected through “PrithviRatna”, a national level essay
writing competition for youth on climate change.
The objective of the competition was to inculcate a sense of ecological citizenship among the youth
by providing them a platform to express their views. The winners will participate in the conference
beginning next week.
Eight other finalists will travel to Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand for an expedition.
Congratulating the delegates, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh
said: “This is first time that the youth have been included as part of an official delegation. I hope it
will not be the last. The signal that we are sending is that the Environment and Forests Ministry is
willing and looking forward to work with civil society and the younger generation. We want to work
with the younger generation and create a mass movement about protecting the environment and
taking responsibility.’’
The Minister said several programmes were being initiated along with WWF including saving of the
Gangetic dolphins, bio-diversity conservation and bringing in new and improved devices to catch
tiger poachers.
Excited and thrilled about being a part of the Indian delegation, the youth delegates said they were
looking forward to the trip. “As generation next we are most affected by climate change. We have
the most at stake if the world environment is not protected, so it only makes sense that we work
towards protecting it,’’ said RamshaSajid.
“The youth should be included in various programmes aimed at protecting the environment. There
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IN THE NEWS
are often a lot of talk about protecting the environment, but we are not able do to anything specific,’’
said AadyaDube.
Stressing that climate change isn’t a future calamity but is already happening, RuchikaPokhriyal
said: “The meeting at Copenhagen will give us an idea about how decisions are made and how the
entire world machinery functions.’’
Deeksha Singh said the trip will give the youth an opportunity to understand the implications of cli-
mate change and its far reaching effects. It’s time that the youth take on their responsibility towards
the environment and make an effort to save it.’’
Pasted from <http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article60174.ece>
Himachal farmers load guns for ‘Operation Monkey’
IANS, Dec 10, 2010, 07.45pm IST
SHIMLA: The man-animal conflict has turned ugly in Himachal Pradesh. Farmers in several vil-
lages have set aside their farm implements and loaded their guns -- to shoot down monkeys from
Friday as the simians have been destroying their crops and fruits.
Under ‘Operation Monkey’, hundreds of farmers have procured permits from the state wildlife
authority to kill the wild animals causing them losses, a move that has angered wildlife activists.
“More than 3,000 farmers across the state have managed to procure permits to kill the wild animals
- mainly monkeys, wild boar and blue bull. They will hunt the animals till Dec 23,” Kuldeep Singh
Tanwar, state convenor of farmers’ outfit KhetiBachaoSangharshSamiti (KBSS), told IANS.
However, wildlife officials claim that only selective killing of animals has been permitted.
“As per our information, less than 300 permits have been issued by the department till yesterday
(Thursday),” said Chief Wildlife Warden A.K. Gulati.
IN THE NEWS
But their decision to kill the animals has led to widespread criticism from animal protection groups.
“We will discourage any form of mass culling or the indiscriminate issuing of gun licenses. Himachal
Pradesh is also known as ‘DevBhoomi’ or land of gods. The state must uphold this tradition and
marry it with modern scientific tools of wildlife management,” said Arpan Sharma, a spokesperson
for Delhi-based Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations.
N.G. Jayasimha, US-based Humane Society’s campaign manager in India, said: “We urge the
farmers to be more humane to the animals.”
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal informed the state assembly Dec 6 that the monkey menace
had reached an alarming proportion and that the government had authorised the chief wildlife war-
den to allow their hunting along with the wild boar and the blue bull.
“To check their rising numbers, the government has sterilised 23,428 monkeys so far. The sterilised
monkeys were later released in their natural habitats,” he said.
The wildlife wing estimates that over 900,000 farmers mainly in Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur,
Hamirpur, Una, Mandi and Kangra districts were affected by wild animals. Monkeys, numbering
over 300,000, mainly target cereal and fruit crops, causing extensive damage.
Tanwar of the farmers’ outfit, however, said the state government was not serious about address-
ing the simian menace.
“If the government is serious, then it can hire trained shooters to eliminate the problematic mon-
keys,” he said.
Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in the state, providing direct employment to 69
percent of its workforce.
Pasted from <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Himachal-farm-
ers-load-guns-for-Operation-Monkey/articleshow/7078254.cms>
 

“Permission has only been given to shoot the animals in the fields. Our range officers are monitor-
ing the killings. There would be selective killing and no mass culling. Moreover, the aim of using the
ammunition is to shoo away the animals from the fields,” he said.

S.S. Chandel, a farmer of Dehna village in Cheogpanchayat, some 30 km from Shimla, said villag-
ers have pooled in money to buy ammunition and that seven guns have been deployed in nearby
villages to kill the animals, mainly monkeys.

“The villagers have procured 38 permits. By pooling money we have jointly procured ammunition
and the shooters have been deployed. We will kill the monkeys on sighting them,” Chandel said
over telephone.

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