Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) and Carbon Minus India, based in New Delhi, joined forces with the Department of Rural Studies at Tripura University to organize the North Eastern Regional Sustainability Dialogue.
This pre-summit event, held on May 19, 2023, at Tripura University, served as a platform for experts to discuss climate change and the necessary policies for mitigation and adaptation to achieve sustainable development goals. The Unity of Nation Action for Climate Change Council (UNAccc) and the North East Training Research and Advocacy Foundation (NETRA Foundation) were valuable partners for the event.
The dialogue commenced with a warm welcome address from Dr. Jayanta Choudhury, the in-charge Head of the Department of Rural Studies at Tripura University. Dr. Choudhury announced that two Youth Climate Ambassadors would be chosen from the North-Eastern States and honoured at the upcoming Global Sustainability Summit (GSS, 2023) on June 17 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
Over 100 students, scholars, and faculty members from Tripura University and the University of Science and Technology in Meghalaya actively participated in the dialogue, engaging with the panel of speakers. Professor Ganga Prasad Prasain, the Vice-Chancellor of Tripura University, emphasized the importance of adopting a new education policy and creating employment opportunities. He also highlighted the potential for developing ecotourism as a means of fostering growth in the North East Region, underscoring the crucial role that protecting the region’s forests plays in preserving the climate.
Dr. Manindra Tiwari from IISD enlightened the audience on how the North East region can contribute to sustainability. He emphasized that India has become a major player in climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, he stressed the need for developed countries to step forward and assist developing nations in acquiring new technologies and implementing effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. Dr. Tiwari also highlighted the importance of establishing the Global Climate Facility through provisions such as the Green Climate Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund.
Professor Sabyasachi Dasgupta from the Department of Forestry posed thought-provoking questions regarding the development of the North Eastern part of India, emphasizing the significance of Sustainable Development Goal 15. He drew attention to the region’s rich biodiversity, including cultural diversity, and how this unique ecological wealth contributes to poverty alleviation.
Sushanta Banik, a Scientific Officer from the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment in the Government of Tripura, emphasized the need to prioritize climate vulnerability, focusing on risks such as extreme weather events, erratic rainfall, and glacier melting.
Senior correspondent Biswendu Bhattacharjee from the Times of India expressed his opinion that policies regarding the ban on single-use plastics and water conservation are more frequently discussed than implemented. He further emphasized that sustainable development is a global endeavor rather than being limited to specific individuals or countries.
Dr. Selim Reza from the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) in Ethiopia presented on the various aspects of bamboo that directly relate to seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He highlighted bamboo’s cultural value, its contribution to biodiversity conservation, and its remarkable capacity for carbon sequestration both above and below ground, making it an effective means of reducing atmospheric carbon levels.
Atanu Saha, an Additional Project Officer, provided insights into the functioning of the INDO-GERMAN project, which addresses climate change issues in Tripura. He stressed the importance of involving women in the project and capturing traditional knowledge to make informed decisions.
Dr. Anirban Guha, an Associate Professor from the Physics Department at Tripura University, emphasized the significance of interdisciplinary research in addressing climate change challenges.
In his speech, Dr. Saptarshi Mitra mentioned that though the steps shall be started at the ground level, but policy has an important role to play to achieve success in addressing issues relared to climate change. He has opined that emphasis has been given to have more of hydro-power, but the hydro-electric projects are changing the courses of rivers which may have significant implication in the future. He mentioned the example of Sikkim to support his argument.
The session chair D. Radhakrishna, Chairman, Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission of Tripura summed up the entire session by opining that climate change vulnerability should be addressed minutely and policies should be taken keeping in mind the success of implementation. The dependence on fossil fuel has to be reduced over time and in this regard, conservation projects are going to be significantly crucial.
Dr. Samrat Goswami, Assistant Professor, Department of Rural Studies. offered the vote of thanks to the participants and each of the speakers and dignitaries present in the discussion and dialogue.