:: Delhi Greens ::

The feedbacks you post are out of your willingness to ‘because in the matter’ of creating a better world through environmental actions. Thank you for taking time out to respond to the blog and sharing your lives with me. It is these little acts of patchwork that brings us together. Patchwork is a creative way of bringing different pieces of cloth to create a new design. It always begins with small pieces coming from different places and origins and combines to create a design. It creates a completely new design from the old, the discarded and the small. Similarly when a new a new world order gets created, the pieces of different actions from people in different areas of life come together.

Wanted to share with you a news item by John Schwartz in the January 28th 2010 paper of International Herald Tribune as what appears to be a beginning piece and part of this emergent new world order. “Kivalina an Inupiant Eskimo village (in Alaska USA) of 400, perched on a barrier island north of the Arctic Circle is accusing two dozen utility companies of helping to cause the climate change that it says is accelerating the island’s climate change”. They use the sea ice blocks are used to protect the town’s fragile coast from high wind season. But this year they could not do it. The relocation cost of this village could amount to $400 million.

The case is one among three major law suits filed by environmental groups, private lawyers and state officials against major utility companies. It is a difficult battle and federal judge dismissed their suit, but they are appealing the decision. The cases rely on the common law doctrine of nuisance, the same concept that allows the neighbours to sue one another over noise odor and the like, that interfere with the use of enjoyment of property. In the context of climate change these used to be dismissed as frivolous, not any more. Similar issues with drug companies as captured in the classic ‘Silent Spring’, Tobacco companies and asbestos industries in the past have yielded results.

But this is just the beginning. The pressure from such suits could become a significant issue within the next few years. Let us wait and see. Blocking the ice melt.

Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) requests the presence of all concerned to the Indian People’s Tribunal (IPT) on the issue of Genetically Modified (GM) seeds/foods and Bt Brinjal in particular. HRLN is bringing eminent speakers and researchers from across the country to share a common platform and vocalise their experience and opinion on January 28th and 29th, 2010, at Vishwa Yuva Kendra, New Delhi.

The regulators in India have cleared Bt Brinjal as safe for human (& animal) health and environment and that it could be permitted for commercial cultivation in India. However, the Government of India is holding nation-wide consultations to address numerous concerns and unanswered questions on the GM food crop before reaching a logical end. Bt Brinjal is the first GM food crop in India and the first ever GM vegetable in the world with the Bt gene in it. This Tribunal is being held as a platform to not only address the surrounding queries but also highlighting the many facets of the debate on GM seeds.

Without really getting lost in the larger debate around food/hunger crisis, which is being made into the rationale for bringing in Bt Brinjal iisue, this People’s Tribunal focuses clearly on GM seeds, their relevance and need and other related issues, even as all presenters of testimonies will be encouraged to touch upon some larger issues too and present data to support their case.

A panel of prominent citizens, journalists, judges, scientists and activists will preside over the two-day IPT.

HRLN strongly hopes and looks for your support in this two-day programme, so that it will serve for larger social and political change in perceiving the issue. We anticipate the tribunal will be an indicator for civil society to rethink of a new set of strategies, to compel the State for immediate intervention to address the GM seeds/food debate.

Concerned individuals who would especially like to attend the IPT on the 29th of Janary are requested to kindly confirm  their presence in advance so that necessary arrangements can be made in due time.

For further information and to RSVP, please contact:

Imran Ali, Coordinator (IPT), +91-9212696986 or write to imran@hrln.org
Manisha Tiwari, Coordinator (IPT), +91-9717-505-798

Image Source

Save Loktak Lake campaigners at India Gate in New Delhi

Delhi Greens is proud to partner with the North East Center for Environmental Education & Research (NECEER), Imphal in calling for March 7th, 2010 as a Worldwide Loktak Campaign Day! Being coordinated by NECEER in 20 cities across 3 continents, the day is being marked as a worldwide attempt to raise awareness on the world’s only floating National Park – Keibul Lamjao – which is central to the Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in North East India.

The Loktak lake has been a main source of income and sustenance for inhabitants of the area. Since the last few decades, the lake has been facing all round destruction owing to both natural and anthropogenic activities. Rapid expansion of ‘phumdis’ (floating islands!!), siltation, pollution, agriculture and adverse effect from Loktak Hydropower Project are some of the main problems which had led to an alarming destruction of the lake. This has also threatned the already endangered Manipur brow antlered deer ‘Sangai’ – Cervus eldi eldi and many plant species that are endemic to the region.

For more infomration, please contact:
K. Jibankumar Singh
neceer.imp(a)gmail.com

To volunteer for the Worldwide Loktak Campaign Day in Delhi, write to mehnazlee(a)gmail.com or to aastha(a)delhigreens.org. Visit NECEER.Imphal for updates, or subscribe to the Delhi Greens blog!

Previously on Delhi Greens:

• Delhi Greens partners for Global Day of Action in Imphal, Manipur

Environmental Equity and Justice Partnership (EEJP) is an independent grant-making program of the Just Environment Charitable Trust and supported by the Ford Foundation. The initiative is dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the area of environmental justice by catalysing grassroots initiatives; triggering new imagination; bringing in new perspectives; encouraging crossover linkages; promoting community participation, and providing greater opportunities to connect to the environmental thinking.

The goal of EEJP is ‘to secure environmental justice especially for the poor and the marginalized that are often expected to bear more than their share of environmental burdens’. EEJP is currently inviting applications under two categories:

1. Environmental Small Grants (for grassroots organisations): The Environmental Small Grants allows EEJP program to assist worthy grassroots organizations engaged in environmental work through support of small projects that are of special importance to those applicants and their communities. The focus is on supporting organizations that identify and work on the root causes of problems and that approach issues with a commitment to long-term change.
2. Environmental Fellowships (for young individuals): The Environmental Fellowship component of EEJP allows it to assist young committed individuals with a leadership potential to engage with the cross cutting issues of Toxicity, Waste and Pollution within the context of environmental justice. The broad aim is to encourage new thinking and perspective that in turn challenge the status quo and help re-imagine solutions.

The focus under the current phase of EEJP (2009-2012) is on the cross cutting issues of Toxicity, Waste and Pollution.Deadline for receiving the applications is 30th Jan 2010 28th Feb, 2010. For more information, visit http://eejp.org

Previously on Delhi Greens:

• Announcement: Fellowships Available with EEJP

Maitri Sthal at BumLa, the highest pass to Tibet in Tawang

Delhi Greens wishes its readers a very Happy Republic Day! We dedicate this day to all the soldiers who brave extreme environmental conditions to protect our borders and keep us safe and secure. May peace always be the way forward no matter what the conflict, for after a war, it doesn’t matter what was right…only what is left.

Toxics Link’s Environment & Health Public Lecture Series

How the Australian Rainforests were saved – the influence of Gandhi

Australia-India Council, Kalpvriksh and Toxics Link cordially invite you to an evening imbued in film, music and ecology by renowned conservationists

Speaker: John Seed

Very few of us are aware that the world’s first direct action in defence of rainforests took place at Terania Creek in northern New South Wales (NSW) Australia in 1979. Strongly influenced by Gandhi’s principle of Satyagraha, the movement hugely influenced the drafting of a historic legislation by NSW government in 1982 to protect the rainforests there.

John Seed, the founder-director of the Rainforest Information Centre, Australia, has been involved in direct actions that have resulted in the protection of the Australian rainforests. His narration involves innovative use of film, music and presentation to focus on the struggle of a peaceful few to protect the subtropical rainforests in their area

John, an accomplished bard, songwriter and film-maker , has produced albums of environmental songs and numerous films He is a Fellow of the Findhorn Foundation UK and an occasional Scholar-in-Residence at the Esalen Institute in California. He has created numerous sustainable development projects to protect rainforests in South America, Asia and the Pacific region . His valuable contributions on various projects in India include reforestation of Arunachala and protection of wild Asian elephants in the Nilgiris.

Date: 28th January 2010, Thursday
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Conference Room 1, India International Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi (In collaboration with India International Centre)

For further information and to RSVP, please contact:

Suparna Dutta: suparna@toxicslink.org
Nitin Jain: nitin@toxicslink.org
Email: info@toxicslink.org

ठण्ड के अपने मजे कोई खुले मैं, कोई मफलर मैं.

Around a time very close to the Delhi winter, the city administration suddenly realized to complete a long pending task. And several “illegal” night shelters were brought down..

One of the news report in the newspapers today read ‘IPCC retracts 2035 alarm on glacier melt.’ The Chairperson of the coveted body, on behalf of 2500 best scientists from across the world, accepted on Wednesday 20^th January 2010 that it made a huge goof up in its fourth assessment report on climate change and withdrew its assertion that the Himalayan glaciers ran the risk of being wiped out by 2035. They took complete responsibility of the report being wrong.

It takes tremendous courage and integrity to come out and say that we made a mistake and face the consequences of that. Without the successful inclusion of all governments in the process of creating the climate change report by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) this could have possibly challenged the entire UNFCC report, related to climate change and its potential impacts. Already Industrial western world has been using the “glacier theory’ to flog India on climate change. Survival emissions from burning firewood and cow dung and wet paddy fields emitting methane, have come under criticism for potentially contributing to climate change. These emissions were linked to the seasonal ‘brown cloud’ over parts of India. These were used to put pressure on India to take stronger actions and take greater responsibility for the climate crisis.

How do we look at the goof up on the year of 2035 for Himalayan glacier melt down? Or can we be complete about it. We can say yes! It happened and look at what next? by accepting it, forgiving it and appreciating the new possibility for actions that opened up especially for India and China.

We are at the next level. New environment friendly energy production options, new possibilities of cooperation between nations through ‘debt for swap’ and CDM technologies are today possible that did not exist earlier. Let’s do it..while we still can.

Life is not about waiting for the glaciers to melt…it’s about learning to dance in the snow!

The Climate Project – India is excited to invite you to come and participate in the Environment Sustainability Leadership Program (ESLP) ‐ a climate change training program for the civil society. The objective of this program is to equip people with inspiring and comprehensive tools for spreading the critical message of climate change. Through inspired citizens, TCP-India hopes to create a well‐informed society that can strive to effectively tackle these environmental issues.

The one‐day interactive workshop is split into two sessions. The first session explores the science and impacts of climate change, with particular focus on Indian impacts. The second session will be led by experts in the various environmental fields and will focus on solutions. The materials presented at the workshop will be provided for you to take with you and use in your personal campaign to educate people.

Date: January 23, 2010
Time: 9.00 am to 5 pm
Venue: The Paharpur Business Center, New Delhi

Click here to apply for the ESLP

RSVP to confirm your participation: +91-22-32223320 |  divya@climateprojectindia.org

Donation ‐ We recommend a minimum donation to The Climate Project‐India of Rs.500 for attending the workshop if you are an individual. For Students and University Teachers (with ID proof), we recommend Rs.350 as a donation. Corporations are encouraged and requested to make a donation to the organization and fund the attendance of their employees and executives.

Once you complete the training, you will be a part of the TCP‐India Environment Sustainable Leaders network. As a member of this network, you are expected to spread the message broadly and help tackle this problem at an individual level. We will support you through newsletters, our weekly news bulletin and all the updated materials via our website. We will select 70 applicants based on their passion, drive and ability to spread the message of climate change.

The Climate Project is an international non‐profit organization founded by Nobel Laureate, Al Gore in June 2006 and is dedicated to calling attention to what it believes are global problems associated with climate change. The Climate Project‐India (TCP‐India), being the Indian chapter of this international organization, was established in March 2008 with the help of Al Gore and Dr. R K Pachauri.

TCP‐India supports a network of over 400 civil society leaders and 400 teachers all of whom are trained to spread awareness about climate change in India. Every variety of media is used to communicate messages on the science and impacts of climate change as well as solutions to climate issues and strategies for sustainable development. TCP-India works with all sectors of society including businesses, government, schools and individuals.

For further information, please contact:

The Climate Project – India
No.3, Rashid Mansions, Worli Point,
Worli, Mumbai 400 018
Tel: 022‐32223320
Email: info@climateprojectindia.org

The Indian Government is considering approving genetic modification of our fruits and vegetables starting with Brinjal. While a rigged up “Expert” Committee has recommended clearance to genetically modified Bt Brinjal, due to concerns raised by independent scientists and farmer groups, Minister Jairam Ramesh has requested public feedback before making a decision in February.  Let us make our voices heard and democracy work! This is perhaps the last call to save our Brinjal!

On January 30, the day that took Mahatma Gandhi from us, a day that also happens to be the last day of the official national consultation hearing on Bt Brinjal, we are planning to gather in different locations across India in prayer and fasting to stop Bt Brinjal. The call for a National Day of Fast is being given by several individuals, groups and people’s movements including members of the Coalition for GM-Free India and National Alliance for People’s Movements.

We request everyone both individually and from various groups and coalitions to sign up to participate on the day by either fasting or lighting a candle either at your homes, or in groups at locations across India.

Here is what you can do:

• Sign up for fasting or lighting a candle on January 30
• Organize a fast gathering on January 30. Please send an email to aidsite@gmail.com to get your location listed.  (Click to view existing venues)

Over 100 years ago, the Father of our Nation, Mohandas K. Gandhi produced his central work, his key-text, his seed-text, the Hind Swaraj. This small 91-page booklet today reads almost like a prophecy that predicted all of 21st century India’s ailments. Gandhi clearly realised that the British continued in India as colonial masters not because of their superior military strength but simply because we Indians kept them “for our base self-interest.” Gandhi was clear that “India is being ground down, not under the English heel, but under that of modern civilisation (that makes bodily welfare the object of life).” He repeated, in different ways how “(modern) civilisation’s deadly effect is that people come under its scorching flames believing it to be all good.”

The approval for commercial sale of Bt Brinjal seeds developed by Mahyco, the Indian partner of Monsanto, the world’s most powerful and sinister agro-business company, tragically reflects how they achieved this goal. The fact that the approval of a crop that will threaten life itself, cripple the environment and economy and decimate India’s national biodiversity of brinjals was not based on hard, scientific grounds or vision for sustainable development for all vindicates this. In prophetic terms that warn us of the perils of globalisation the Mahatma said: “They wish to convert the whole world into a vast market for their goods…They will leave no stone unturned to reach the goal.”

For action leading up to January 30, please attend the national consultations and also write your views to the Environment Minister even if you are not able to attend personally.

Message Received from AID India

Previously on Delhi Greens:

• Toxics Link Public Lecture on GM Foods: Is India Ready?
• Invite: Day Long Orientation Session on GMOs
• Brinjal Festival Showcases Diversity of Veggies in India
• Invite: Brinjal Festival in Dilli Haat
• Public Lecture: GM Foods and Our Health
• Film Review: Poison on the Platter