EnGG successfully organizes a workshop on Lives, Livelihoods and Environment of Wayanad, Kerala

“We are cutting down the branch that we are sitting on, and it won’t be long before we fall.” Mr. K.L. Paulose, the District Panchayat President of Wayanad made the above remark while speaking at a one-day workshop on the Lives, Livelihoods and Environment of Wayanad organized by Public Affairs Centre(PAC), Bangalore and RASTA, Wayanad on 3^rd November at the RASTA Training Centre, Kambalakad.

Ms. Omana T.K. in her opening remarks spoke on the contrasting experiences of Wayanad in the 1980’s and the recent times. This workshop is a platform to bring together the interveners, players and the communities in exploring and understanding the linkage between lives, livelihoods and environment of the region.

PAC and RASTA are undertaking a study to understand the link between environment, livelihoods and governance in the Wayanad region. This study primarily aims at understanding the environment vulnerability of the livelihoods in Wayanad and explores the impact of environmental changes on the livelihoods. A better protected and a more cared-for environment would result in more secure livelihoods.

Public Affairs Centre comes with a 15 year history of promoting good governance in India and abroad, with its flagship Citizen Report Card being used on numerous occasions by government agencies to receive citizen feedback to improve the quality of public service delivery. RASTA has been in Wayanad for the last two decades working to protect environment and in particular enabling local institutions conserve and preserve natural resources of the region.

R Suresh, Director of Public Affairs Centre emphasized the need to combine people’s wisdom with technical knowledge to inform the formulation of innovative policies that would directly change people’s lives for the better. In Kerala, and Wayanad in particular, the confluence of informed citizenry, technical experts and powerful people’s organizations increased the chances of locating critical policy reforms that would arrest environmental decline and improve policy processes.

Other speakers during the Inaugural session included Mr. Gafoor, Vice President Panamaram Block Panchayat, Ms. Kunhayisha, President of Kaniyambetta Gram Panchayat, Ms. Girija, Ward Member and other intellectuals and practitioners.

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PAC and RASTA to organize a workshop on Lives, Livelihoods and Environment of Wayanad

Wayanad is a highland region is nestled amidst the Western Ghats. The region enjoys a unique microclimate, as the district encompasses a high-altitude valley amidst higher hill ranges.

The region once completely forested and devoid of significant human presence, has experienced rapid population growth and development since independence, with the population of the district doubling between 1970 and 2000. As a result of unregulated growth and unsustainable practices, the ecology of the region has been significantly affected over the last few decades. The effect of ecological degradation on local lives and livelihoods is becoming increasingly evident over the past decade. Under the influence of global climate change, the existing vulnerabilities of the region are likely to become worse and the climate risks are likely to become larger.

In this regard PAC and RASTA are undertaking a study to understand the link between environment, livelihoods and governance in the Wayanad region. This study primarily aims at understanding the environment vulnerability of the livelihoods in Wayanad and explores the impact of environmental changes on the livelihoods.

This workshop is a beginning of a series of dialogues between the interveners, players and the communities to bring them together in exploring and understanding the linkage between lives, livelihoods and environment of the region.

RASTA (Rural Agency for Social and Technological Advancement) is a reputed Civil Society organisation that has been working in the Wayanad region since 1984 on community empowerment, introduction of sustainable technologies, ecological conservation and natural resource management. (www.rasta-india.org)

Understanding Bangalore’s Climate – What’s with all the rain?

This past week, Bangalore received copious amounts of rainfall on consecutive nights.  A heavy spell of rainfall with 76 mm of precipitation was recorded in the city starting on August 15th night. There was more rain on the following day, with Bangalore receiving another 38 mm of precipitation.  (You can take a look at the data yourself here.)

On average, Bangalore receives only 137 mm of rainfall in August, which means that with the two days of rainfall, Bangalore has already exceeded the month’s quota of expected rainfall! (with 144mm). 

What does this mean? Do we truly have a freak set of rainfall set on our hands? Or can this be normal even when it doesn’t agree with the average numbers? This post aims to make sense of rainfall and variability in Bangalore. 

Coming soon: KnowYourClimate.org

The Environmental Governance Group is happy to announce that it will soon be launching a new web portal on Climate Change!

Do you want to know how climate change might affect your city, or your state? Are you tired of listening to opinions and reports and want to know what the data says? Know Your Climate aims to help you find out!

Know Your Climate is an effort at demystifying climate science and providing people in India with sound information on their local climate, and help people analyse and understand the subtleties involved.

At a time when most people profess strong opinions on climate change, when you have everyone from denialists to fear-mongers looming large, we firmly believe that it is essential to take a step back and understand your local climate a little better first.

We have been working on this for the better part of the summer and hope to launch the beta website soon! Do stay tuned for further updates.

Follow –up Meeting on People’s Coalition for Green Tamil Nadu, Trichy

24th May 2011, Tiruchirapalli

Traditionally policy makers perceived environmental issues to be outside the ambit of governance and largely neglected green issues. However, in the recent times new areas of conflict surrounding environmental concerns are emerging within the ambit of governance. For instance, livelihood issues are coming in direct conflict with developmental projects like dams, industries, infrastructure projects and nuclear power plants.

In this backdrop, Public Affairs Centre, Bangalore, India initiated the process of developing a Green Manifesto for Tamil Nadu. In collaboration with Earth Smiles, Chennai and People’s Action for Development (PAD), Tuticorin, it organized a round table in March, 2011. The participants decided to come together under the banner of ‘People’s Coalition for Green Tamil Nadu’ (PCGTN) to take these initiative forward and as an outcome of this a green manifesto was drafted and released simultaneously in various parts of the state, including Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Dindigul and other districts.

We also have had an opportunity to circulate and share the Green Manifestos with the political parties/representatives in our working area. This exercise has certainly given all of us an opportunity to reach out to various sections of society in sensitizing them on environmental issues and mobilising a demand for better environmental governance.

During our last consultation in Chennai, all the members had expressed the need to organise a follow-up meeting to share our initial experiences and then plan for the future of PCGTN. With the recent completion of elections and the government in place this is the right time to reflect and plan forward. In this regard, we are organizing the follow-up meeting on 24th May at Tiruchy. Mr. Oswald Quintal, State Convener, Kudumbam LEISA Network has kindly agreed to host and support in organizing the meeting.

LEISA “Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture” is a network of 82 NGOs (Non-governmental organisation) along with about 2,000 small farmers in Tamil Nadu. The network has existed since 1990 and advocates for the use of traditional knowledge, a more economical use of natural resources and the “low external input” methods without pesticides in a more sustainable agriculture.

The main focus of this meeting is to share our experiences in advocating for inclusion of green manifesto, arrive at an action plan for post election monitoring and to plan for a systematic approach in strengthening the coalition to ensure its sustainability.

The meeting is being organized at the TMSSS Empowerment Centre, (Opp. Jenny Plaza), Tiruchirapali.

Green Manifesto Released in Puducherry

The round table consultation organized by Public Affairs Centre, Bangalore in collaboration with Earth Smiles, and PAD on the 11th of March was a resounding success leading to the formation of The People’s Coalition for a Green Tamil Nadu and subsequently the release of the Green Manifesto for Tamil Nadu in different parts of the state.

As a participant of the round table, Holistic Approach for People’s Empowerement (HOPE), Puducherry spearheaded a similar exercise in Puducherry and drafted a Green Manifesto for Puducherry and released it on 2^nd April, 2011, to great success.

The Union Territory of Puducherry is located on the east coast about 162 kms south of Chennai (Madras) on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Puducherry comprises of four coastal regions viz- Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Puducherry and Karaikal are situated on the East Coast in Tamil Nadu, Yanam in Andhra Pradesh and Mahe on the West Coast in Kerala.

Environmental and ‘green’ issues rarely make a dent in political discourse in India. In the past one decade, India has been witnessing unprecedented rates of growth and economic development. This has often been achieved at the cost of environmental degradation, large scale pollution and a complete disregard to our country’s depleting natural resources.

Located in a fragile eco-zone, Puducherry has been a facing a number of environmental issues which threaten the lives and livelihoods of the common people. Issues ranging from coastal pollution, over-exploitation of ground water, release of effluents to water bodies, beach erosion to name a few of them.

Realizing the graveness of the situation and with an urge to bring a change, a group of individuals & institutions under the banner of Puducherry Environment Council (PUDENCO) felt that it is high time in India that a green agenda is paid due importance in elections. With the legislative assembly elections due in mid April, it was an opportunity to initiate and develop a Green Manifesto for Puducherry.

Green Manifesto being released by Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General of Centre for Science and Environment

The Green Manifesto was released by Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General of Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi on April 2^nd, 2011.

The Manifesto was also handed over to Shri. V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, Personal, Public Grievances and Pension on 5th April 2011.

Green Manifesto being handed over to Shri. V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs, Prime Ministers Office, Personal, Public Grievances and Pension

It is also being disseminated among the political parties and general public at large.

This Manifesto is endorsed by Pondy Citizens Action Network, People’s Pulse, Puducherry Science Forum, Poovulagin Nanbargal, Sembadugai Nanneeragam & many other like minded groups.

To read the manifesto please click below:

Green Manifesto – Puducherry 2011 Tamil

People’s Coaltion launches the Green Manifesto

The People’s Coalition for a Green Tamil Nadu, formed after extensive round table discussions in Chennai on March 11th, officially launched a ‘Green Manifesto’ today to stimulate the political discourse in the state.

The launch took place simultaneously in various parts of the state, including Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Dindigul and other districts.

Please find below the English and Tamil versions of the Green Manifesto and of the March 17th press release.

Green Manifesto – Peoples Coalition for Green Tamil Nadu – English
Green Manifesto – Peoples Coalition for Green Tamil Nadu – Tamil

Green Manifesto – Press Release – English
Green Manifesto – Press Release – Tamil

Pictures

For more information, please contact green governance (at) pacindia (dot) org.