Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on November 20, 2020, called for including a ‘child-centric’ approach in our response to climate change. He wanted the child rights to be interwoven into key national climate change and adaptation strategies, policies and planning documents.
Naidu was addressing an online webinar- ‘Climate Parliament with Children’ organised by the ‘Parliamentarians’ Group for Children’ on the occasion of World Children’s Day on November 20, 2020. The event aims to facilitate interaction between the parliamentarians and children on the crucial topic of climate change.
Acknowledging that the children of today are far better informed than previous generations, Naidu called for involving them in the conversation around climate change. He emphasised the need to raise awareness on climate change, its impacts and mitigation measures in schools and grassroots level to make the children change agents and transformational leaders of the future, according to a PIB release.
Referring to WHO data, Naidu said climate change will cause lakhs of additional deaths every year and majority of these deaths will occur among the children who are more susceptible to illness, injuries and malnutrition. “Children (0-14 year) form a quarter of the world’s population and they are one of the largest and most vulnerable groups that will be impacted by climate change,” he warned.
Referring to the increasing number of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, cyclones, wildfires, the Vice President said that continuous emission of greenhouse gases has done great damage to earth’s environment and its consequences threaten the very existence of humanity. Describing the consequences of global warming such as increase in heat stress and vector-born diseases, Naidu warned that changing climate will also threaten world’s food security leading to hunger and malnutrition.
Recalling his childhood days, Naidu said that he had an opportunity to grow up in the clean air and a healthy environment which should not be denied to the kids today.
Reiterating the expert view that we only have a decade or so to influence the course of climate change before its adverse impacts become irreversible, Naidu called upon the policymakers, leaders, parents and grandparents to collectively work for addressing this dire situation and usher a healthier environment for our children. “We cannot allow apathy or inaction to jeopardise our future”, he added.
In this regard, he appreciated the Government for several initiatives for environmental protection such as- signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, focus on installation of renewable energy and reduction in India’s emission intensity among others.
Naidu also expressed concerns over plastic pollution, especially in oceans, where nearly 50% of single-use plastic products end up killing marine life and entering the human food chain. He asked everyone to support the Prime Minister’s call for eradicating single-use plastic from the country by 2022.
Stressing the importance of ‘nature’ and ‘culture’ in one’s life, Naidu said that we must be friendly with the nature and feel proud of our culture.