UN Leadership Forum on Climate Change: My Experience
Receiving an invite to the highest level of representation of nations is indeed a matter of great pride. That too, if one can represent the subject of great passion to all of us. Our name was suggested by IFAD (International Forum for Agricultural Development, a UN Body), who we are presently in discussion with, for development of energy-agri crop center. I was part of the Roundtable on Sustainability and Decent Jobs
and I also got an opportunity to speak up during the report-back session. Some thoughts our Roundtable pondered upon were:
How business decisions are getting more and more uncertain due to climate change challenges and possibly could get more involved due to the regulatory impact.
We need to maintain a humanitarian approach to climate change mitigation process
There is a need to influence our national leaders in responding adequately and urgently to climate change Process
Businesses should increase transparency in relation to steps undertaken for mitigating climate change
Mindset of employees need to be channelized towards action
While describing efforts initiated by our country and industry, I also advocated greater public private partnerships (the kind we have in mind with IFAD) which will help to create a cohesive action. It was a very novel experience to share the same platform as the world's luminaries on matter of such a great importance. At lunch, I was sitting at the table with the President of Kiribati (a tiny island nation in Pacific which experiences the sunrise first). He mentioned how his nation could go under water in a few years from now. That too, through no fault of theirs but through the actions of all of us who contribute to global warming. This has had a very profound impact on me.
Apart from that, I also got to meet Al Gore (remember 'an inconvenient truth') who first brought the impact of climate change to the attention of the entire world. From India, there was Dr. R. K. Pachauri and Dr. J. J. Irani, at the head table. It has been one of the largest congregation of leaders from different countries. In the general session we had the 13 years old Indian girl, Yugaratna Shrivastava, who gave an impassioned speech calling for immediate action to stop climate change. The forum recognized that growth is essential, but so is the planet. The Forum was an opportunity for me to look at our own business in a new light. It places tremendous responsibility upon each one of us to see that Yugaratna and kids like her are not disappointed in our actions.
In Company of Young Leaders
I was invited to address The Praj Leadership Development Program recently. I thought it was another opportunity to talk of leadership for Climate Change Mitigation. I engaged with them in a question and answer session. Here are some leading questions and my responses:
Q. Climate Change is not just a policy issue, but a leadership Challenge. Please explain.
A. Absolutely. Climate Change involves consensus building. It showcases how leaders have to take responsibility and manage risk. They have to bring the thought process to a close. Seal the Deal was the motto of this conference.
Q. How will the agenda be taken to a close?
A. It is expected that the agenda will be closed in Copehagen in December this year. The leadership forum has collected views and suggested action plan which can be taken up at the Copenhagen Summit.
Q. Do you see changes in the developed countries?
A. Some hope is there with the new leadership, especially in USA and Australia.
Q. What is the monetary benefit for countries like India?
A. More than monetary, it is the technology benefit. India has not received as much attention as China. We hope that there will be more visibility.
Q. All this talk on climate change will it be something like the Statutory Warning on the cigeratte packets?
A. I certainly hope not. Because, while cigeratte smoking largely harms the smokers themselves, our inaction will have a far wider impact on the entire world. So, if not for the entire world, at least we should bring in the changes for our neighbours and our family. Remember Kiribati when you next indulge in anything that is harmful to the planet. It would be a good idea to develop a blog or a knowledge platform so that there can be an easy dissemination of information. I would like to stress on the fact that each of us carries a responsibility and accountability in the process of
climate change mitigation. I call it Personal Social Responsibility (PSR). Are you doing enough to discharge PSR?
