-Nagpur Climate Strike at Futala Lakefront-
With global climate strike stirring citizens from every corner of world, still, world leaders seem to have very little, or no concern at all for climate. Why taking immediate actions to save climate is more important than employment generation, corruption, poverty, development, terrorism and various other issues that we are facing today? The answer appeared in the form of global climate strike. A wave of emergency hit the active citizens around the world, and they raised their voices in anticipation to be heard by world leaders. As a result, on 23rd September, UN held a summit at New York for addressing issue of climate change. Rising sea level, as well as increasing green, house gases emission, are the two deadly challenges standing tall against survival of humanity.
The status quo of climate at present is the worst in history of human civilization. With the wildfire which left devastated amazon rainforest, and caused probably a loss to our climate beyond easy reparation. The health of climate wasn’t this bad earlier. The 2015 Paris Agreement is not as impactful as it looks, as countries are bound voluntarily, and not legally, to take steps to reduce carbon emissions; no one will sue them if they don’t meet the targets. U.S President Donald Trump left The Paris Agreement and no one dared to raise a voice against it. Developed countries are emitting more carbon than developing and underdeveloped countries. Of course, there are exceptions such as China and India itself, due to their huge population. But poor countries will not take a step until and unless big powers comes in scenario. While big powers are dodging the issue of climate change like the best soccer player in history of football.
Today, climate seems like antonym of development to government, as they portray cutting trees is inevitable for development, which in reality is a huge façade created for personal gains. Their promises of transplanting cut trees to new areas and reducing pollution from Koradi power plant are as feeble, if not more, as castle of cards. Cutting trees in the name of development will ultimately lead us to apocalypse, sooner than we think.
Citizens of Nagpur, especially youth ably guided by seniors have been taking keen interest to save climate for almost a year now. They stood firm against NMC’s decision to chop down Bharat Van – an urban jungle equivalent to a lung of Nagpur, pumping oxygen for more than one and half-century. College students have performed street plays at busy locations in Nagpur to create awareness about the degrading climate. We are organising climate strikes frequently over the last 1 week in Nagpur to emphasize it’s urgency so that citizens will prioritize it over their other works and take some time out to join the fight.
Creating awareness isn’t enough considering the sense of urgency to take actions against climate change. Our government and our conscience, both are telling us to stop use of plastic (one time use). But it is quite hard to shift to use other degradable material in just a split second. It may look evolutionary to completely stop usage of single-use plastics, however, it is a bit unrealistic thinking.
Evolution doesn’t happen in a blink of an eye, one has to sow the seed and help it grow, so that our grandchildren can tell their children how evolution happened in past; like we look back now and realise that the rainfall pattern among many other things has changed from our childhood to our present times. One thing every citizen, even if uninterested and the lazy, can do is – Assembly Elections are not faraway and every politician will come to greet us at our doorsteps as if he cares so much about us. We have to press the issue of climate harder than they could withstand. Every artist should perform their art form spreading awareness about climate change. In this way, more and more people will take keen interest in joining this climate strike. I believe climate change will turn into apocalypse sooner than we think if immediate actions are not taken towards it.
Join us for the Climate Strike at Futala wearing your raincoats and carrying your umbrellas on 27th September- Friday at 5:00 pm onwards.
Instructions to all Nagpur Climate strikers, 27 Sept, 5 pm onwards, Futala:
1) Dress code for everyone is raincoats & umbrella.
2) Everyone to carry fully charged mobile phones and go live at Futala.
3) ? Everyone at Futala will keep their mobile phone torches on between 6.00-6.15pm wearing raincoats. (Record a live video using flash) ?
4) This is going to be the most unique silent climate strike with no slogan shouting.
5) There will be a graffiti canvas at the venue, everyone is welcome to paint/write/sketch (bring your own markers/paint)
6) Please bring eco-friendly banners with Nagpuri slogan ? Nagpur Garam hai ?made of scrap cardboard
7) Take a photo of all climate strikers at Futala against the setting sun with the mobile flash on and upload using the hashtags :
#climatestrike #nagpurclimatestrike #savefutala #savebharatvan #letmebreathe #howdareyou #saveaarey #savetrees #nagpurgaramhai
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