Dear Friend,
This second quarter of the year has been a busy one for climate action, with the release of the IPCC Report 6 of Working Group III, the Stockholm+50 conference, SB56 climate conference in Bonn, and focussed preparations for COP27 at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.
Ahead of Stockholm+50, we organised a webinar on impact of air pollution and climate change on health with leading medical professionals and parliamentarians from the region proposing a regional body to tackle air pollution and climate change.
At the Bonn Climate Conference in early June, we organized three side events, about which you will read in this issue. The entire CAN fraternity was at Bonn, and our work showed – our impact was clearly felt. While our demands for a Loss & Damage Finance Facility were not realised, we knew that we made a chink in the apparently impenetrable armour of fossil-fuel-fed power, through some “rhetoric” we heard spouted by some developed country governments. We will need to be better prepared for COP27 with our strategy and tactics, and our work has already begun.
You all as part of the CAN South Asia network are an important part of this fight, and we look forward to continue working with all of you on this.
Recognising that local climate solutions can impact NDCs, and as a part of our Eco-Village Development Project, we have released a repository of local climate solutions. We hope to see your contributions to it – this will allow your innovation to get a wider reach, enable collaboration and partnerships, and of course bring us closer to the commitments made in the Paris Agreement.
We continue to partner with agencies at the sub-national level in the region to help enhance NDCs, and keep up the pressure to phase out fossil fuels in an equitable manner at the district level and in cities in the region. Do encourage more individuals and groups to sign the Fossil Fuel Treaty, and bring the attention on its just and equitable phase-out.
We also congratulate the new Bangladesh National Steering Committee which was formed on Sunday 26 June, and wish them the very best in their role as advisory body to the CANSA Board on global and regional policy positions.
In this issue you will read some stories about activities conducted by some of our partners during this period. We hope you enjoy reading them.
Do continue to keep us informed of your activities from time to time. We always look forward to hearing from you.
Sanjay Vashist
Director, CAN South Asia
Side Events at Bonn Climate Change Conference
(All Side Events at Bonn Climate Change Conference can be accessed at Official Secreteriate managed Youtube Channel)
6 June 2022 | A Civil Society Consultation on Promoting Green, Inclusive & Resilient Cities in South Asia
Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) organized a civil society consultation to understand the urgency of action by the governments, civil society and communities and explore ways to work together and mitigate the current crisis while getting prepared for future catastrophes that are bound to strike in the region again and again. More details here
For the webinar recording, click here
11 June 2022 | Local Climate-Sustainable Energy Solutions in GST, 100% RE Sufficiency: East Africa, South Asia, Europe
Local climate solutions are important for climate targets; including them fully in climate plans and in the Global Stocktake would help to reach higher ambitions in climate mitigation and adaptation. At the webinar, solutions from three continents Africa, South Asia, Europe were presented.
Check out the links below for details:
UNFCCC SB56 Side Event 11/6 2022 Proceedings
Online Database of Local Climate solutions in South Asia
Eco-Village Development (EVD) Project
More details here
13 June 2022 | The Glasgow Dialogue: What Happened and What Next for L&D Finance
Youtube livestreamed and available here
At this side event, negotiators and civil society came together to reflect on the Glasgow Dialogue and what comes next in delivering finance to address Loss and Damage. Considering the limitations of the Glasgow Dialogue, and the urgency of action needed, it is our collective responsibility to mend this broken process and make it relevant to science and society. More details here
On 26th June, members of CANSA Bangladesh met to finalise the formation of the National Steering Committee (NSC).. Details about the NSCs are available in the CANSA Charter. Dr Golam Rabbani presided over the deliberations of the meeting which included description of the process of formation, and its functioning under a set of compliances, and finally announced the new NSC based on nominations received. The members comprising the NSC are as follows:
Hearty Congratulations to the new members of the NSC. We wish the team all the very best! We also congratulate Rabeya Begum as Chair and Shamim Arfeen as Co-Chair of the NSC.
We have two new members this quarter – both are from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK)
We welcome YPSA and BARCIK to the CANSA family!
For updates on Upcoming Events,
do check the following section on our website:
https://cansouthasia.net/upcoming-events/
Fueling Failure: How coal, oil and gas sabotage all seventeen Sustainable Development Goals
Fueling Failure is the first report to highlight the dangers fossil fuels pose to the entire sustainable development agenda. It draws on more than 400 academic articles, civil society reports and case studies from affected communities to examine how the exploration, extraction, transportation and combustion of fossil fuels, and the conduct of the fossil fuel industry, are sabotaging efforts to achieve the SDGs.
Download report here
Regional Report on “Climate Change Ambition in South Asia and COVID-19 Recovery Affecting the Nationally Determined Contributions of South Asian Countries”
The Paris Agreement envisages NDCs actions incrementally to build resilience and raise ambitions to address climate impacts across the globe. Consistent local implementation of NDCs is crucial to fill the wide gap between climate targets and fair share of the Parties. However, the pandemic shifted the global and national focus away from climate action and constructive engagement between stakeholders, making conditions for active CSO engagement for climate action difficult. This report provides an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on achieving the NDC and also establishes linkages between the NDC and SDG agendas and the synergies of impact.
Download report here
Resolving South Asia’s Clean Air and Health Crisis – Phasing out Fossil Fuels for Clean Air, 29 May 2022
On 29th May, a webinar “Resolving South Asia’s Clean Air and Health Crisis – Phasing out Fossil Fuels for Clean Air – Evidence from Medical Professionals” was organized jointly by Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), Doctors For Clean Air & Climate Action, Fossil Fuel Treaty, and Climate Trends.
Gaurav Gogoi, MP from India, Riyaz Fatyana, MP from Pakistan, Prof Pushpa Kumari Karn, MP from Nepal, and Saber Chaudhary, MP from Bangladesh, together with leading health professionals, proposed a regional working group to drive solutions to curb air pollution and lead with innovative climate action in the region.
Repository of Local Climate Solutions: A Precursor to Regional Collaboration and Advocacy, 24 May 2022
The regional webinar began with the short introduction of EVD project, its objectives, deliverables and outcomes expected from the project. Over the years of EVD implementation, these solutions provided climate co benefits as well as improved livelihood of communities. The panel discussion involved the introduction of the repository to the audience along with its usefulness in the context of diverse experiences of partners in varied agroclimatic zones. CSOs were invited to contribute their experiences to the repository to enrich it. The collective effort of the CSOs could make the repository a tool for regional collaboration.
Check out the latest blogs of this quarter
• No More Blah Blah Blah, Loss and Damage Finance NOW!!
• What does the IPCC Climate Change Mitigation Report 2022 (Working group III) mean for the South Asian region?
• Repository of Local Climate Solutions: Seeking inputs from members
• An Equitable Phase Out of Fossil Fuels: A civil society equity review
• Repository of Local Climate Solutions – A Precursor to Regional Collaboration and Advocacy Report on Regional Webinar
We welcome comments and feedback on the blogs.
#World We Want Campaign videos from the South Asia region
We have three videos from South Asia as part of the #worldwewant campaign – access them here
These videos are a very small representation of the issues the region faces due to climate change. We welcome citizen journalists from among our members/partners to come forward to share their raw footage of issues faced so that they can be taken up at regional and international forums.
For details, please reach out to purnima@cansouthasia.net or divyanshi@cansouthasia.net
Power Cuts, Coal Shortage, Heatwaves: The Vicious Cycle Ruining India’s Climate
www.thequint.com | 29 Apr 2022
Read the article…
South Asian lawmakers call for regional collaboration to avert twin crisis of air pollution, climate change ahead of Stockholm+50
www.bangladeshlivenews.com | 28 May 2022, 11:25 pm
Read the article…
Fossil fuel linked to lung cancer among youth, women
www.newagebd.net | 28 May 2022
Read the article…
India, Pak, Nepal, B’desh parliamentarians call for collab to combat air pollution
www.sentinelassam.com | 29 May 2022
Read the article…
Phase out use of fossil fuels, say MPs from 3 countries
timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 29 May 2022
Read the article…
India, Pak, Nepal, B’desh lawmakers call for collab to combat air pollution
wap.business-standard.com | 29 May 2022
Read the article…
Regional working group needed to curb air pollution
www.tbsnews.net | 29 May 2022
Read the article…
India, Pak, Nepal, B’desh parliamentarians call for collab to combat air pollution
www.daijiworld.com| 29 May 2022
Read the article…
Air Pollution: Vayu Pradusan ka badhta dayra, Bharat hi nahi ,Pakistan, Nepal aur Bangladesh me v dusit ho rahi hawa, ab sanyukt manch ki jarurat
www.jagran.com| 29 May 2022
Read the article…
Dakshin Asia Desho ke Sansad Bole, Pollution par bane Sanjha Manch
www.livehindustan.com| 29 May 2022
Read the article…
Air Pollution: Vayu Pradusan se nipatne ko sanyukt manch ki waqalat; Bharat, Pakistan samet Nepal aur Bangladesh me badh rahi dusit hawa ki samasya
www.jagran.com | 30 May 2022
Read the article…
Facing The Heat: What Heatwaves Mean For India’s Future
www.youtube.com | 13 Jun 2022
Read the article…
Eco-Village Development Project in Tribal Villages of Madhya Pradesh
The Eco-Village Development (EVD) concept being promoted and implemented by INSEDA along with other four NGO partners from South Asia, namely, CANSA (India), IDEA (Sri Lanka), Grameen Shakti (Bangladesh), CRT/N (Nepal) with specialist support by INFORSE, Denmark and overall coordination and management by DIB, Denmark; as well as with the financial support from the Civil Society Fund (CISU), Denmark, for the sustainable development of villages in South Asia. The EVD approach considers villages as the smallest unit for practical action, using climate-friendly, green technology as the viable and replicable solution with active community participation.
The feasibility study was conducted by INSEDA in six tribal dominated villages of Margul Panchayat of Banka Block in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh state. The focus was on tribal communities in the project because they still remain the deprived groups despite various government schemes available for their upliftment, while living closer to unexploited natural environment. The project area was selected because it falls in the tribal belt of Madhyanchal region, which has similar geo-climatic and social conditions, which makes it easy to scale up through capacity building and advocacy in future involving a network of 11 NGOs in the region.
The study conducted during 23 Nov-2 Dec 2019, used a participatory approach involving village communities and other stakeholders in six villages of Margul, Hawa Rundi, Daulatpura, Dudhi and Kheriyarundi of Margul Panchayat which are 100 % tribal villages. A feasibility analysis of various EVD solutions was carried out considering economic technical, organizational, socio-cultural and political feasibility.
Three videos were made on the work being done at the project site:
· EVD Concept and Improved Cookstove
· Grameen Bandhu Biogas plant and other bamboo based green technologies – Rooftop rainwater harvesting unit, Bamboo Compost Basket
· Solar poly-greenhouse solar Tunnel Dryer, Organic Kitchen Garden, Vermi compost, home forestry
Locally Determined Choices for Nationally Determined Contributions (LDC for NDC), Pune, 11 June 2022
INECC together with Samuchit EnviroTech, Numer8 and Laya organised a day-long discussion on Locally Determined Choices for Nationally Determined Contributions in Pune on 11 June 2022.
Under the program, were a set of enriching knowledge exchanges through interactive videos, in order to get the grassroot technologies/solutions to the impacts of climate change at the global forefront.
While India’s NDCs are 2 degree climate compatible, there is a lack of people’s participation in contributing to the NDCs. It has remained concentrated at the level of the government and a few think tanks/ organisations. Besides, the NDCs do not reflect the need for resilience building and adaptation to protect the lives and livelihoods of the marginalized communities in India. Since NDCs define India’s development pathway for the years to come, they must reflect the voices and choices of the people of the country and address the climate justice aspect within the country.
CSOs, green businesses, start-ups and individuals from Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh working on issues related to the current climate crisis and sustainable development were invited to collaborate to become solution providers and seekers so that some of these approaches may feed in to the revision processes of the NDCs and/or map the climate financing requirement for replication/scale up.
For details: www.inecc.net Contact: myron@inecc.net
HRDEF organises Green Week, 2-10 June 2022
HaritaDhara Research Development and Education Foundation (HRDEF) organized their 13th Harita (green) week from 2-10 June 2022. Students of the GOAL program reused old plastic bottles to grow herbal plants such as lemongrass, coriander, mint, ajwain leaves, and pipli. They were taught about medicinal properties of spices used in our home kitchen using medicinal plants’ game and interaction with Dr Manisha, ex-FRI researcher. HRDEF announced results of 52nd UN Earth Day events conducted during the 9th Harita month on 8th June to mark the occasion of World Ocean Day in a webinar.
Anant Bhaskar Garg, Regional Mentor of Change, AIM, NITI Aayog, and Director, HRDEF delivered a talk on Sustainable Development, SDGs, Climate Action, to create awareness and capacity building among students. During Harita month 1270 students from 20 schools from India, abroad participated and showcased their creativity and innovation.
HRDEF implemented Eco-Bricks (recycling of plastic bottles, polythene, chips packets to reduce carbon emission), and launched apps: Prevent Disasters, Youth4SDGs developed by Prayanshi.
For details of HRDEF work, do check the following links:
https://www.hrdef.org/advocacy
https://www.hrdef.org/activities
National Platform on Locally-Led Adaptation, Bangladesh (NPLLA) launched
More than 60 participants from INGO, NGOs, universities, private sector, academia, youth organizations, farmers representatives, researchers attended the consultation. The sessions during consultations enabled us to understand the importance of incorporating the 8 principles of LLA in planning, design and implementation of climate change adaptation projects and programme. The two-day consultation highlighted the importance of honing local communities’ leadership and ownership to make them agents of change. Even though the local communities in Bangladesh are at the frontlines of climate crisis, climate finance is not being disbursed to the ones who need it the most. Hence, accountability, transparency and good governance will pave the way forward for pursuing LLA.
One outcome of the consultation was the launch of ‘National Platform on Locally-Led Adaptation, Bangladesh (NPLLA)‘ which will help to brainstorm the following:
Mangrove Restoration – a program by Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS)
BEDS has been working for the conservation of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest (UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar Wetland) through mangrove restoration, creating alternative livelihood opportunity for coastal people since 2013.
On 22nd April “Earth Day” and 5th June “The World Environment Day” this year, BEDS has restored more than 15,000 mangroves (Plan – 250,000) on the banks of the Pashur River near the Sundarbans together with coastal people. This plantation will protect river bank erosion and enhance biodiversity.
Energy transition and decreasing ground water table from Eco-Conservation Initiatives (ECI)
Farming communities in Pakistan are fast transitioning to #CleanEnergy after high increase in oil-based electricity bills. Solar-based water pumps are being widely used amidst heatwave scenario and decreasing freshwater resources. However, as noticed during a field visit to southern Punjab of Pakistan in June 2022, ground water table has started to lower sharply in many areas. Eco- Conservation Initiatives (ECI) is helping farmers adopt a range of water recharge approaches to address this challenge.
Indoor heat measurement data from low-income households in rural and urban South Asia
This publication is one among the first few datasets for South Asia on indoor temperature and relative humidity for low-income housing in five rural and urban sites. It will help gain better insight in temporal and spatial differences between indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity and heat stress indicators.
Published in Scientific Data , a journal published by Springer Nature, this paper is authored by WOTR researchers Premsagar Tasgaonkar and Dipak Zade along with Sana Ehsan, Ganesh Gorti, Nabir Mamnun, Christian Siderius & Tanya Singh.
The open access dataset has significant implications in planning and implementing actions for combating heat stress better. Access here.
Land Degradation and Desertification – Action Points for India from UNCCD’s Global Land Outlook Report 2022
By focusing on achieving the SDG Target 15.3 and committing to LDN, India could accomplish multiple goals outlined by the CBD, the UNFCCC as well as the UNCCD in one fell swoop, albeit spanning decades of hard work and sustained efforts into the future.
Read ‘Land Degradation and Desertification – Action Points for India from United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ’s Global Land Outlook Report 2022’ on the WOTR blog here
Making the invisible, visible: 3D aquifer models as an effective tool for building water stewardship in Maharashtra, India
WOTR’s research paper on building water stewardship in Maharashtra has been published by IWA Publishing, the official journal of the International Water Association. The paper evaluates the potential of WOTR’s Water Stewardship Initiative and the Community-Driven Visual Integrator– a tool that produces an operational 3D map of the local groundwater aquifer. Access here
Resilient Future International: Training Session on Heatwave-Climate Change for Journalists, Youth and NGO Staff
Journalists, university students and civil society members have stressed upon coordinated planning and concerted actions by government, civil society and private sector against heatwave and its impact in the country.
This was discussed by participants of an online training session on Heatwaves and Climate Change (May 21, 2022) organized by Resilient Future International Pvt Ltd.-an Islamabad based social enterprise. Journalists, university students and community members from Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh province participated in the training session.
Here is one of the links of media coverage:
Authorities urged to take measures against climate change (thenews.com.pk)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions. Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) is one of the key programmes of GCA with a global hub on LLA, hosted by the Dhaka office.
It offers some exciting opportunities, with the latter two media training opportunities being for Bangladesh.
1. Local Adaptation Champions Awards: The Local Adaptation Champions Awards spotlights and rewards innovative, exemplary, inspiring, and scalable locally led efforts that address the impacts of climate change and build effective climate resilience among the most vulnerable communities, sections of society, and individuals who are at the frontlines of the greatest existential threat faced by humankind. The last date for applications is 10th July – you have a chance to win one of four cash prizes presented at COP27, Egypt. The Awards is open to any individual, organization, or group of partners worldwide, who are in the process of implementing climate change adaptation/resilience solutions that follow one of the eight principles of locally led adaptation. Useful Links: Ultimate Guidebook for Applicants – Official Awards Website – FAQs – Application Page
2. Media Training / Journalism Training Opportunity on Locally Led Adaptation: The priority country in South Asia is Bangladesh, apart from Egypt, Ghana and Kenya For details of Media training: Apply Now – Programme Page. For details of Journalism Training: Apply Now – Programme Page
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