Climate Emergency

Millets, the ancient grain family of Jowar, Bajra and ragi, are to come back into India’s foodscape. Millets are not new to India’s culture or kitchens. But in a country obsessed with rice, wheat and pulses, they aren’t widely produced or consumed.

Will that now change? What is up with farmers who are already growing millets? Do they have enough incentives? Can the millets make India more food secure? Can they help fight malnutrition and climate change at once?

In this episode, host Sneha Richhariya talks to millet farmers in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This episode also features a conversation with Ms. Salome Yesudas, who has worked extensively on millets and other indigenous crops.

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Plastic has infiltrated deep into our lifestyle, it is now so widespread that it is even finding its way into the water we drink, the fruit and vegetables we eat and in personal care products like your face wash! Latest studies show that microplastics have reached human bodies as well! But how do they get there? Are we responsible for this? Host Sneha Richhariya explains. This episode features conversation with Priti Mahesh, chief programme coordinator for Toxics Link.

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The agricultural industry is an important part of the Indian economy, and many startups are developing new technologies and innovations to improve agricultural practices and increase efficiency in the industry. 

In this episode, host Rakesh Kamal talks to Kaushik of Kheyti farms, which helps smallholder farmers in India gain a steady and dependable income. Kheyti has developed a “Greenhouse-in-a-box”, an affordable, modular greenhouse bundled with full stack services that use 90% less water, helps grow seven times more food and gives farmers a steady, dependable income.

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While presenting the annual budget last Wednesday, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman listed seven priority areas that the budget had adopted this year. Green growth and energy transition has been kept among the priority areas and lies at the front and center of this year's Budget. 

In this podcast, host Sneha Richhariya speaks to Mr. Deepak Krishnan, who is an associate director for World Resources Institute India's energy programme. We look at how India is planning what is being called one of the largest energy transition programmes in the world. We try to analyze if the provisions in this budget will help accelerate our transition to green energy. Above all, we also attempt to see how inclusive this transition is going to be.

References:

Comments by CPR-ICEE on the Union Budget 2023-24

How the budget can spur India’s energy transition

Budget Reactions: Views of industry experts

Budget: Energy transition gets fund boost, green growth key economic driver

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Indigenous people play an important role in protecting the environment. The tribals  or adivasis as they are called in India depend on the forest for their survival. They have developed sustainable practices that preserve natural resources. Indigenous people are also increasingly being recognized as key partners in conservation efforts and are being included in decision-making processes related to natural resource management. But contrarily in India, many tribals are still being jailed and are being harassed says the report "Wildlife Policing- The reign of criminilization in the forests of Madhya Pradesh " by Criminal justice and police accountability project.

For this episode Host, Rakesh Kamal, brings you a very interesting conversation with Mrinalini Ravindranath and Nikita Sonavane who are two of 13 authors of this report.

Link to the report https://cpaproject.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Report-Release-Draft_P-120th-jan.pdf

Additional Resource:  https://youtu.be/fDA8DU_LgkM

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At the 68th International Whaling Commission meeting held in Portoroz, Slovenia in 2022, India, as one of the member countries, spoke about the conservation initiatives of dolphins in the country. The government officials from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forest (MOEFCC) put forth their agenda and suggestions in the forum. They talked about the need for a more inclusive participation from the developing countries in Asia and SouthEast Asia, which was largely missing.

On the research front, they discussed how India is already leading in the conservation of dolphins, and is way ahead of the commission’s prescribed strategies. In this story, Sharada Balasubramanian, an environmental journalist, who received Earth Journalism Network's Biodiversity Media Initiative to cover the conference, spoke to the Indian delegation at the IWC, Dr. Vishnupriya Kollipakkam, Scientist from the Wildlife Institute of India and Bivash Ranjan, Additional Director General of Forests, MOEFCC.

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The annual Climate conference COP27 is being held next month in Egypt. This is the first time the conference is being conducted in Africa and a discussion on "Loss and Damage" is expected to set center stage. To discuss what we can expect from the negotiations this year, Climate Emergency Host Rakesh Kamal talks with Navroz K. Dubash, Professor, Centre for Policy Research. 

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In the past couple of decades, we have been hearing of cloudbursts in some part of the country or another. How is the Indian Meteorological Department studying this phenomenon? Why are these incidents increasing over a period of time, and what can be done to minimize the damages cloudbursts cause, both to life and property?

To understand this phenomenon, we spoke to Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune studying climate change research, and extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, floods, heat waves, and cyclones among others.

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Ratan Hemrom, a 33-year-old rice farmer in Birbhum district, says he will lose his home, culture and community if the West Bengal government goes ahead with its coal mine plans. He lives in the Deucha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha area which is also home to the largest coal block in Asia, the 2nd largest in the world. Our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to him about why the Santhal residents are protesting against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plans. His voice has been dubbed by activist Udvas Das.

We also hear from Dr Pradip Swarnakar, founder of the Just Transition research centre at IIT Kanpur, about what this means for India’s coal phase down plans. India has a target of zero net carbon emissions by 2070. This year, the Union Ministry of Coal set up a Just Transition division to draft sustainable coal mine closure plans.

Additional reading:

Deucha Panchami: Mamata Banerjee increases monetary package for tribals - The Economic Times 
Bengal: Solidarity Platform Formed to Protect Rights of People Hit by Deucha Pachami-Like Projects | NewsClick
Coal ministry to have a 'just transition' division; WB to provide $1.1 mn | Business Standard News 
Target of Coal Ministry is to minimize import of thermal coal and to make the country aatmanirbhar in the sector: Union Coal Minister 
India’s Net Zero strategy: India can be a role model for developing countries | The Financial Express 
India’s largest coal block will displace thousands but may not be viable after all - The Probe 

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One of the main problems during the floods is the complete disconnection of essential services. Electricity disruption in hospitals and a lack of fuel for running generators have become a yearly problem in Assam. To address this World resources institute, India has piloted a project on adding solar panels to provide uninterrupted electricity to hospitals and the difference has been noticed this year during the floods.
So talk about this, the host of Climate Emergency Podcast, Rakesh Kamal, spoke with Masfique of WRI and Mr Johnson Singson from  Burroughs Memorial Christian hospital society.

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