Delhi Sustainable Development Summit – Live blog – End of day 1

6.45

Today’s sessions are now completed. Dr. Pachauri is on stage to welcome the H.E Mr. James Alix Michel, President, Seychelles.

In his speech the President of Seychelles mentioned about the partnership between TERI University and University of Seychelles. Dr. Pachauri and President Michel then signed the memorandum of understanding.

President Michel also gifted Dr. Pachauri the world largest seed, a one of its kind variety found only in Seychelles, called Coco de Mer.

7 pm

After a beautiful show on TERI’s Lighting a Billion Lives initiative we came to the end of the first day of DSDS 2011.

Live Blog DSDS 2011 – Session on Local Initiatives in Africa

5 pm

Present session is on Africa

Prof Sabine Troger speaking now on climate change.

Climate change impacts not only people’s livelihood and agriculture but it affects the entire lifestyle. Amongst people there is no climate change adaptation as such.

The decisive element amongst people to survive the climate change is the culture of sharing. But this culture of sharing is being disturbed. People have to move from place to place because of natural problems like drought. As a result they cannot cultivate and their element of sharing is fading away.

The need is of institution building, and building new means of securing the society. And people themselves would define these new institution and will take ownership of them.

Mr Laurent Sedogo, Minister of Agriculture now talking about the various local initiatives going on in Africa.

Mr. Negusu Aklilu Director, Forum for the Environment, Ethiopia talking about how the local community is now finding it increasingly difficult to cope with climate change. He recommends that there should be mainstreaming of this issue. The worrying issue of land grabbing in Africa have to be dealt with. There is need of better networking amongst government and other institutions. A national climate fund could be set up to help local communities to adapt. Good practices have to be shared, the time is against Africa so much more efforts are needed.

 

Live Blog DSDS 2011 – Session on Financing Technology Deployment in Asia

4.35

Dr. Pachauri is the moderator for this session. Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda President of Asian Development Bank, Philippines will give the key note address. Before the key note, Mr Kuroda released book written by TERI’s researchers.

Key note – Some of the key points from this session

• Why is it that we are not able to make a significant change in the greenhouse gas emissions. The reason is lack of financing of climate technology.
• Targetted financing needed along with public partnership.
• Local ownership – we need technologies for the needs of the local market and community.
• Bottom up initiatives are very impressive but they are simply not enough.
• Local initiatives can be shared as best practices by international partnership between Governments, NGOs etc. Best financing solutions come from collaborations.
• Global and regional partnership to enhance collaborations, NGOs like TERI has a key role in mobilizing financing.
• At ADB we have an advisory group on climate change and we are very keen in playing an important role in financing climate technology.

Live Blog DSDS 2011 – Session – Leveraging Efforts Across the World

2 pm – Leveraging Efforts Across the World

The session is moderated by Ms. Aimee Christensen

Panelists

Key points from the session

We have to learn from the efforts going around the world in sustainable development. Not only learn from the success  but also the mistakes.

Strong networking at local level is extremely important to raise awareness.

Dr. Leena Srivastava talked about TERI’s Lighting a Billion Lives initiative. A TERI initiative of lighting villages where there is no power by giving them a solar lantern for rent at affordable rate.

Over 1.6 billion people in the world lack access to electricity; roughly 25% are in India alone. A solar lantern can save 40-60 liters of kerosene/year and 100 Billion Rupees burned each year in kerosene and wick lamps.

Lighting a Billion Lives - solar lanterns specially designed by TERI for its initiative

TERI Leadership award conferred on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh receiving the Leadership award