I. Imkong
I take this liberty to stand before this August House to present a speech on Climate Change in the context of Nagaland State. I won’t explain the meaning of Climate Change in detail but for the uninitiated, Climate Change is caused by Green House Gas (GHG) emissions resulting from human activities such as burning of fossil fuel, rapid industrialisation, deforestation and unscientific methods of agriculture which is resulting in rising temperatures, melting glaciers, rise in sea levels, changes in rainfall patterns etc.
Today, Nagaland, along with the rest of the world, is no stranger to the phrase “Climate Change” as we have observed, in the recent past, changing climatic conditions, varying weather patterns, poor crop yields and droughts, vanishing species of flora and fauna etc. Governments across the world are spending billions towards Climate Change mitigation and therefore, it is time that Nagaland does its bit and sets an example for other States to follow lest we are run out of time for strategies to be identified and adhered to. Policy and governance are closely related just like politics and government, and therefore, a comprehensive policy on Climate Change will surely have a major impact on Climate Change mitigation.
Climate Change is no doubt a global issue yet, it needs to be tackled through apposite policies and programmes basing on the unique conditions of different areas and regions. For instance, a higher temperature in the plains may affect crop yields while in the hilly and cold regions, previously uncultivable areas may have more favourable conditions as a result of such change. This implies that in a changing climate, there will be losers and also winners. However, the proportion of the affected will only continue to increase in geometric proportions.
Lawmakers need to come together towards policies that serve this common goal. The linking of policies, governance and Climate Change mitigation can only be achieved when there is a realization from within, at various levels. It is something that needs awareness; something that needs attention; something which needs to be mitigated – all of these require utmost urgency.
Policies on creating awareness on mitigation could be introduced for a start. The people, the NGOs and civil society, the policy framers, the law enforcers, the politicians, the Government - all need to be sensitized on what Climate Change is and what can be done to mitigate its harmful consequences on humankind. Once armed with knowledge and awareness, I am optimistic that some positive changes in attitude and an increase in activities towards Climate Change mitigation will be achieved. One must always remember that no matter how small the action – as small as turning off a light bulb when not in use – would be like the proverbial little drops of water that make an ocean.
Unfavourable Climate Change cannot be stopped or reversed. We can only try to mitigate and build strategies to adapt to changing conditions and scenario. Hence, it is imperative that the Government of the day should take up the responsibility to identify various problems affecting the State, create mass based awareness by employing methods of civil education programmes not only through mass media but also inculcate the same in the text books of schools and colleges, and most important of all, formulate befitting policies and strategies to alleviate us from the impending onslaughts of changes in climatic conditions.
It is heartbreaking to see massive jhum cultivation continuing in rural areas. Vast tracts of forests are reduced to bare land. We cannot afford to destroy Mother Nature anymore. But how do we educate the rural man that jhum cultivation is a major destroyer of the ecosystem and should be discouraged at all costs? First of all, scientific and eco-friendly methods of cultivation need to be indentified and introduced to the farmers. Sensitization programmes are a must to get the message through to the target base. At the same time, it is imperative to have an unbiased, corruption free, neutral monitoring mechanism to ensure that food grains and cereals under BPL Schemes reach the rural poor in even the remotest parts of the State.
The rural masses being primarily agrarian and constituting a majority of the population, are already aware of changing climatic conditions and the way these changes are impacting their livelihoods and lifestyles. However, most do not actually understand the cause of such changes which in turn underlines the fact that there is an urgent need to create awareness on Climate Change at all levels of society.
In order to do so, the policy should be flexible enough to include vast spectrum of society, NGOs and potential catalysts which is urgently needed. It should be flexible enough to cut across party lines and any other such borders in order to be effective.
It is paramount that the policy must pay attention to the fact that there exists very little data on the Eastern Himalayas. While there are a number of entities working in this field, there is a need for a holistic approach in which, the potential of such existent entities can be utilized to aid the Government in formulating a policy. It is suggested that a special statutory Government body be constituted which will be responsible for the formulation, advocacy and implementation of such a policy. Such a body shall have to function in tandem with the Department of Forests and Environment, Ecology and Wildlife as well as agro and allied departments. Key areas of interest may be identified as:
• Data Generation (Requires a funded programme for research {generation & analysis})
• Formulation of Compensation mechanism to farmers who agree to preserve biodiversity under their ownership. (Proportionate compensation based on area preserved)
• Adaptive strategies based on local requirements.
• Mitigation policies (Waste management, large-scale afforestation etc)
Effective Waste Management methods are also of utmost importance. For example, the Village Development Board in Kuda (formerly Nagarjan) Village, Dimapur undertakes the tedious task of collecting garbage from every household and uses this waste for land reclamation. This results in lesser evening garbage fires and cleaner surroundings while more land is being reclaimed slowly, yet steadily. Lesser fires also mean that there will be just that lesser amount of Carbon emissions from the area.
There is also the larger scale Nagaland Environment Protection and Economic Development through Peoples’ Action (NEPED) effort and its branches that are tackling not only Environment Conservation but also poverty reduction through various methods, because poverty does have a negative impact on the Environment.
We have just a couple of Green Villages in Nagaland. We should endeavour to turn each and every village in our State into Green Villages, Towns and Cities.
If such policies were taken up on a larger scale, imagine the tangible results which could be achieved. This is where the relationship between policies and governance comes in. Governments will continue to come and go, but, the bureaucracy remains and moreover, when such policies (which are beneficial to the environment and thereby to the people) exist, no Government would like to undo such good. Effective governance will ensure that such policies are introduced and adhered to.
There is need for urgent action and we should not fumble when we have the power to bring change. We need to develop a political will. We need to use this opportunity as a wakeup call to the sounding bells of urgency. We need to sit up and come out with innovative ideas which would attract attention and action. The people need to stand up and make their voices heard in debating and demanding policies. The bureaucracy needs to be a catalyst by framing effective policies. Only then can we achieve this common goal.
(The Above Is The Text Of A Speech On Climate Change Delivered By I. Imkong, M.L.A. On The Floor Of The House During The Discussion Hour On 24-07-2010 Of The Seventh (Budget) Session Of The 11Th Nagaland Legislative Assembly).
