Climate change has posed a severe challenge to human race; unless we take immediate action we cannot stop this. Time is ripe for every individual to be climate ambassador, said Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro.
Patro was addressing the People’s Convention on Climate Change Impacts and Building Disaster Resilient Communities held here on the eve of State Disaster Preparedness Day being organised by the People’s Action for Climate Justice (PACJ) and Focus Odisha Foundation in collaboration with Action Aid. Patro inaugurated the convention. Speaking at the inaugural function Chairman of Odisha Building and Construction Workers Welfare Board, Subash Singh stressed the need for collective action to combat climate change. Adviser, Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti Department Sulata Deo expressed concern over changing climate and how women and children are becoming vulnerable. She emphasized on changing behaviour of people so that they can adapt to climate change.
While sharing the objectives of the convention, convener of People’s Action for Climate Justice (PACJ) who chaired the inaugural session Sudarshan Chhotoray presented on how Odisha is becoming vulnerable to climate change impacts.
During the technical session of the convention climate experts from prominent institutions and universities presented the research outcomes and studies relating to climate change world over. They underlined the need to create awareness among people.
Prof Uma Charan Mohanty of the Department of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences of IIT Bhubaneswar, stated how disasters like thunder storm and sun stroke are killing people in large numbers like never before.
Prominent among the academicians who spoke and presented on facts related to climate change and natural disasters were Prof (Dr) Jayanta Kumar Routray, Professor Emeritus, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, Prof Pratap K Mohanty, Head, Department of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University, Dr Vinoj V, Department of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, IIT Bhubaneswar, Prof Bisnu Prasad Dash, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Fakir Mohan University, Balesore and Dr Debadatta Swain, Department of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, IIT Bhubaneswar.
At the end of the daylong session a declaration with charter of demands was released. The organization urged the Government to set up a Task Force to identify climate change hot spots in Odisha and to revisit Odisha Climate Change Action Plan.