Noted environmentalist Dr Virendra Pal Singh on Monday called upon all concerned to act to check climate change as there are only two options left, simply to tolerate it or prevent its negative effects.
Singh, senior advisor of the World Agroforestry Centre, South East Asia, said this while speaking at the 5th Odisha Environment Congress (OEC-2014) which began here on Monday. He said the Argoforestry Centre is focusing on suffering of the society as almost all the systems had been affected and are going to be effected further in the future as well.
He stressed on the community-driven process focusing on agriculture to deal with the effects of climate change and environment keeping in view the vulnerabilities of drought, flood and cyclone. Dr Singh also advocated in favour of climate-smart agriculture, cutting of green house gas emissions, livelihood improvement and environment sustainability.
He said rise in temperature and shift in snowfall are now two noticeable features of effects of climate change in India. Industries and School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra inaugurate the 3-day OEC. OEC chairman DK Roy presided over the inaugural session. Among others, Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo, former Board of Revenue Member Dr Aurobindo Behera, RMNH Director Dr Indresh Kumar and OEC Organising Secretary Sudarsan Das graced the occasion.
Talks on impact of mining and energy sectors towards climate change and other issues were discussed. As many as 42 experts have contributed papers on climate change and environment out of which one of the papers would be rewarded with “Best Paper” in order to promote young researchers and scientists of below 35 years of age.