The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2021 report was a sobering reminder of the speed at which climate change is progressing, especially for a developing country like ours. India went into 2022 fighting a borderline catastrophic pandemic as well as the climate crisis. 2022 has also seen India facing its largest number of heat wave days in the past 12 years –– 280 heat wave days from March 11 to May 18, across 16 states.
With the second largest population in the world, plus most of the required infrastructure still needing to be built to keep up with the rapid urbanization that our cities are going through, it is no wonder that our natural surroundings are bearing the brunt of building and maintaining sustainable communities.
This rapid urbanization and industrialization have led to the mass destruction of green spaces across the country. Most recently and most widely known is Mumbai’s fight for the conservation of Aarey Forest; centered primarily on the building of a metro shed. Like the many groups fighting for this cause, there are several all-India groups that are fighting for environmental causes across the country. Have a look at them here.
I. My Mollem
“Goa’s Green Manifesto is a call to action and a collective demand from the young people of Goa for an active response to the climate crisis and towards the future well-being of the population.” - Goa’s Green Manifesto
My Mollem or Amche Mollem advocates against three mega-infrastructure projects cutting through the biodiverse Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary & Mollem National Park in Goa. They are a citizen-led collective and have collaborated on Goa’s Green Manifesto, visualising the sustainable development that they want to see undertaken in the state, without harming its biodiverse environment. Their hope is that the correct political leadership will use this document, as well as further discussions with citizens, civil society and experts, as a blueprint to create a thriving and sustainable Goa.
Support them here.
II. Aarey Conservation Group
“We are working to make Aarey a preferred destination for Mumbaikars and visitors to the city, a place where the green urban forest and the fresh air will make for the perfect surroundings for family outings and social bonding.” - ACG
Aarey Conservation Group is Mumbai’s first and foremost group in the fight for protecting the forest. They are a coalition of different Indian environmental support groups, including Vanashakti, Greenline, SPROUTS, National Environment Watch and AGNI, along with also having volunteer members from all walks of life. As a conservation group, they aim to spread awareness about the biodiversity of the Aarey forest and hold tree walks and plantation drives for the same. They also fight legally through petitions and emails to local government officials. In addition to fighting for Aarey Forest, they are also committed to saving other natural treasures across the entire city including beaches, parks, and mangroves.
Support them here.
III. Fridays For Future
“Their (Greta Thunbergs’s) call for action sparked an international awakening, with students and activists uniting around the globe to protest outside their local parliaments and city halls.” - Fridays For Future
Fridays For Future is a global people’s movement for climate justice. Started in 2018 by Swedish environment activist Greta Thunberg, the organisation encourages students to strike every Friday, forcing the government of that particular country to take notice of the rapidly escalating climate crisis. The India chapter is a pan-country organisation that works to get its climate demands met for the benefit of curbing climate change. Their demands include keeping the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels; ensuring climate justice and equity; and listening to the best science currently available. Founder of the India chapter of FFF, climate activist Disha Ravi became the face of dissent in India after she was unlawfully arrested for her peaceful protests on the then ongoing farmers’ protests. The group is currently appealing to the government to withdraw the mega infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island to preserve the last untouched tropical evergreen rain forests in the world, as well as the tribal communities that make their homes there.
Support Ravi and FFF here.
IV. Youth For Climate India
“Youth For Climate is mostly run by teenagers and students. We do not have a lot of experience when it comes to activism but it is the fervour to bring a change that drives everyone here,” - Rishika Gupta, YFCI
Youth For Climate India is a pan-India, student-led movement fighting against climate change in the country. They are based in Delhi and are a registered not-for-profit organisation. What they lack in experience, they make up for in advocacy, research, training, and enthusiasm. They regularly hold events like forest walks and climate strikes as well as meetings and support groups about things like eco-anxiety. With 40 volunteers across the country, the main problem they face is a lack of resources and tokenistic responses from authorities when they seek accountability for the mistakes made by the government. Through their social media, they are able to reach out to a wider audience of young citizens who have a burgeoning interest in saving and preserving the city they live in. As they say, “If not us, then who?”
Support them here.
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