KATHMANDU, June 6: The Small Earth Nepal (SEN), in association with World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), organized a one-day discourse entitled “Green Economy: Does It Include You? Workshop on Green Economy – National Youth Perspective” at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
The workshop, which saw youth participants, had Sudarshan Rajbhandari, Vice President of SEN, Prof. Suresh Raj Chalise of Tribhuwan University, and Krishna Gyawali, Secretary, Ministry of Environment as the key speakers.[break]
Highlighting the importance of youth participation in bringing forth positive changes in the environment, Prof. Chalise said, “The youth hold within them immense power and if they set their minds on doing something, they are capable of a revolution.”
He also highlighted the need for better policies regarding environment conservation. “We need better political ethics,” he said.
Badri Baral, 23 a Master of Science (MSC) student at Tribhuwan University and a participant at the event, said workshops like these were beneficial to youth because “they not only help students learn more about the environment but also encourage youth participation in grassroots-level policymaking.”
Krishna Gyawali, on his part, spoke of creating policies that are “universally accepted and nationally driven.”
He added, “Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, is around the corner and youth need to prepare well and put forth only specific issues that matter,” added Gyawali.
Purushottam Ghimire, Joint Secretary at the National Planning Commission and Focal Point – Rio+20, Tek Jung Mahat from The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and Jeeban Panthi and Laure McAndrew from SEN also made presentations at the event.