On this edition of chitchat, Republica caught up with five young and energetic youth working towards saving the environment. Abhishek Parajuli, 20, a member of The South Asia Watch on Trade and Economics and an advisory panel member of the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP), Basanta Shrestha, 25, Communications office at The Nepal, Sushila Pandit, 23, British Council´s International Climate Champion 2009/10, Dipesh Chapagain, 24, Campaign officer at Clean Energy Nepal and Saunak Bhatta, 19, a student of Development Studies in National College and British Council´s International Climate Champion 2010/11, joined us for the discussion.
“Climate change is a global crisis and the under-developed countries are suffering from the effects of global warming,” said Dipesh to which Sushila added, “It is a natural phenomenon that the climate is changing but we, humans, are acting as a catalyst."”
All five participants were of the same thought and agreed that just talking about climate change will not actually solve the
problem of global warming. "We just talk about this happening but we´re not doing anything and if we, the youth, don´t do anything about it, who will?" questions Basanta.
The Great Global Warming Swindle, a documentary created by Martin Durkin, however, has a different point of view on climate change. A controversial documentary, the film questions the authenticity of the whole climate change phenomena suggesting that it is influenced by funding and political factors.
After watching the documentary, the five youth barged into a discussion about it. "The documentary has some valid points but it has many loopholes and is not backed with proof,” says Abhishek. Saunak adds that once an organization, referring to the climate change campaigns, starts getting donations in huge amounts; it is only susceptible to such arguments, whatever the topic may be.
"United States is one of the developed countries to emit a lot of carbon dioxide in the air that causes global warming so why is the US not backing this theory but bargaining with other countries to lessen its CO2 emission?" questions Abhishek.
The documentary suggests that the climate has always been changing and in the past, the planet has sustained greater heat than today and will sustain in the present and in the future too. It argues that the whole global warming theory is politically influenced.
Saunak said that the green house gases being released in the air are trapped and the ground is all turning into concrete not allowing it to evaporate water leading to lesser rainfall and hence the weather is getting warmer.
"Like, Sunak said, the surface is getting hotter too but it differs in the altitude but it still is the effect of global warming," said Dipesh.
True, that we all were taught about global warming and climate change in schools and it was scientifically proven too and that is what we believe in, but what if climate change really didn´t exist?
"What we are seeing today cannot be ignored and we cannot overlook the fact that the temperature is increasing and the snow is melting leading to a rise in the sea level. We cannot just sit and watch," opined Sushila, adding, "Instead of whacking our brains over something we are not sure of, we should prepare to cope up with the effects of global warming."
Shrugging off the controversial documentaries theory, the youth were of the thought that whether the theory is proved right or wrong, we need to work on cutting down pollution in our own city, not just to cut effects of global warming, but for our own healthy life.
"Kathmandu is already known as one of the most polluted cities and it is harmful to live where there is so much pollution," said Dipesh concluding that we all must work together with support from everyone to stop polluting our cities and live in a healthy environment.
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