Feature story - February 16, 2005
BANGALORE, India — Greenpeace India joined the world in welcoming the Kyoto Protocol – an international agreement to cut down greenhouse gas emissions, with its youth members celebrating the day at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain, Bangalore with the message ‘Kyoto, the Way Ahead…Choose Positive Energy’. The celebrations included a skit, performances etc.
Members of Solar Generation perform a skit welcoming the Kyoto Protocol.
"The Kyoto Protocol is now a law and lays the ground for the
international community to take the first steps in curbing harmful
greenhouse emissions and combating climate change ", said K.
Srinivas, Climate Campaigner, Greenpeace India. "That global
warming is a reality and its impacts are most felt by the poor,
especially in agrarian country like India, is undeniable. Now is
the time for the world to roll up its sleeves and work on real
solutions to climate change."
The Solar Generation students were equally excited and vocal
about the Protocol coming into force. Jehan, a young college
student from Maldives said, "This is the first legal step to reduce
Greenhouse gases". She added, "Rise of sea level is not just an
issue of development and progress, but an issue of existence. My
country is facing the threat of being completely submerged."
Past
emissions of greenhouse gases mean the world cannot avoid an
increase of average global temperature of 1.3ºC higher than
pre-industrial levels. If the average temperature rises by 2ºC, the
impacts of climate change will be catastrophic. To stay below 2ºC,
industrialized countries must go far beyond the Kyoto requirements
and reduce emissions by at least 30% from 1990 levels by 2020 and
60-80% by the 2050s, with even further reductions to follow.
"We believe that the youth of today will lead the energy
revolution that will force us away from our dependence on fossil
fuels like oil and coal and destructive large hydro projects. Solar
Generation India members in Bangalore have both shown enthusiasm
and appreciation for the need to keep climate change under
control," said Salil Mukhia, Coordinator of Solar Generation. "We
are planning a number of future activities both to raise awareness
and force real solutions now that there is a price on climate
pollution and penalties for polluters. The switch to a low carbon
economy begins here."
More on Solar Generation
For more information please contact:
K Srinivas, Climate campaigner, Greenpeace India E-mail: ksriniva@dialb.greenpeace.org,
Tel: +91-94484 58866
Anshuman Atroley, Media officer, Greenpeace India E-mail: anshuman.atroley@in.greenpeace.org,
Tel: +91-98455 35403
(1) Solar Generation international is an active youth group in
Europe (Germany, Switzerland and France), Asia (India, China, and
South East Asia) and United States. We are working for a clean
energy future; renewable energies - used in a smart and efficient
way - can power our future. Without burning the planet! (2)
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organization that uses
non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental
problems and to force solutions that are essential to a green and
peaceful future.