The shift to a cleaner energy economy wont happen overnight, and it willrequire tough choices along the way. But the debate is settled. Climatechange is a fact. Former US president Barack Obama 03LEADERSHIP

Greenprint For

school studentshave come out withsolutions to tackleclimate change. It’s timeto walk the talk and care,not just dare, they say...

They proved to be an ir-resistible force thatcannot be stopped bythe season of exams,elections or any other

fever. Eighteen finalists of THETIMES OOF IINDIA YYOUNG

CHANGE LLEADERS were ready to trou-bleshoot the problems faced bythe world owing to the cata-strophic climate change.

From why they would boardan eco-friendly airline to how

schools need to col-

laborate with larger firms to pro-pel the cause, the audience feltthe ‘Greta-like enigma’ every-where, as students offered solu-tions one after the other.

The winners — Vrinda Aroraand Taru Satija — promised tocarry forward the green pledge.Arora said this platform has re-inforced her voice and now sheplans to seriously work upon so-lutions.

AKSHYOBHYAA VENKATESH, class 7,Prudence School, Dwarka

AKSHOBHYAA VENKATESHclass VII, Prudence School, Dwarka

On how climate became a priorityOn Nov 4, 2016, Delhi had its first smog attack. It changedmy priorities. I realised we usually find a way out or createan excuse for everything. We should look at solutions.

I proposeThe aviation industry is responsi-ble for 2% of carbon emissions theworld over. As per the Departmentfor Business, Energy and Industri-al Strategy (UK), flights produce 133gm of carbon footprint (emissionsper passenger per km travelled)while trains produce 41 gm. If I haveto travel, I will try to opt for a trainjourney or go for an eco-flight.

MISSION: To fly an eco-friendly airline that uses biofuel. Alaskan airlines, KLM and Jet Blue are options. InIndia, on Aug 27, 2018, Spice Jet ran a pilot project fromDehradun to Delhi. So, India is ready for eco-flights.

We can reduce the guilt of fly-ing if we support eco-friendly

airlines. Do some research and findout if you can reach a destination viaan airline that uses biojet fuel.

SAMIYA MANN, class IX, GD Goenka, Rohini

Hydrogen can be used as a sourceto emit energy. Automobile indus-

try needs to work on this. PRANIT BANERJEE, class VI, Birla Vidya

Niketan, Pushp Vihar

VRINDA ARORA class VI,Tagore Int’l, Vasant Vihar

I proposeWhat’s important is the need to thrivefor a better life, not merely show andglow. Growing consumerism is eating thefuture, getting people to buy things thatdo not improve their lives. We just craveto own them. Extinction of a species isrelated to high consumption of luxuryitems. We need an ‘eco-conscience’ now.It’s high time we stopped supportingconsumerist culture.

TARU SATIJA, class IX,The Air Force School, Delhi Cantt

I proposeIt is not just the problem of my generation. It iseveryone’s problem. Our forefathers have pre-served nature, we too are enthusiastic about takingsteps, but the knowledge and resources are with

them and therefore, we need to unifyto find common ground. We can’tfight climate change unless wecome together and find solutions,instead of blaming each other. .

MISSION: Why can’t we ban plasticlike Rwanda did? If 8 mn people go torestaurants and refuse plastic straws,imagine the impact it would have. It isabout putting priorities in order.

On 3Rs and itsimpact on economyGlobal population is estimated

to be around 9 bil-lion by 2030, put-ting increased

pressure on finite resources. No economycan be called sustainable if it chooses toexploit all its resources at once.

AVIKA SINGHAL, class VI, British School

I proposeCountries like the US, Chile, China,

and European nations have made ashift from take, make, dispose in thenear economy model to reduce, reuse,recycle in a circular economy model.This helps in saving our resources andpromotes steady growth.

MISSION: India should adapt more to electric cars.Economy and environment must go hand in hand. Bothshould get equal priority and not offset each another.

On polluted riversIn India, rivers are called‘maiyya’ (mother). Goingby this theory, shouldn’twe be treating our riverswith respect?

NAMAN SONPAR, class VI, TheShriram Millennium School, Noida

I proposeConvert river banks to bio di-versity parks. The governmentshould boost sewage treat-ment plants and ensure thatthey are functioning properly.

MISSION: Convert our rivers to tourists spots,as in Singapore, where parks and river cruis-es, bring in money.

PRIYAL JAIN, class IX,Ahlcon Int’l, Mayur Vihar

I proposeWe are doers, sufferers, but notideators. We are a young country

with a median ageof 28.4 years. Ifall schools andcolleges put upa task force,and make it apart of their

holiday home-work, to clean

the Yamuna,and encourage

students to develop hydraulic devices,the untreated waste can be treated inan economical manner.

MISSION: Many unauthorised factories dump waste intorivers, so we must come up with ways to dispose it.Disposing waste goods in rivers is a strict no-no!

On why Greta inspiresher a lotAm glad that Greta Thunberg united usschoolkids and brought up this topic.We have the solutions in front of us, all

we need is col-laborative action.

ADIB KHAN, class IX, DAV, Sector 14, Faridabad

I proposeIf I were given the environ-ment cabinet, I would workin three phases. Phase Iwould involve adding peopleand organisations who haveformulated productive usageof paddy straw, thereby cur-tailing burning crops to alarge extent. Phase II wouldinvolve streamlining themonstrous traffic issue. There would be green trafficdays. In Phase III, polluting industries would be pe-

nalised while their green counterparts rewarded.

ANUSHKA LAL, class IX, Loreto Convent, Delhi Cantt

I proposeDear grownups, we have watched youwith pride as you developed better tech-nology, but pride has given way to de-

spair as you chewed up the Earth’sresources andleft us at theedge of ap r e c i p i c e .People haveto stopchecking thisgreed. Serve

more, buy more, eat more, wastemore, wear more, throw more... has tostop. In this ‘more’ conundrum, wehave forgotten where we come from.

MISSION: Firms put exorbitant price tags on products andconsumers mindlessly buy them. Even natural products aremarketed with steep pricing. When we scale down and sim-plify, big will not be the best. Live simple, clean and natural.

We need tofocus on “shared

responsibility” and ask forcollaborationbetween thegovernment andnon-state actorsto fund collectiveaction. We need to

mainstream the dialoguearound environment. SUCHISMITA MUKHOPADHYAY

Associate Director, WWF-India

It is important that there is an intra-gen-erational approach to tackle environment

issues. Temperatures are rising across theworld – and it’s happening now. We need theprevious and current generation to worktogether to solve the problem. We must delivera message of hope and inspiration, rather than

just focus on doom and gloom.CHANDRA BHUSHAN, CEO, iForest

I loved the presentations bythe Young Change leaders.

They made our generationrealise we have to work together.Thank you Times NIE for taking upthis burning topic.”IRA KHANNA, Principal, DAV Public School

MISSION: Make peopleeco brand ambassadorsof a country. This wouldalso make peopleaccountable for theiractions.

MAYANA AGARWAL, class VI, Pathways School, Gurgaon

I proposeGreta Thunberg cannot go to everycountry and deliver environmentspeeches. We are her representativesand must push this message acrossgenerations in our country.

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T O I Y O U N G C H A N G E L E A D E R S M E E T

Make it pan-India.Make it a green Oscar.

Ensure the talk translates toaction and, as the stu-

dents suggested, it istime the govt, non-state

actors and citizenscome together to build

a sustainable future.”DEEKSHA KHERA, Principal,

DPS, Mathura Road

Change cultural notions like a car is a sta-tus symbol. Opt for a bicycle or just walk. PARTH AHUJA, class VI, Indraprastha World School

If the older generation can opt and live well with-out plastic, why can’t we? Live natural.OJASVI MATHPAL, class VI, Pragyan School

Impose fines on civil and commer-cial constructions flouting rules. S RADHIKA, class VII, Salwan Public

For dust pollution, we should addsprinklers to our clean-up trucks. MANAS KAPUR, IX, Shri Venkateshwara Int’l

Start a non-cooperation drive againstthose who litter in nondesignated spots. BHUMIKA ASWAL, class VIII, Rukmani Devi

Control the immense growth of industrialisationand real estate growth in coastal zones. PAKHI DASWANI, class IX, Convent of Jesus and Mary

I propose a system change and this generation can be the catalyst for it.NAMYA LAKHANPAL, class IX, DPS, Noida

Times NIE thanks the 3,067 students who took out time tosend in their videos. We also thankthe principals from Delhi/NCR forcontributing to the event.

It isimportantthat thisforum transcends tosomething larger. These arebrilliant ideas that shouldnow become a reality. NAV AGARWAL, a Class VI student, TheShriram School, Moulsari; climatechange activist, and the youngestexpert on the panel

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Photo: GETTY IMAGES

MISSION: To start living within the means of nature.If there is one product I wish people would cutdown on is cellphones. I would want to banish cell-phones from my life, not bow down to peer pressure.