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Message from Our Chief Mentor
The most significant and depressingly unfortunate development which has taken place in the arena of climate change in the last few weeks has been the decision by President Trump to have the U.S. withdraw from the Paris agreement. This is a development which I think should motivate and create a strong resolve among all rational people to move ahead rapidly in mitigating the emissions of greenhouse gases and adapting to the impacts of climate change, which are becoming widespread, more frequent and more intense all over the world.Based on the response which has been articulated in various countries as well as in parts of the U.S. itself, that is precisely the response that is being seen as a counter to the U.S. not accepting its responsibility and not heeding the powerful message of science that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has provided to the whole world. It may very well happen that President Trump’s decision actually spurs action far beyond what people had planned prior to his announcement. One important consequence of this decision would be that U.S. industry may be left at a disadvantage, because the rest of the world will move forward in developing and using renewable energy technologies. To the extent that the Federal Government’s decisions affect current trends, U.S. businesses could be left behind in markets for low carbon energy supply, which will inevitably expand. The current situation clearly requires redoubling of efforts at the grassroots level and leadership by the youth of the world. That is precisely what the POP Movement is attempting to do so that President Trump’s decision, if anything will convert into a renewed mission. The POP Movement now needs financial resources to scale up efforts rapidly, and start making a difference globally. Youth must now focus on actions by which we ensure that global emissions of GHGs peak no later than 2020 and decline rapidly thereafter. Dr. R. K. Pachauri Chief Mentor |
Partnership with Afterschool Alliance
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.A meeting was held on May 1, 2017 with the leaders of the Afterschool Alliance in Washington DC over lunch graciously hosted by Ms. Jodi Grant, Executive Director, where it was decided that the Afterschool Alliance would enter into a partnership with the POP Movement.
The Afterschool Alliance is a remarkable initiative which covers about 11.2 million children in the U.S. and provides direction and support to activities for school children who are thus engaged between the hours of 3.00 PM and 6.00 PM, when the parents are not back home, and children have left school for the day. A memorandum of understanding has been finalized expeditiously for a partnership between the Afterschool Alliance and the POP Movement. It is expected that this partnership established would focus the attention of school children in tackling the challenge of climate change in their homes, educational institutions and their own personal lives. The partnership will now come up with a plan of action, which would be submitted to potential funding organisations for financial support. |
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Conference at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
The Director of the School of Chemistry Prof. Jorge Vazquez at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Professor Jorge Nuñez Alba had organized a stimulating session with their students and faculty, where the Chief Mentor of the POP Movement made a detailed presentation on the science of climate change, on the basis of which a plea was made for UNAM to get involved in the POP Movement and implement it at this prestigious and gigantic university. The response from the students was very enthusiastic, and it would be expected that this School as well as the School of Economics would be the centers for action on the POP Movement at UNAM, which it is hoped will then spread across the campus, which has a total student population of almost 350,000.
Meeting at the Ministry of Education, Government of Mexico
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Dr. Irma Adriana Gómez Cavazos who has been extremely enthusiastic about implementing the POP Movement, to begin with, in the government schools in Mexico City, organized a stimulating session with several officials of the Ministry and related departments at which the Chief Mentor made a detailed presentation, and on the basis of which a two-hour discussion took place, at which some of the current activities in hand in Mexico City schools were outlined. Possible initiatives that could be undertaken by the POP Movement in partnership with the Ministry of Education were then discussed. This would be followed up with a detailed dialogue with a core group that Dr. Irma Adriana Gómez Cavazos is setting up for the purpose of launching POP activities in the schools of Mexico City.
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The POP Movement's Activities in China
Our Youth Mentor, Prerna Shah has been leading several efforts to implement the POP Movement in China. Here is an update of several POP Movement's activities in China this month.
Our Youth Mentor, Prerna Shah has been leading several efforts to implement the POP Movement in China. Here is an update of several POP Movement's activities in China this month.
Workshop with Students in Mexico
As part of the road map being prepared for the Mayor and Government of Mexico City, the POP team held a day long session with 20 University students who are in the process of providing their inputs for a road map to take Mexico City to a clean energy future. The students came up with innovative ideas and a number of measures that can be undertaken by the government of the city to provide the citizens with a clean energy and sustainable future.
The second phase of this workshop with students was held on May 6, 2017, so that further interaction with the teams that have been set up could take place and clarifications provided to ensure integration of their inputs into a coherent approach and comprehensive road map for Mexico City’s clean energy future.
As part of the road map being prepared for the Mayor and Government of Mexico City, the POP team held a day long session with 20 University students who are in the process of providing their inputs for a road map to take Mexico City to a clean energy future. The students came up with innovative ideas and a number of measures that can be undertaken by the government of the city to provide the citizens with a clean energy and sustainable future.
The second phase of this workshop with students was held on May 6, 2017, so that further interaction with the teams that have been set up could take place and clarifications provided to ensure integration of their inputs into a coherent approach and comprehensive road map for Mexico City’s clean energy future.
Leadership Camp at the Scouts
In the beautiful town of Tepoztlán in the state of Morelos, a camp took place for the leaders of the Scouts movement from across Mexico. The final day of this camp was utilized as an opportunity to address the youth leaders on measures that should be taken by the Scouts of Mexico for implementing the POP Movement. This is to be followed up with intensive training activities and it is hoped that Mexico would become a model for the POP Movement being implemented by the Scouts, for replication possibly in other countries.
In the beautiful town of Tepoztlán in the state of Morelos, a camp took place for the leaders of the Scouts movement from across Mexico. The final day of this camp was utilized as an opportunity to address the youth leaders on measures that should be taken by the Scouts of Mexico for implementing the POP Movement. This is to be followed up with intensive training activities and it is hoped that Mexico would become a model for the POP Movement being implemented by the Scouts, for replication possibly in other countries.
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Cinema Planeta 2017
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The primary partner organization of the POP Movement in Mexico, Cinema Planeta which organizes an annual film festival on an impressive and massive scale had provided an audience for the presentation by the POP team on climate change, which was part of the proceedings of the film festival. The presentation was received with great enthusiasm and a large number of students have been in touch with the POP team subsequently to volunteer their time and effort for implementing actions.
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Horasis Conference in Cascais, Portugal
The Horasis conference is a prestigious event which was held this year at Cascais, Portugal on 27-30 May, 2017. This conference was addressed on the 28th evening by H.E. Mr. Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, following which Dr.R.K. Pachauri, Chief Mentor made a presentation to the distinguished audience on climate change emphasizing the need for action which is urgent and essential to safeguard the future of human society and all species on planet earth. The audience was visibly moved and there were strong suggestions from a number of participants at the Horasis conference that they should be given guidance on how in their own lives they could mitigate the emissions of greenhouse gases. The distinguished organizer of the conference Dr Frank-Jurgen Richter was approached with this request by Dr.R.K. Pachauri, and he has agreed that in the next Horasis Conference scheduled for May 6-7, 2018, a full plenary panel discussion on climate change would take place to see that conference participants translate the message of science to action.
The Horasis conference is a prestigious event which was held this year at Cascais, Portugal on 27-30 May, 2017. This conference was addressed on the 28th evening by H.E. Mr. Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, following which Dr.R.K. Pachauri, Chief Mentor made a presentation to the distinguished audience on climate change emphasizing the need for action which is urgent and essential to safeguard the future of human society and all species on planet earth. The audience was visibly moved and there were strong suggestions from a number of participants at the Horasis conference that they should be given guidance on how in their own lives they could mitigate the emissions of greenhouse gases. The distinguished organizer of the conference Dr Frank-Jurgen Richter was approached with this request by Dr.R.K. Pachauri, and he has agreed that in the next Horasis Conference scheduled for May 6-7, 2018, a full plenary panel discussion on climate change would take place to see that conference participants translate the message of science to action.
Youth Summit at the Estoril Conferences
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The Estoril Conference was held back to back with the Horasis conference at Estoril in Portugal where on May the 29th, the Chief Mentor delivered a keynote address to the audience of over 1000 youth, many of whom have followed up subsequently with expressions of interest to implement the POP Movement in their institutions. The same afternoon the Chief Mentor addressed another 1000 strong audience of distinguished leaders, officials and youth as part of a panel discussion entitled “Power of Nobel Prize” where the other panelists were Nobel Laureates Jodi Williams, Dr. José Ramos-Horta and Dr. Bernard Kouchner. The panel was chaired by Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, Former Prime Minister of Malta.
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Presentation at Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Ciencias Sociais, Portugal
A presentation was made to Faculty and PhD. students at the School of Sciences at a University of Lisbon, where again the University Faculty and the students expressed their determination to implement the POP Movement.
Partnership with Quercus in Portugal
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On the 30th of May a discussion was held with the leadership of Quercus, the largest NGO dealing with environment issues in Portugal and a joint meeting was held with the Gulbenkian Foundation to seek support for the POP Movement in Portugal. Quercus will be entering into a partnership arrangement with the POP Movement and would become main partners of the Movement in Portugal.
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Presentation at Universidad Alfonso X El sabio , Madrid
A presentation was made to the Faculty and students of Universidad Alfonso X El sabio, Madrid where again a commitment was made by the participants for implementing the POP Movement in that University. A detailed meeting was held with Ms. Ana Barreira and Ms. Carlota Ruiz Bautista of International Institute of Law and Environment (IIDMA), who had organized the day’s engagements for the POP team. This organization facilitated a meeting with Iberdrola, a major electrical utility organization which has operations in many countries of the world and have about 26000 MW of renewable energy capacity installed. Iberdrola has activities with students in several schools, and efforts will be made to coordinate this with the POP Movement in Spain and other countries. The IIDMA has agreed to enter into a partnership arrangement with the POP Movement and coordinate POP activities in Spain through a formal Memorandum of Understanding.
Activities of Our Youth Mentor
Our Youth Mentor Heeta Lakhani was present at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (SB 46) in Bonn during May 2017. She was actively involved with the UNFCCC youth constituency, YOUNGO. She was selected to represent YOUNGO at the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity Building (PCCB) held from May 11-13. Heeta was also selected as "Interim Global South Focal Point" for YOUNGO during the first week of the conference. She chaired the "Global Climate Action Champions consultation with observer organizations" on May 11. Heeta was also part of Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation's mini side event on "Interactive Policy Debate on Youth and INDCs" held on May 18.
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POP Movement on An Interactive Map
Click the markers on the map to glance at the POP Movement's activities in different parts of the world