Picture

POP Papers
​​Issue 4. Aug 2016

Message from Our Chief Mentor

August has been a busy month for the POP Movement. But for this planet as a whole, these 31 days have been a period with several extreme events occurring worldwide. It was in 2011 that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) brought out its “Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation” (SREX). This report in several respects was a game changer, because that output contained for the first time the world’s scientific community assessing the impacts of climate change in the form of extreme events and disasters. As a result, the perception of risk in several parts of the world arising from the impacts of climate change was enhanced to incorporate extreme events and disasters as a growing source of concern.

The occurrence of extreme events as a result of climate change would increase in frequency and intensity with higher concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Hence, the world has to move urgently with mitigation of emissions of GHGs to ensure that we do not cross the tipping point beyond which humans would become responsible for “dangerous anthropogenic interference” with the climate system. Mitigation of emissions of GHGs is a problem which requires aggregate action, since these gases mix freely in the atmosphere, and their concentration is determined by emissions from everywhere on this planet. The challenge is to limit and reduce the concentration of these gases through collective action, and this is where the youth of the world have to take the lead with a sense of urgency, if they wish to limit the increasing risks they would have to face in the future.

But as a result of past levels of concentration some impacts are now inevitable, and the world would have to find ways to adapt to the impacts of climate change, which cannot be avoided even if we were to hold emissions at current levels, and then reduce them rapidly. The global challenge of climate change can only be met by a combination of mitigation and adaptation measures. However, while mitigation needs specific measures to be adopted globally, adaptation essentially involves action at the local level, including the creation or strengthening of institutional capacity and infrastructure to deal with climate change impacts, among other actions. The SREX stated, “Integration of local knowledge with additional scientific and technical knowledge can improve disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.” Ideally, every school and college could become a repository of relevant knowledge and an active center of action for adaptation measures in every part of the globe. Can we enable and empower teachers and students in all schools and colleges across the globe to assume this role? That is precisely what the POP Movement must and is designed to do.
​
In several countries, governments have taken the lead in setting up organizations to deal with disaster management, but in many cases such initiatives may not be enough, because the public needs to be informed such that it gets involved in actions to deal with risks from disasters and extreme events. Ideally, educational institutions and students can become the centers of action and the hubs for communicating and providing relevant information to the public to ensure risk reduction. The SREX stated, “Appropriate and timely risk communication is critical for effective adaptation and disaster risk management.” As an outcome of the POP Movement, it is intended that students take the lead in working with the public to assess and deal with the risks from the impacts of climate change, such that the loss of life, property, economic benefits and livelihoods is minimized. Youth must take the lead in coming up with concerted action, in respect of both mitigation and adaptation measures so that we deal with this challenge effectively at the global as well as the local level.

​​Dr. R.K. Pachauri
Chief Mentor

POP Signs MoU in China

The POP Movement signed an MoU with the BROAD Group in Changsha, China​ on August 20, 2016. The POP Movement will help establish a school in the BROAD township, which will embody the philosophy of the POP Movement as well as develop other cutting edge, environmental science-focused educational activities in Changsha under the ambit of the MoU.
​
Chairman Zhang Yue is a remarkable entrepreneur who has never been driven by the lure of short term profits.  He is totally focused on the issue of sustainability, and accordingly refers to his technology for design and construction of buildings as “Broad Sustainable Buildings (BSB)”.  Chairman Zhang has also stated that “The biggest problem we face in the world right now is not terrorism or world war, it is climate change”.  He believes that “It's all about the details. Engineering serves the people. You ask yourself: ‘What does society need? How can we make products which interfere as little as possible with the environment?' This needs an unlimited amount of work."
Given Chairman Zhang’s dedication to the principles of sustainability, on August 19 he arranged for Dr. Pachauri to address Broad’s management team, numbering about 800, and to interact with them for a period of two hours to focus on climate change, and what an organisation like Broad could do in this field.  Chairman Zhang himself was present throughout those two hours and interacted actively in the discussions that took place.  Dr. Pachauri also addressed about fifty participants from Europe and China, who were present in Changsha to attend the EU – China NGO Twinning Workshop on August 20.
Picture
Informal Partnership with the Humane Society International
Picture
The POP Movement has informally partnered with the Humane Society International to support its global meat reduction efforts. Our Chief Mentor, Dr. Pachauri shared a video statement to support HSI, Mexico's efforts to educate youth on reducing meat consumption.
Meeting with Señor Efraín Villanueva Arcos
The POP Movement and its partners Cinema Planeta met with the Mr. Efrain Villanueva, Ministry of Energy, Government of Mexico on August 5. At the meeting several joint initiatives and clean energy solutions, including those focused on promoting education among students in Mexico were discussed.
Picture
Picture
Ties with the Global Scouts Movement
On the 27th of August, the Scouts of Mexico celebrated at a gala dinner, 90 years of their existence, and the theme this year as “años de aventura”.  In other words they saw 90 years of the Scouts movement in Mexico as an occasion when this year should be treated as a year of adventure. Those present on the occasion at the dinner with about 500 guests, including leaders of the Scouts movement from various parts of Mexico, were Mr. Raul Sanchez, Mr. Jose Luis Cardenas and Mr. Arturo León y Vélez.  Mr. Raul Sanchez is the Director of the Scouts Movement for the Inter-American region, which covers the entirety of North and South America.  M/s Jose Luis Cardenas and Arturo León y Vélez are the leaders of the Scouts Movement in Mexico.  Dr. R.K. Pachauri addressed all the Scouts and their leaders assembled on the occasion at the dinner that evening. It is particularly gratifying that the Scouts of Mexico are discussing a collaborative arrangement with the POP Movement, which would serve their objectives of treating this year as a year of adventure.  It is hoped that this experience in Mexico, once it materializes, can then be extended to other countries in North and South America.
​
It was a particular privilege and delight to meet perhaps the oldest Scout in the world, Mr. Fernando Nunes, who is 100 years old, and who is shown in the attached photograph.  Mr. Nunes continues to believe “Once a Scout, Always a Scout”, and is not only active within his family and circle of friends but still goes to work on a regular basis.
Discussions with Dr. Salomón Chertorivsky
A meeting was held on Monday, August 29th with Mr. Salomón Chertorivski, who is Secretary of Economic Development of Mexico City.  Dr. R.K. Pachauri has responded positively to the invitation from Dr. Miguel Angel Mancera Espinosa, Mayor of Mexico City, to speak at a conference on “Economy and Climate Change: Renewable Energies” on October 17, 2016.  The leadership of Mexico City is very eager to move development in that major metropolis towards sustainability.  The POP Movement has offered to help in that regard by mobilizing the youth of Mexico City for realizing the vision of the Mayor for a sustainable, clean and renewable energy based future for Mexico City.
Peek at Our Partners

We are proud of our partners' efforts and are happy to highlight select developments with their research and activities with you each month.  

​This month we bring you an update from Worldrise.
Picture