Dr. M. A. Shah
The history of sustainable development in the United Nations dates back to United Nations Conference on Human Environment held in Sweden 1972. The conference adopted declaration and plan of action which set out principles of the preservation of environment.
The conference also created United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the first UN programme solely on Environmental issues and has been placed within the framework of sustainable development. All of the 17 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have some connection to the environment.
The SDGs with a direct connection are Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 14 (Life Below Water), and Goal 15, (Life on Land). Most of us are familiar with the terms climate change and global warming, but not too many of us understand the science behind them.
We don’t really understand how climate change will affect us in near future. The Paris agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 parties at COP 21 on 12th December 2015. The 2021, United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) was held at Glasgow from 31 Oct to 13 November 2021, which concluded with the adoption of reducing the use of fossil fuels.
The Environmental Symposium, entitled, “Our Relation with Nature” in collaboration with Government and in association with NLCO aims to become the leading annual symposium at NIT Srinagar on 10th of December 2021.
The goal is to encourage students to take leading role in protecting the environment (which is hugely complex system that includes the air we breathe, the land we live on, the water we drink, and the climate around us) through knowledge, awareness and consciousness. We at NIT Srinagar with the support of our Hon’ble Director Prof Rakesh Sehgal and administration are committed to address and work together with institutions and organizations for all major issues related to SDGs.
A part of the celebrations on 10th of December 2021 include, “Plant a Tree at NIT” shall make a new beginning in the history of NIT Srinagar. A tree is a gift that keeps on giving. They clean our air absorbing harmful carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. They help to clean water. Planting tree is one of the best things that you can do for nature and future generations. It is in fact one of the easiest ways through which one can give back to earth. Doing our part for the planet in any way, including planting trees as often as possible, is the most important thing we can do for future generations. They help to fight climate change.
A mission of inviting bright students from each district to make them, “Green Ambassadors of Kashmir” for “green knock” at every door will be another step in this multifunctional symposium, which is being coordinated by a band of faculty from Physics Department and some humanity lovers and environmental enthusiast.
The author is Chairperson of the Environmental Symposium, “our relations with nature” which is an off shoot of a programme “Beyond classroom and beyond borders” in Physics at NIT Srinagar.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed
in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.