Climate Action Figures
A safe place for youth to share steps they are taking to mitigate climate change.
Climate Action Figures
Season 2, Episode 10: Shaurya
John interviews Shaurya from Gujarat, India, about climate change mitigation, virtual attendance at COP 29, and the importance of youth involvement. They also discuss region-specific climate impacts in India and personal climate actions.
00:00 Introduction to Shaurya and Climate Action Figures
00:30 QuickFix with Holly: Extending the Life of Clothes
01:06 Shaurya's Virtual Experience at COP 29
01:39 Understanding Climate Mitigation
02:40 Global Perspectives on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change
04:21 Transitioning to Renewable Energy
05:48 Youth Representation at COP 29
06:59 Financial Focus at COP 29
09:59 Shaurya's Journey into Climate Research
14:02 Climate Change Impacts Across India
18:30 Shaurya's Personal Climate Action
19:21 Final Thoughts and Hope for the Future
Outrage + Optimism - https://www.outrageandoptimism.org/
AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 - https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/
YOUNGO - https://youngoclimate.org/
Global Centre for Environment and Energy, Ahmedabad University - https://ahduni.edu.in/academics/schools-centres/global-centre-for-environment-and-energy/ {Twitter, Instagram}
climateactionfigures@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/climateactionfigures
https://www.instagram.com/climateactionfigures/
https://www.youtube.com/@ClimateActionFigures
Hi, I'm Shaurya. I'm from Gujarat, India. I'm currently logged in at Climate Action Figures.
John:Welcome to a new edition of Climate Action Figures. As always, my name is John Whidden, and this week on the show, you will get to meet Shaurya. But first, this week's QuickFix, which comes from Holly, you may remember from Episode 7 from Calgary. Holly says, I like to mend things. For example, fixing clothes, extending their lifetime so that I don't have to buy new. Well, welcome, Shaurya.
Shaurya:Thank you. I'm really glad to be here.
John:So, Shaurya, what do you think about that QuickFix from Holly today?
Shaurya:fashion is one of the biggest contributing factors to emissions. and I think it makes sense for us to increase the lifespan of the clothes that we are wearing. So I really think it's a good initiative done by Holly.
John:Now, Shaurya, you are so interested in the environment and climate change that you decided to attend COP 29 virtually. Is that correct?
Shaurya:Yeah, yeah, I have, I'm currently following COP through virtual access. So, what
John:is that experience like?
Shaurya:first, we have to register with an NGO that is registered under the UNFCCC and through that process, you get a login access and then you follow whatever interest areas you have. So, for example, for me, it's the mitigation agenda, so I've been following mitigation agenda at COP29 virtually.
John:tell us a little more about mitigation. Why is that of such interest to you, shaurya?
Shaurya:given that, the challenge of climate change is not new. It has been discussed since last 30 years. We started that back in 1972, so from 72 to 88, we were just figuring out what the actual issue is about. And then the scientific evidence started coming in from 1988 onwards. which is where the first assessment report of IPCC came in around 1992, and that feeded into the UNFCCC, the Rio Earth Summit that happened in the 1992. So it's a 50 years long issue that we have been discussing, and one of the core pillars of the issue is the human activity, and the human activity that is connected to fossil fuels. And the question is, how do we shift the world away from fossil fuels? And that's where the mitigation comes in. And that's the biggest challenge at the world faces. why not just try to address one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century? That's the question I have in my mind. Like, how do we do it?
John:Shaurya, I live in Alberta, Canada, which is a major producer of fossil fuels. How is Alberta or Canada seen by the international community in terms of this huge amount of production of fossil fuels?
Shaurya:it's a, it's a complex issue. So there is no, silver bullet answer because each countries have their own challenges. And sometimes it's an energy security issue. So for example, countries like India needs to import energy. versus Canada that could be an oil producing exporting country. So, so there are these, uh, inherited structural challenges within the country. So how do we approach there? That's the question. when it comes to the global narrative, the science is very clear when IPCC mentioned in the assessment report cycle six was about how we need to move away from fossil fuels. So, science side is very clear. How do we do it? That's the political and the social and the economic structures that needs to leverage that and push through it. So, there's this whole source of information, which is provided by IPCC at a global level, at the same time at a regional level. And we do have a very, strong scientific, consensus that human activities, which is completely driven by fossil fuels is driving climate change. So we have a clear boundary that is fossil fuels usage is driving climate change, but how do we transit away from that? that's the challenge. And I think each country has its own ways to figuring out, but that's where the UNFCCC and COPS comes in that every country is coming together and trying to negotiate. Oh, this is not possible for me. This is not possible for the other countries. So
John:So having studied this issue, Shaurya, what do you think are the most important things we need to do to wean ourselves off of fossil fuels?
Shaurya:first and foremost is to Identify the most easy to do action. First thing is to switch towards low hanging fruit, I would say, which is renewable energy. So, transitioning from that would be the fastest thing. And, and if you see the IAEA World Energy Outlook that came out recently, they showed that solar is the least, the lowest, cost when it comes to producing electricity. So now it makes a business case for countries to, Make an entire market around renewable energies. At the same time, how do we build a Economy that is less consuming because another pillar of the climate issue is the consumption and consumption especially from the rich folks between the countries and within the countries. So that's far more complex issue because at the end of the day, consumption is one that is driving economic growth and the perception of, I'm growing as an individual being at the same time my country is Growing at a rapid pace. AR six, the assessment report cycle six of the IPCC, specifically working group three, they had a chapter which is on demand side of climate change. How can demand side address and reduce emissions. So that's where it's a new mechanism that the scientists came up with. So it's a very interesting resource if somebody's interested in reading it.
John:Let's go back to COP 29 for a moment. In your experience, in your virtual experience there, do you feel like the youth voice is represented?
Shaurya:Youth voices still not represented as youth would like to be. So There are countries from Global North and some, some from Global South, especially from Africa region where there are representation of youths in the delegation. So for example, let's say I am from India. if my government wants me to be part of negotiating team, whether there's a youth position or not. so there are these countries that are building youth position, giving a position for the youths to negotiate on because at the end of the day, the, issue of climate, of course it's historical, but at the same time it talks about the future generation. So even the future generation than me will, have some level of responsibility to ensure that there is a world that is far more just and equitable and fair to them. need youths to be part of the negotiating teams. And that's how I think we could bridge one of the gaps
John:now, At the COP conference, where do you feel the most progress has been made so far and maybe where is more really needed?
Shaurya:So the progress for, for this year's COP, of course, the focus is on finance. So if you, if you have been following COP, one thing that has a significant impact was Article 6. 4, which is about building a voluntary carbon market. So that's a mechanism that is part of the Paris Agreement The countries are now building common voluntary carbon markets and where companies can trade the emissions across the borders. So that's a, that's a new form of push that has happened. But we do know the underlying principle is to address mitigation.
John:just heard on the news today, um, speaking of the financial side of COP, that, One of the global North leaders said, no deal at all is better than a bad deal. How would you respond to that?
Shaurya:So when it comes to the. historical contribution. The science is very clear that, even the COP 1, it was very clear that it's the annex one countries and in the Paris Agreement, we call them developed countries. They have a moral, moral responsibility and legal obligation to address climate change first. Because if you, if you look at the science side, there's a carbon budget for 1.5C target versus 2C target for the Paris Agreement target and within which each country has to grow. And when I say grow and develop, that means it has to pull people out of poverty. Let's say for example, in India we pulled M people out of poverty if you go through the Multi Dimensional Poverty Index that was recently published. So, there are these challenges which is very structural. so poverty is one of the things that has to be addressed when we are addressing climate change. And from the moral standpoint of view developed countries are responsible for the, issue because let's say for example, the UK did industrialization way back in late 17 hundreds and early 18 hundreds, and they have been industrializing. And so the CO2 that has been admitted right now is impacting me at an individual level as well. Let's say for example, in my city the temperature sometimes goes to 45 degrees Celsius in peak summer. I have to survive that. so there's this historical contribution which is completely clear. So the issue of climate change is more about historical responsibility than about who is doing it now. And that's where the finance part comes in. So if you have been following COP from 2009 onwards, That was the first time we introduced the target for 100 billion per year, by developed country to, to be given to developing countries in form of grants, but not in form of debt mechanisms. and since the years have passed and there have been papers and articles that have shown that the developed countries have not provided the funding and the issues are increasing more. and the worst impact is going to happen in the the developing nations, including India. And that's where we need trillions of dollars, I would say and this we have been discussing since 2009. And I think it makes sense for the developed countries to take leadership position.
John:Shaurya, we got focused on COP 29, but Let's hear more about you. What got you interested in climate issues?
Shaurya:that's one of the most interesting questions I would it was way back in 2018, when I was working as a researcher at university, and we had this project on, informal housing and how we can make informal housing address the climate issue. one of the things that I as a researcher did was to go, to a household to household survey. So we did 900 household surveys where we measure temperatures in each of the housing. So one is pavement dwellers, one is made by government housing, and then there are people who are living in informal settlements. And I see a huge 8 degree difference of temperature. So if I'm a pavement dweller living on the road directly under the sun, there's a huge difference of 8 degree Celsius difference, versus if I'm someone who's living in a formal housing, the formal housing is made by the government. Peak summer temperature during noon would be 35 degree, versus somebody who's on pavement, who lives on pavement have 42 degrees as a temperature. So when I was measuring, I could see the, the kind of system that they were living in, and the impact that they were already facing through. This is even before We reached 1. 2. So 1. 2 degree, we just recently reached in 2023. And then we converted that into a research paper eventually, and we published it. that was my first interaction of climate change and the impact of it within my own community. And that's where I felt more connection with, my own community is facing. We do have winters right now, the winters are going but still the temperature is 35 36 degrees which is bizarre this is like strange that we see such drastic change even in winter. So there's this temperature change that is happening in my own city and I can observe that but what drove that connection was when I worked with the co-chair, of working group three of IPCC during ar six cycle, and I was assisting him and the technical support unit of IPCC.
John:For those who don't know about IPCC, can you just explain what that is?
Shaurya:Very simply put, it's bunch of scientists coming together and trying to assess the state of climate. it's a intergovernmental panel on climate change. So that means government is part of the panel and that's where they negotiate with the scientists. They go line by line by line. And so there's a back and forth. science and policy people coming together and writing that entire report, especially the summary for policy makers.
John:Right. And with your interest in this area, uh, Shaurya, do you think maybe you could have some career in this, in this field?
Shaurya:Yeah. So the emerging new areas is the science and policy interface. And so it's, it's, we call it SPI and how, SPIs have become tool. not just in climate, but even in the questions of sustainable development. So how can science help address policy issues of poverty? Or how can science help address the issues of global health? So you see, like, for example, during COVID 19, WHO had to come up with a framework for distributing vaccines. So how science was part of that decision making. At the same time, policy was part of the decision making.
John:Right. Now, you and I were introduced through a group called Youngo. Uh, do you want to just tell us a tiny bit about Youngo?
Shaurya:Yeah, YOUNGO is the Children and Youth Constituency of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, so it's the official constituency, and when I say constituency, it's not an organization. It's just a group of people volunteering together and providing a global perspective on youths. So, so that's the basic understanding and the underlying principle that we follow is equity and justice. And especially we focus on intergenerational equity, that as a youth, our future is dependent on the negotiators are negotiating it. So 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature target matters to us more than the people who are sitting and negotiating. so that's where we are trying, we are pushing for 1.5 for each of the countries to at least go for 1.5.
John:And if we could, Shaurya, I'd like to come back to your home country. India is a massive country, a subcontinent. Is it possible to characterize the feeling that people have about climate change in India, or is it just too big a region?
Shaurya:Climate impacts are varying across India. So, for example, I'll start from the north. You'll know that there is Himalayan regions over there. So you'll see cloudburst happening and glacial floods happening in the Himalayan region. And then, for example, if you go to northeast, you will see a lot of flooding happening, especially during the, rainy season. Coming to my region, which is in the west, west side of India, it's closer to the Thar desert. So we have a hot and arid climate. So you'll see heat waves as one of the major impacts. So, In 2016, we had temperatures as high as 48 degrees. So that's the highest temperature that has been ever recorded in my city, 48 degrees Celsius. on an average, you'll see the summer temperature goes around 43, 42 degrees, at least for a couple of months. So people are living in this hot climate at the same time. How do we adapt? So there are these, for example, in my own city, we call Andamath Heat Action Plan. which tries to provide first hand information to the people who are most vulnerable. So that's, that's where I also see my city trying to address the issues of climate change. So this, in this case, is specifically heat impact. But if you, let's say, if you go on the east side of India, Orissa, it's one of the most cyclone prone state in my country. So you'll see a lot of cyclones frequently coming in, but it's also one of the most they have the most advanced understanding of how to adapt to cyclones. And if you go to the, south of India, there are, there are a lot of flooding issues as well, and especially cyclone, cyclonic issue. And sea level rise, of course, is a big concern subcontinent region is exposed to sea level rise as well.
John:Now, back to your home region, which is Gujarat, is that right? Yeah, yeah. Do you feel like, there is more or less concern there than other parts of India? Yeah.
Shaurya:when it comes to Gujarat, one needs to understand it's one of the most developed sub national regions within the country. So people over here belongs to high income group. At the same time, we do have a lot of industrialization. So on the, on the economic end, there's a lot of industrial activities that keeps on going and that's where um, economy grows. But at the same time, it's also one of the Most policy advanced state, I would say, because they tried to, uh, build newer policies and try to address the issues firsthand. So, for example, Andal heat action plan that came in 2013 was actually, in fact, Asia's first heat action plan. So no country, no city actually built, such kind of detailed heat action plan. So there's a proactive policymaking, I would say. But we still need to do a lot.
John:And to give us a sense of the, the feeling in that region about climate change, if you talked with the average person, where would climate change be on their radar? Are they very concerned or a little concerned? What do you think?
Shaurya:the idea of climate change is not of immediate concern, but you'll see a subtle way of people mentioning it. For example, somebody say, Oh, today's very hot. Sometimes they say, Oh, it's still winter is going on, but we're still using ACs we're still feeling warm. So why is So there's this sense of curiosity, but they won't connect that issue to the larger issue of climate change. But there's this perception that, Oh, there's something going on with the weather. And their first understanding would be directly connected to weather rather than the issue of climate change.
John:With you having your interest that you do in climate, do you feel like you are an important part to connect those things?
Shaurya:When we do events at my research, place, what we try to do is try to bring people from different stakeholders and from different backgrounds. So for example, there might be people who are working with, the informal sector at the same time they're trying to address their concerns. So we try to bring those kinds of people into our, workshops and conferences and at least give them a space to interact with the scientific side of the. the issue, but the biggest challenge is ensuring that people understand because science, as you know, is currently driven by the English language. So, so that has its own challenge of translating the knowledge from English to a local language is one of the major challenges that we face. And at the end of the day, we need to work with the community. So, so we need to translate whatever understanding we have at a global level to a local level
John:Now, Shaurya, as we reach the end of our time here together, we have to make sure we give you a chance to share your climate action. Have you chosen something today for your climate action?
Shaurya:Oh yeah, definitely. So something that I've been doing since 2019 is every time when winter comes in my city, I shift my mode of transport to cycling. so every winter I'll be on cycles and I'll go to my office and I'll go to my other spaces so that's one of the climate actions that I've been following since 2019 now. And it's during winters, because as I mentioned earlier, that summer, the temperature goes as high as 42, 43. And that's a constraint that we have. I hope like we might have footpaths with wide cycling lanes with shaded paths that I'm happy to go with 365 days. a year.
John:Last question for you today, Shaurya, what gives you hope?
Shaurya:hope it's like gravity it exists everywhere. It's just, how do we tap into it? And the, the only way we can tap. In is when we are in the present moment. so the issue of climate change, even though there are models saying it's a futuristic trend, the action is everything is in the present. There's nothing that can we can do in the future. Everything has to be done here and now. that is what gives me hope that, oh yeah, I'm alive and I can do it right now at this very moment. You don't need any future or past to tell me where I should do. It's here and now.
John:thank you so much for joining us all the way from Gujarat State, where it's fairly warm Shaurya. Yeah,
Shaurya:actually it's winter, but it's warm as well.
John:dear listener, we will be back again next Tuesday at 12:01 AM Mountain Time, in case you are wondering, to hear from another Climate Action Figure. Until then, go figures!