Youth forum calls for actions on climate change

With an aim to familiarize the youth with the benefits of earth observation and impart knowledge and skills on geospatial data for climate change actions, a six-day youth forum started in the capital Friday.

Some 40 participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan gathered to discuss climate change and call for actions at "Empowering Youth with Earth Observation for Climate Actions" organized by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepali Youth for Climate Action and the GIS Society of Nepal and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Andreas Schild, Director General of ICIMOD, said the youth members selected from over 750 applicants, are "not just participants but representatives of youth from different region."

"We need youths to know what´s happening and also talk about it," he said of climate change, especially referring it to the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region that stretches 3,500 kilometers across eight countries.

The Himalayas are considered as the "third pole" and is a major source of water for an estimated 210 million people. Also, the changing climate and rising temperatures are becoming a major threat for glacial outburst in the region.

Anil Chitrakar, a social entrepreneur, urged everyone to act and contribute from every little way as their contributions could make significant impact in combating climate change.
"A small something is better than nothing," he said addressing the participants and elaborated, "It´s not the earth we´re trying to save but us and we don´t have an alternative to move [somewhere else]."

During the first day of the youth forum, the participants also discussed and presented their concerns and calls for climate change. Most of the comments resonated along call for awareness in local, national and international level using the data and technology available.

But the resolutions and appeal to act for climate change shouldn´t end with the six-day forum but should be a beginning for future actions, said Jason Kessler from NASA.

"Take back what you´ve learned and share it because that´s what is going to make the greatest difference," he said to the participants.

The youth forum is a part of the international symposium on "Benefiting from Earth Observation: Bridging the Data Gap for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region" starting October 4-6, which will be attended by an international panel including Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Government of India, Charles F. Bolden Jr, NASA Administrator, Michael Yates, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID, and professor Jose Achache, Director, Group on Earth Observation (GEO) Secretariat, Switzerland
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