Ever feel like Delhi’s summer is getting hotter every year? You’re not wrong. C40 Cities reports that Delhi witnessed its second-highest temperature ever recorded in May 2024, at a scorching 49.9 °C. This isn’t an isolated incident – record-breaking heatwaves are becoming our reality. Climate change isn’t some distant threat; it’s impacting our lives right now.
But hey, here’s the good news: We, the youth of India, have the power to change this. On this World Environment Day, let’s pledge to #ScaleUpClimateAction together!
Why I am talking about it?
Why We Need to Act Now? Check These Stats:
- Water woes: NITI Aayog predicts an overall demand for water to exceed supply twofold by 2030. Yikes!
- Air we can’t breathe: Greenpeace India estimates air pollution costs India a whopping $150 billion annually. That’s a serious drain on our lungs and our wallets.
- Energy blues: We’re heavily reliant on fossil fuels, but there’s a clean energy revolution brewing! India is aiming for 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030 (Grant Thornton Bharat). Let’s push for even more!
But Hold Up, There’s More to Do!
We can’t just rely on solar panels and wind turbines. Here’s how we can make a real difference:
- Fight Food Waste: Did you know one-third of the food we produce gets wasted? Let’s be smarter consumers and embrace sustainable food choices!
- Ditch the Gas Guzzlers: Public transport, cycling, and electric vehicles are the future! Let’s make our commutes cleaner and cooler.
- Green Our Cities: We need more parks, green roofs, and sustainable buildings to combat heatwaves and improve air quality.
- Waste Not, Want Not: Reduce, reuse, recycle! Let’s manage our waste responsibly and explore composting options.
- Ports Go Green: Cleaner fuels, optimized routes, and shore power for ports – these are the keys to a greener maritime sector.
You should care because…
The Power is in Our Hands!
We need the government to step up too. We want to see a bigger budget for climate action, stricter environmental regulations, and stronger Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for industries.
This is Our Fight, Our Future!
By taking action, big or small, we can create a cleaner, healthier India. Here’s your chance to make a difference:
Further Reading:
- https://www.grantthornton.in/insights/articles/achieving-500-gw-of-renewable-energy-capacity-by-2030/
- https://www.greenpeace.org/southeastasia/publication/3603/toxic-air-the-price-of-fossil-fuels-full-report/
- https://social.niti.gov.in/uploads/sample/water_index_report2.pdf