Welcome Team India!

By ShadiaFayne on August 2, 2011

We, at Project Survival Media, are so proud and honored to introduce to you our first Solutions 4 Survival Team: Team India.

Solutions 4 Survival (S4S) is a new media series designed to deal with a frightening new reality: the climate crisis is already underway, and our governments are failing to rise to the challenge. As our planet’s natural systems become increasingly unstable, people around the world are looking for ways to cope. They are looking for climate solutions.

Over the last two months we recruited young people from India to apply for S4S, read through applications we received from from all over India, interviewed selected candidates, and then finally chose the following members of our team.

It was a very difficult decision. We received so many qualified applications and talked with so many amazing youth journalists. This team will document stories of people in their communities who are implementing tangible, local, and equitable climate solutions.

The goal for S4S isn’t just the spread of information–it’s also the spread of inspiration. After reading the short biographies of our new team members below, we have no doubt that they will achieve that goal.

 

Ritu Bhardwaj, S4S Videographer & Editor

Ritu is an independent film maker based out of Delhi has been working on socially relevant issues for past few years. A video editor by passion and producer by instincts; she has worked on television programs and documentaries addressing issues like farmer deaths in India, features on environment sustainability, impact of recession in bazaars of India, and the importance of mason training. She was also a part of the core team at Whypoll.org which designed the first ever United Nations Millennium Development Goals Lectures Series in Delhi last year. After working for the social sector for some time, she is also trying to diversify and get involved in development related research via her part-time course at Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

Gautham Krishnadas, S4S Writer & Researcher

Gautham is a graduate engineer from the National Institute of Technology Surathkal, Karnataka. An intrinsic passion for the environment has taken him on a technology and policy track to explore climate change, evaluate its impact and encourage ‘solutions for survival’. As an International Climate Champion with the British Council, he has been actively involved in climate change mitigation activities on the technology and awareness end. He has more than a year of research experience at the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and publications in the domain of clean energies like solar, wind, and biomass for grassroots level sustainable development. He also holds a penchant for creative media works, instrumental music as well as pantomime.

Usha Dewani, S4S Videographer & Editor

Usha recently earned her Master’s degree in Mass Communication at Gauhati University, and has a background in fine arts and music. She is a founder member of New Ways, a group that uses Grassroots Comics as a development communication tool. Usha has been active in producing and filming community videos for Women Aloud Videoblogging for Empowerment (WAVE). She has also made personal films on social issues like substance abuse and disability. She is an active volunteer in many capacities though largely in photo and video documentation. She works with Bridge to Build, a group that passes on knowledge and skills to empower disadvantaged children, women, and elderly.

 

Pratik Mandrekar, S4S Writer & Researcher

Pratik is a software developer in Bangalore. In 2009, in the lead up to the UN Negotiations in Copenhagen, Pratik was a youth reporter for Project Survival Media. He has also been a contributor for environmentpress.in, an online portal in India for environment related issues. His main focus is on finding and highlighting solutions for existing problems in the developing world. Pratik is currently working on projects aiming to make healthcare more accessible to people and to make our urban spaces more livable. His work is scattered all over the internet and you can find some of them on his personal website.

Roli Mahajan, S4S Photographer

Roli is a passionate activist-communicator who believes in using her communication skills for bringing about a positive change in the society. Academically, she has a masters degree in the field of Mass Communication and Journalism and International Relations. She is working as an International Youth Journalist for Advocates for Youth wherein she blogs and reports on Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights from India. Roli has acted as a youth rapporteur at the International AIDS Conference, 2010 and has worked as a volunteer editor for Panorma Zine, an ezine published by TakingITGlobal. Also, her film‚ “Rowing Her Way Through The River of life,” was selected for screening at the 4th Samsung Women’s International Film Festival which was held in Chennai in early 2011.

Devanik Saha, S4S Community Engagement Coordinator

Devanik is involved with all things climate change and human rights in India.  He is currently a Teach For India 2011 Fellow teaching 3rd grade in a low income girls school in New Delhi. Devanik also co-founded Start Up Girl, which is an organization promoting women entrepreneurship in India. He also directs India’s first youth think tank, the Youth for Policy & Dialogue, and manages its climate initiative. Devanik has acted as Policy Coordinator for YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, managing the many policy groups. This year he is leading a nationwide COP 17 Campaign mobilizing young people to fight for climate change. Women’s Empowerment, how it is exacerbated by climate change, and how it can be a solution to this huge crisis is one of Denaik’s greatest passions.

Ekta Jaju,  PSM India Team Leader

Ekta is an Environment Documentary Film Maker and has many films to her credit including WhyNewCoal, The Rising Tide and Droughts, Debts and a Death. After Ekta led her team through the first Project Survival Media program, she founded Environment Press, an online news portal, reporting on the latest environmental happenings all over India. Ekta is the Marketing and Communications Director at ONergy – A Renewable Energy Venture and is the Co-founder and CEO SwitchON, a grassroot project committed to sustainability and equity. Ekta has specialized in Direction from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.

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COP 17 Highlights

By joelukhovi on December 29, 2011

Young people and environment activists from across the world took a stand, refusing to accept the prospect of a toothless treaty from leaders that claim to represent them. With their future under threat, young people are made their presence felt and their voices heard at the UN climate talks in Durban, South Africa. As climate talks heated up , some nations were still uncertain about extending the Kyoto Protocol (KP), which is set to expire at the end of 2012.

This treaty – the only treaty ever to commit nations to legally binding targets on greenhouse gas emissions – provides essential stability for continued action on climate change. A void in international agreements could prove fatal for people and communities across the planet. Young people are calling for a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol to be implemented immediately to provide a bridge to a new, more comprehensive climate treaty by 2015.

A second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is essential. The leaders of polluting nations have run out of excuses. We are running out of time too. We need a legally binding agreement now to ensure a safe future for us and future generations. The Durban Package signals recognition that the world’s governments will purposely and comprehensively address the causes of climate change.

The final agreement that will involve all countries have to ensure that climate change mitigation measures are sufficient to meet the goal of keeping global temperature rise below 2°C.

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Frontline of Climate Change comes to COP17′s Doorstep: Durban Flash Floods

By madelinekovacs on December 9, 2011

On November 28, world leaders descended upon Durban, South Africa for the seventeenth annual UN climate negotiations. That night, a torrential downpour cost at least ten people their lives. Several townships around Durban were overwhelmed by flash floods, as streams swelled their banks and people were swept out of their homes by the rising water. Project Survival Media went to visit KwaMashu, one of these provinces, to find out how local residents are coping.

In a word, they aren’t. The flood and its survivors are being given almost no attention by the UN and delegates at the conference, and the people have received next to no assistance from the municipal government.

Now, in the final hours of negotiations, as COP17 draws to a close, it is unlikely that any sort of climate treaty will be agreed upon that meets the needs of the most impacted. In addition, it remains to be seen whether the Green Climate Fund, the singular high hope of many most impacted countries in desperate need of funding for adaptation measures, will be approved and launched.

Despite this incredible disappointment, many youth, NGO’s, and members of civil society are dedicated to offering what relief they can – and have launched a campaign facilitated through 350.org, with all funds going directly to the KwaMashu community. They hope to show the victims of the flash floods that despite the appearance of being ignored, there are people at these negotiations who truly understand that for many, climate change means survival or death.

This is also, as it happens, a unique opportunity to shine a light on developed countries’ inaction on pledging tangible resources for immediate adaptation, and that the United States and Saudi Arabia are holding up the one measure with potential to truly help peoples most impacted the world over (The Green Climate Fund).

As the global climate continues to warm, sudden, heavy downpours are expected to increase across South Africa, adding to the growing global tally of climate casualties. This isn’t the first not-so-funny coincidence of a climate-related “natural” disaster striking during a climate conference, and it certainly won’t be the last.

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Art for climate change

By joelukhovi on December 7, 2011

Advancing dialogue in the field of climate change has been a challenge in the past for visual artists. Not at all any more, since artists are waking up now to climate change. But what good can they do – and how green is their work? I reveal how they’re dealing with the threat of catastrophe through several projects that were carried out at the ongoing COP 17 in Durban, South Africa.

From various media outlets’ efforts to try to clarify and make relevant the climate change story, two points stand out. One involves the challenge of adequately addressing the nuances of science, making the story both scientifically rigorous and yet accessible.

The other involves how to make climate change issues tangible to a public which, studies show, often thinks the issue is remote from them in time and space.

Now, artists have begun to address both issues, mainly finding relevant avenues to address the climate change challenge. And, increasingly, they are getting their inspiration from scientists and researchers. Several are delighted that climate change is attracting the attention it needs.

Photography by Joe Lukhovi.

Joe Lukhovi is a freelance photographer currently based and living in Nairobi, Kenya. His style is diverse, ranging from portrait to documentary photography.

 

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LEADERS WHOSE HEADS ARE IN THE SAND

By CarolineWambui on December 6, 2011

Photography:: Josh Lopez

There are very many ways to kill a rat. There are even more ways to pass a message. There are no rats in this story, but there are countries in the world which need to receive a certain message.  That was according to Sierra Club the oldest environmental club in the USA. According to these activists, some leaders just have their heads in the sand. They dug holes in the sandy shore of North Beach, Durban and put their heads inside the holes to show how leaders seemed to be behaving.

These young and old activists caused quite a scene with a lot of media covering the whole ordeal. These countries have been lagging behind in actualizing the recommendations set out in the Kyoto Protocol or have not ratified the protocol at all since its inception ten years ago. The activists from sierra wore blazers with the names of the corporations and tagged flags of such countries on their backs and put their heads in the sand.

USA, China, Russia, England, Indonesia, Venezuela, World Bank, Shell limited and Canada all got their heads in the Sand. Canada had a special hole with a black plastic bag, representing the dirty fuel ‘tar sands’ that is being mined there. The other part of the Sierra activists had masks of wildlife holding models of solar panels and wind mills showing the need to turn to renewable sources of energy for these countries and corporations.

 

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Photographer Joe Lukhovi covers the Global Day of Action in Durban

By robertvanwaarden on December 6, 2011

On Saturday, December 2nd, 2011 a huge rally and march was held in support of strong climate change action in Durban, South Africa. Thousands of African and South African activists took to the streets to appeal to the COP 17 delegates and negotiators about the climate change impact to the world.

These photographs by Project Survival Media Photographer Joe Lukhovi do a great job capturing the many voices calling for climate justice and a fair, and binding agreement from the United Nations.

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Women, Food Security and the Green Climate Fund

By robertvanwaarden on December 2, 2011

This morning at COP 17 in Durban, South Africa, a creative action was staged drawing attention to the lack of funding and support for women who are the primary food producers across the globe. Issues facing women are at the heart of these climate talks and particularly when it comes to representation under the Green Climate Fund. Around the globe, women are largely responsible for providing food for their families and as climate change impacts increase, available food resources and the cost of food will be adversely impacted.

For HI RES, No Watermark Image, contact psm@projectsurvivalmedia.org

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Occupy COP 17 – General Assembly Portraits

By robertvanwaarden on November 29, 2011

The Occupy Movement has gripped people from all over the world. At COP 17 in Durban, South Africa, a General Assembly is being held outside the conference to discuss different solutions for the Earth’s collapsing systems. Project Survival Media spent some time speaking with participants at the first General Assembly on November 28th, 2011. These portraits and stories bring to light why they are here and what is motivating them to continue to show up at what seems like a failing process.

#Occupy Cop 17 General Assembly – Images by Robert van Waarden

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Kumi Naidoo Speaks at the Conference of Youth

By ShadiaFayne on November 29, 2011

Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director, addressed 300 young people at the seventh annual Conference of Youth, in Durban South Africa.

His poignant words fired up young people who had come from all over the world to participate in the UN Climate Negotiations, “We have to ask our governments on finance. How is it possible that you were able to overnight not millions of dollars, not billions of dollars, but trillions of dollars to bail out the banks, the bankers, and the bonuses. Why can’t you find a fraction of that money to bail out the climate, to bail out the poor, and bail out our children’s future.”

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Fairy Tales from COP 17

By CarolineWambui on November 29, 2011

By Caroline Wambui

I will tell you of Goblins, elves, fairies, giants and gnomes just like you all were told as you grew up. Most of you always ended in a toothy (or not so toothy) grin, or with a drool of saliva on your pillow. I hope this story of one Pablo Solon leaves you grinning but there is one catch to this story.

You must perceive the characters like a seven year old. There is Pablo, a mice turned to horse, the polluters the evil step mother and sisters, the least developed countries (LDC’s) and the AOSIS are the Cinderellas. We really want to see them go to the ball and hopefully at one time in future dance with her prince (which represent a better deal at the end of COP 17 talks).

Say you were mandated with voicing the opinions and fears of a small nation, say Bolivia, that doesn’t hold as much ground when it comes to world super powers like the USA, European countries, Canada, China and Australia. This was the job for Pablo Solon who was the UN ambassador for UNFCCC negotiations for the last two and a half years.

At COP 15 in Copenhagen, Pablo arose out of the monotony of the negotiations when he so passionately disapproved of the Copenhagen Accord. The Accord is a legally non-binding agreement that suggests that the US cut emissions by only 17% starting 1990. What does this actually mean? The US is one of the biggest emitters of fossil fuels. A 17% decrease in emissions would do almost nothing to combat global climate chaos. Naturally the Bolivian ambassador objected to The Accord. Following the objection, the USA cut aid to Bolivia by $3 million.

In Mexico, Ambassador Pablo vehemently opposed the Cancun Agreement. In these negotiations on the last Friday, a document was brought in and the negotiators were given two hours to read it through. After the two hours, negotiators were set to adopt this document for the next ten years, until Pablo took a stand. He pointed out loopholes in the Cancun Accord to allow for carbon trading and schemes such as REDD that reduce the responsibilities of developed countries. Pablo said, ‘We were accused of being obstructionist, obstinate and unrealistic. But we feel an enormous obligation to set aside diplomacy and tell the truth.’ After his term was over this April, he still shows up in Durban, South Africa for the COP17 negotiations and he joins the people outside at the General Assembly.

When asked why he is here, Pablo says, ‘the Cancun Agreement was a bad deal, but here we can have an agreement that can be even worse than that. Why? Because the level of reduction of the carbon emissions is still going to cause an increase of the world temperature by 4 degrees Celsius and that means 9 degrees Celsius for Africa. They are going to cook Africa.’

Is there any hope for Cinderella to dance at COP 17? The people are our hope according to Pablo. The only way to change the course of the talks could be by social pressure not only here in South Africa but all over the world. The population that makes up less than 1% should not define the conditions under which the other 99% of the population lives.

‘For 350,000 people to die from climate change associated disasters is an ecocide and everyone has a role to play in mitigating this. The scenarios are three. The good being the number of emission reduction increases by the biggest polluters. The bad, the negotiations are extended for one year as the governments refuse to lock the Cancun Agreement. And the ugly is that they lock down the Cancun Agreement and temperatures continue to rise at a rate of 4 degrees per year, and more than double that for Africa.’

As Canada pulls out of Kyoto Protocol, it is clear that economic power is valued over ecological power. The pressure is on. As we venture further into this climate catastrophe experiment, we must amplify voices of those most impacted by climate change and those who fight for climate justice. Bring their experience straight to the negotiators and get dirty corporations out of the UN process.

In the next two weeks, the evil step mothers and step sisters must work through their issues, or at least try to. The mice of the world must grow up and if they turn to horses, they become drivers of change and help Cinderella get to the ball. Hopefully one day soon, Cinderella will dance with her prince.

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Portraits of the Conference of Youth – Durban, South Africa

By robertvanwaarden on November 28, 2011

This past weekend in warm and rainy Durban, South Africa, youth from around the world gathered for the 7th session of the Conference of Youth (COY). The COY is held prior to the United Nations Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) every year.

This year, COP17 is taking place in Durban, South Africa and tens of thousands are descending on the city to talk about saving our planet. In our experience, all to often the participants of the UNFCCC just talk. Here at Project Survival Media we have found that some of the most amazing action on solving the climate crisis comes from the youth organizers around the world. These faces are some of those young people that are and will continue to move the world towards a just, safe and sustainable future.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Project Survival Media team in Durban, we are just getting started.


Portraits of COY7 in Durban South Africa – Images by Robert van Waarden

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