Climate Change for us

For Sano Paila (NYCA Youth Ezine) on the occasion of NYCA second Anniversary

Regardless of the political instability and high recession in the country, Nepali Youth movement on climate change has gained much attention not only within the nation, but also in the region and globally. Organizing the events in all the development region of Nepal, the movement has reached up to joining hands with the South Asian Youth allies to tackle climate change, the biggest challenge of our generation.

We’ve grown in the past years, to put it simply. As a proud youth network, NYCA has established contact offices is all development regions of the country and in few districts too. Few weeks ago, Youth affiliated to this network planted more than hundred thousand trees in mid-terai and this was undeniably a big hit in the Nepali print media. After the South Asian Summit, satisfaction in high spirits falls in me to see Youth in Afghanistan organizing events on climate change, after only a year Sri Lanka capable to host second youth summit and many other regional stories. This adds more to answer any nettling phone call from district, “When are you sending us the books and other publication you committed?”, “ Next week we are planning for .. program can you come to us?” and more.

Frustration overwhelms too, at least sometimes: a little ago I was invited to attend a meeting of an elite network as a climate change expert. The meeting started with the facilitator note that the meeting was organized to initiate our (their) activities on climate change, because nowadays donor are also more interested and lot of resources is there in this field. I wanted to tell them a lot of things. Climate change is not just about donor issues, it’s a problem that needs solutions: smaller solutions from everybody. In the past two years, there has been lot of development in this field in Nepal, from government documents to civil society movement. It is a time to re-think: What is climate change for us? Adaptation, Awareness, guide to development, special way for financial aid..what exactly?

To me, climate change is not only the youth agenda as provoked in speeches, but by understanding the process, Youth can play the best role to facilitate the whole process and better solution for future. On International Youth Day today, Let’s all give this a thought.

And also a very Happy 2nd NYCA Anniversary to all!