The Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) is a youth organization in
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
that aims to raise the voice of Indian youth on the global platform, as South Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions affected by climate change and environmental issues. Further, IYCN is motivated by global need in the Indian context to adopt mitigation and
adaptation
In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the p ...
policy measure to combat climate change. It is part of the
International Youth Climate Movement
The Youth Climate Movement (YouNGO) or International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) refers to an international network of Youth organization, youth organisations that collectively aims to inspire, empower and mobilise a generational movement of yo ...
, which has the same acronym of IYCM.
IYCN members work to generate consensus on what role India should play in the global debate of climate change, and how it should address its domestic issues.
Started in 2008, IYCN was registered as an NGO in 2009. Today, IYCN has offices in six locations with chapters in the Indian states and has an outreach to thousands of youth in colleges, schools, corporations and institutions in India.
IYCN has "informed youth" as its leaders and program members who:
* Follow environmental and climate change policies and make recommendations at state, national and international platforms.
* Run campaigns aimed at public awareness on climate change impact & causes. In this process, the chapters mobilise and informing thousands of Indian citizens.
* Implement projects such as composting and community waste management, rural energy projects, lake clean-ups, and herbal and medicine gardens.
IYCN works at three levels:
* As a network of individuals enabling people to come together and work at a grassroots level, to form friendships and support each other.
* As a network of partner and supporter groups who bring together their strengths and passion for environment and sustainable development.
* As an organisation that runs its own programs/projects as well as participates in and supports programs/campaigns of other organisations.
Background and history
There was a need for more representation of Indian youth in the 2007 United Nations Climate Change conference (UNFCCC) conference of the parties (COP) international climate negotiations that had been held in Bali, Indonesia.
The Indian Youth Climate Network was created in the following year, 2008. The organization started with attending a climate change & public survey of Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor hosted by India's
Centre for Science and Environment
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a not-for-profit public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, India. Established in 1980, CSE works as a think tank
A think tank, or public policy institute, is a rese ...
CSE. IYCN sent its first ever youth delegation of 8 members to COP14 in Poznan, Poland (2008). Since then, more than 80 members of IYCN have participated and contributed in key policy deliberations at COPs.
Chapters
The Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) has several chapters across India.
Projects
The organization has been working on the following initiatives.
* Agents of Change
* Rural Energy Project
* Climate Leadership Program
* Campus Climate Challenge
* Climate Solutions Road TourClimate Solutions Road Tour January 2, 2009 – February 4, 2009
Climate Solutions Road Tour flagged off at
Chennai
Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
, India, January 2, 2009. Alexis Ringwald and Caroline Howe (both from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
) orchestrated the tour. All over India traveling to more than 15 cities where a group of 10 members of the Indian Youth Climate Network, a group of dancers from the
Shiamak Davar
Shiamak Davar is an Indian choreographer, noted as one of the first to bring contemporary jazz and western forms of dance to India. solar punch buggy and alternative-fueled truck. The road tour is one of the first initiatives towards sharing solutions in
clean technology
Clean technology, also called cleantech or climate tech, is any process, product, or service that reduces negative environmental impacts through significant Efficient energy use, energy efficiency improvements, the sustainable use of resources, o ...
showcases, empowering youth in leadership training programs, and using art, dance and music by Solar Punch and other local musicians and artists to communicate the message.
The objective of the tour has been defined as:
"helping young people through this project by taking their ideas and implementing them for solutions to climate change. It's now time for action; to create, communicate and celebrate new ideas."
The road tour which began in Chennai on January 2, 2009, has covered 15 major cities including
Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur through to
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
, covering more than on solar-powered vehicles and electric cars
REVA
Reva may refer to:
Places
*Reva, Belgrade, urban neighborhood of Belgrade, Serbia
*Reva, Mozambique, village in Ancuabe District in Cabo Delgado Province in northeastern Mozambique
*Reva, Trebnje, small settlement just south of Dobrnič in the Mu ...
. The tour ended on 5 February 2009, at
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
.
Agents of Change
The program aims to send a delegation of Indian Young people which will strive to engage government delegations from around the world in policy, help build consensus amongst civil society groups and assist in the construction of a global youth climate network.
Climate Leadership Program
The program aims to produce a group of youth who would lead grassroots climate groups in their communities; leaders who will organize and mobilize people; and leaders who will spread the message about the urgency of climate change. The Leadership Training for Campus Climate Changers is a full day interactive session on climate change, beginning with basic climate science and solutions and moving quickly into brainstorming on campus solutions, creating action plans for implementation, and media training to communicate successes.
Rural Energy Project
The aim is to create a clean technology project in rural India that will reduce greenhouse gases, and work towards reducing the heating of the planet. The first rural energy project of IYCN is going to be implemented in the south Indian state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
in a village called
MGR Nagar
M.G.R. Nagar (shortened from M. G. Ramachandran Nagar) is a neighbourhood located in Chennai, India. The area is known for its busy vegetable market and fish market.
Location
M.G.R Nagar is situated to the south of Anna Main Road in K. K. Nag ...
on the outskirts of
Coimbatore
Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
.
EU - India Youth Climate Conclave
The Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) was a part of the launch programme of the EU-India Youth Climate Conclave. The Delegation of the European Union (EU) held the proposed Youth Climate Conclave as part of the 2020
World Sustainable Development Summit
The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) is an annual conference organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), an independent research institute with multidimensional capabilities. It was instituted in 2001, as the Delhi Sustain ...
(WSDS).
Publications
A CASE STUDY OF ENERGY DEMAND PROJECTS REGISTERED IN INDIA: USE OF HYPOTHESIS TESTING FOR BARRIER ANALYSIS EVALUATION, Abhijit Parashar, Indian Youth Climate Network
The Indian Youth Climate Network Submission to the UNFCCC 01 Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (SBSTA): Submission under the area of socio-economic information
See also
*
Australian Youth Climate Coalition
The Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) is a youth organisation in Australia focused on climate change activism. The organisation aims "to build a movement of young people leading solutions to the climate crisis", by empowerment and educa ...
Energy Action Coalition
Power Shift Network is a North American non-profit organization made up of a network of youth-led social and environmental justice organizations working together to build the youth clean energy and climate movement. It runs campaigns in the Unit ...
UK Youth Climate Coalition
The UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC) is a non-profit youth organisation in the United Kingdom. It is part of The Climate Coalition in the UK
Formed in 2008, the mission of the organisation is to mobilise and empower young people to take pos ...
*
Youth Climate Movement
The Youth Climate Movement (YouNGO) or International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) refers to an international network of youth organisations that collectively aims to inspire, empower and mobilise a generational movement of young people to take ...