India's pursuit for energy in North East is adding to climate change
- NEPA (North East Peoples Alliance) -
14th December, 2009
Indigenous Peoples in the north east region of India can be clubbed as one of those least responsible for the current climate change crisis that humanity is currently facing. However, the peoples are being slowly dragged into participating in a high carbon economy and lifestyle, and at the same time are being pushed into adopting failed and dangerous mitigation efforts such as carbon sink and agro-bio-fuel.
At the national front, India's un-sustainable and egregious economic growth is trampling upon the rights of Indigenous Peoples on their territories, forest and water. India's pursuit for energy through dam building and increased oil extraction is leading to destruction of Indigenous Peoples land and territories in addition to adding to climate change.
India will not only have to redefine its current growth path but also uphold the rights IPs. India is following a path not different from what other 'developed' countries have trodden and its justification for right to emission will be an addition to the death trap for all. There are choices, both for growth and technologies and therefore India must mandatorily restrict its GHG emissions.
The Alliance is also doubly alarmed by the unprecedented India government supported expansion of jathropa plantation and carbon sinks in the region. While the Alliance not only strongly believes that none of this mitigation mechanisms will solve the current climate crisis, the promotion of jathropa in Indigenous lands is destroying precious jhum lands, reduce food production and taking away long term sustainability of indigenous form of agriculture and forestry and hence for all humanity.
At the global front, NEPA strongly urge upon all countries to agree to a legally binding reduction strategy. We don't think the current framework of market mechanisms is going to solve the problem of climate change at all. We cannot play with lives in this way. We believe climate change is best tackled in a planned, conscious way based on a binding agreement.
At heart, the issue is how we relate with our Mother Earth. But there is refusal on all fronts to face the real issue. The Alliance will, post Copenhagen, will strongly resist any high carbon initiatives by any party while supporting better sustainable systems for NE and beyond.
Signatories
Ramananda Wangkheirakpam (Manipur),
Tseten Lepcha (Sikkim),
Bamang Tago (Arunachal),
Angela Ralte (Mizoram),
M. Kikon (Nagaland),
Anthony Debbarma (Tripura),
Ravi (assam)
This information is sent to e-pao.net by Ramananda Wangkheirakpam at wramd(at)yahoo(dot)com
This PR was webcasted on December 14th 2009 .
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