Aid Delhi Newsletter July 2008

   

Contents

Editorial

2

Project Updates Tara

4

Prayas

4

Eureka

4

Aashayein

5

AID Gurgaon

5

Friends Of AID Kalpvriksh

6-7

What Can I Do? Food Crisis

8

Issue Explained The Clean Development Mechanism

Photographs for the month

9 - 11 12 - 16

Editorial

Hello friends,     Lots of important things happened in July of 2008… A lot of very important things, that should have  happened, did not happen…     The UPA government went to the IAEA with its India‐specific safeguards agreement, amid lots of  controversy. In fact, the trust vote and the cash for vote/ abstain scam puts our democracy to shame.  Expulsion of a statesman politician from CPI(M) did not speak a lot of good about the Left parties  either… The very fact that there was almost no discussion on the Nuclear Deal during the trust vote in  itself shows that the opposition also failed in playing its role in influencing to remove the “alleged” flaws  in the present agreement.     But why am I talking about it all… The reason is that while all this was happening, inflation spiraled to  11.98%. A food crisis has gripped the whole world. Bhopal Gas survivors and their families are still  keeping put at Jantar Mantar – in hope of getting clean drinking water for themselves. A new kind of  terrorism seems to be spreading its wings over India. Surprising changes have happened in the way  Summers come and go in Delhi. But our politicians were busy horse‐trading…     It is in this context that all of us can play a role. How? By exercising restraint. This is a season of  discounts… Very lucrative ones at that ‐ 50%+60% * (* Æ 60% on the cost after 50% discount… So, you  get the thing at 20% the regular sale price). But before reaching your hand to the wallet – think if you  really need to purchase stuff and if yes, then in what quantity. These are interesting ways of increasing  consumption – one ends up purchasing stuff even when it is not needed. This results in increased  demand – and prices rise…      Another very doable thing is to cook only as much as you need. There are hundreds of millions of  people across the world who are hungry. Many of these get to eat “mud‐cakes” to satiate hunger – and  that too, only once a day. To help reduce the food crisis, we can decide to abstain from frozen and  preserved foods. This will make the seasonal fruits and vegetables more available and hence prices will  fall. Try to fast for half‐a‐day every week. It is not only good for your health, it would also help reduce  demand of food by about 10% (2 lesser meals from 21 in a week). Reduce the number of non‐vegeterian  servings (every non‐vegetarian serving is equivalent to about 10 vegetarian servings – remember the  food pyramid of biology class). Every one reduced serving can lead to 9 additional people have another  vegetarian serving… 

      With these thoughts, we move on to share with you some information about our partner organization  – Kalpvriksh. Kalpvriksh is working with the San Diego chapter of AID US to bring about an Urban Greens  movement in Delhi. They have given a good impetus to urban greens in Pune through a similar project.  They create awareness of the importance of greens in the urban populace. They also lobby with the  government organizations so that their actions don’t impact the green lungs of the city in a detrimental  manner.       Since Kalpvriksh takes your attention to environment, we extend our ken of knowledge further by  sharing with you information about the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDMs) and the way we can  utilize Kyoto protocol and strict environmental norms for sustainable development in India.       Aashaayen confirmed our belief that while volunteers are the force behind a project, a regular  teacher who can teach on an almost daily basis is the life‐line of education based projects. Unnati school  in Gurgaon is also going on well.       We are also starting to collaborate with Pratham to fine‐tune the Eureka reading kits that we  translated to Hindi. Nikunj is planning to introduce the better kits to the students soon… We also started  another section of Eureka classes at Prayas.       Life‐size Snakes & Ladders games were conducted at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Gurgaon. They  were well received and helped create more awareness about air pollution and how we as individuals can  play our role in reducing it.  I personally invite you to visit our projects and if possible to volunteer. Also, don’t forget to contribute  your “Meal a Month”.  Keep the faith.  Anuj Grover   

Project Updates

Tara 1. Children are regularly going to school. 2. Parents of the small kids are moving to a nearby area as construction work in Jamia will be completed in few months, so we are trying to follow up the children getting shifted. 3. Bottles, Tiffin and Pencil Box are gifted to children's, which were donated by AID Volunteer Sasmita from ST Microelectronics. -Sanjeev

Prayas I am conducting 1 section of Eureka read/write kit with Meghna Charu in Prayas (Noida) from 6 pm to 8.30 pm. Children have attained word level of proficiency. We have also included drawing activities in our classes. This month we started another class in Prayas by name eureka-2. We have 6 children in Eureka2 section. Children are becoming more regular. The classes are held every day from Monday to Saturday. I am planning to prepare some charts, which will be put up in Prayas after renovation. So presently four volunteers are taking class along with me. I will be introducing new materials in classes soon. I have contacted volunteers of aid for preparing materials, which will be required when increasing activites in Prayas. -Nikunj

Eureka We made good progress on Eureka Reading kits this month. I spoke to friends at AID Chennai regarding the eureka kits a lot. We also received Eureka’s complete model from Chennai. I talked to a lot of people who had worked on eureka kits in Tamil Nadu. With reference of Chennai people, we started interaction with Pratham. In Tamil Nadu they are working along with AID on many projects one of which is eureka. PRATHAM was started in 1994 with vision that every children should have basic skill of reading , writing of language .So I visited Delhi office of Pratham . From there I got to know that they are working very actively all over India. There campaign for education is really very big. They also have many projects in NCR. I interacted with Mr. Shailender. He briefed me about the Pratham kit. I collected one kit from them. I think that volunteering with them will help us speed up our Eureka kits development also. We can evaluate if Pratham and AID can work together in NCR also, as they have worked in Tamil Nadu. I am using

Pratham’s kit in eureka classes too. We will try to mix the good points of both - the eureka and Pratham kits - and come up with a unified version of both. -Nikunj

Aashaayen The updates for the month of July are: 1. After the picnic last month the kids were really upbeat about the classes that their mam was to take from this month, so.. the classes with mam were started from 21st of July with three batches consiting of students from different classes. 2. The volunteers who were active during this month are: Nikhil, Devesh, Shyam, Kavita, Kirti, Swastik, Neeru, Nitin, Kavita aunty 3. The volunteers met on 27th July to discuss the progress of the project. 4. The classes of children with the teacher started once again from the 21st of July. The children are attending the classes in two shifts after their school hourse and they have been divided according to their standards. On saturdays and sundays children are asked about the progress of the classes and those who are not going are encouraged to start attending the classes. An attendance sheet of the classes is being maintained by the teacher. -Neeru

AID Gurgaon AID Gurgaon was busy with a lot of activities through the month: 1. Volunteers made regular visits to Unnati on saturdays and the Basti on sundays. 2. 3 new children were identified to join Unnati. We also identified 2 students(Ajay/Vijay) who moved from MP and already have had schooling till 5th & 6th. They could not be admitted to govt school because the admissions were closed. 3. We are also currently working on the logistics to enable the nutrition programme. 4. We also came across a basti very close to Unnati from where many students already come to school but there are lot who do not. We talked to their parents and motivated them to send their children to school. Activities planned for August include: 1. Admission of Ajay/Vijay into some Private school. Finding sponsors for their education. 2. Kick-off of weekly Nutrition programme on trial basis. 3. Independence Day function @ Unnati. -Puneet

Friends Of AID Kalpvriksh AID US has been associated with Kalpavriksh for many years now. AID and Kalpavriksh worked together on projects across India – including those on Campaign for saving the Snow Leapord (in Ladakh) and Urban Greens project in Pune and Delhi. AID Delhi is now involved in the Delhi leg of the Urban Greens project. Here we bring to you some facts about Kalpvriksh and we are sure that association with them will help them and also us. History Kalpavriksh is a non profit organisation working on environmental and social issues. The group began in 1979 with a campaign led by students to save Delhi's Ridge Forest. We work on local, national and global levels, are registered under the Societies Registration Act and are based in Delhi and Pune. Focus Areas Kalpavriksh focuses on a wide range of issues. These include those related to Biodiversity, Conservation and Community, Environment and Development and Environment Education, Urban Environments and Ecosensitive Alternatives. Some of their long-running and high impact campaigns are as below: Environmental Impact Assessment Campaign The EIA notification, 2006 specifies four stages for the environment clearance of development and industrial projects listed as Category A (central level clearance) and Category B (state level clearance) in the Schedule of the EIA notification. These are: Screening, Scoping, Public Consultation and Appraisal. This checklist gives some guiding points on what people can do before, during and after a public consultation process. Campaign for Environmental Justice - India CEJI is a network of voluntary organizations, movements, project affected communities, NGOs, research organizations and individuals working to address diverse environmental and social justice threats and challenges in India. Kalpavriksh has been one of the active members of CEJI and has been involved in several of its initiatives. Open letters to the Ministry of Environment

A series of five letters were drafted on issues such as the systematic undermining of the environment by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, concerns of conservation in critical wildlife habitats, the draft National Environmental Policy, problematic environmental clearance mechanisms and its proposed re-engineering, and skewed representation of experts on clearance panels. These were widely circulated so that like minded individuals and organisations could endorse the letters. The letters were then sent to the MOEF and also simultaneously released to the press in several cities of the country. Some of the issues received wide publicity in the media. However, there has been no official response from the MOEF. Campaign on community control over biodiversity On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity, over 200 village panchayats, along with people’s movements and NGOs from across India, urged the Central Government to fully recognise the role of communities in the management and conservation of biodiversity. This citizen’s campaign demands that Government facilitate greater powers for community control over biodiversity, by making appropriate changes in the Biological Diversity Act and Rules. It also reiterates the commitment of these panchayats and organisations in doing all they can, to conserve biodiversity and protect traditional knowledge relating to biodiversity. Urban Greens campaign Kalpavriksh initiated an effort to save Delhi’s green which is badly effect by construction drive all over the Delhi. To save Delhi green from massive on going construction for beautification and transportation Kalpavriksh played major role to form a group of NGOs to address issue effectively. Newly formed group recognized as Trees for Delhi. Under the banner of Trees for Delhi many activities have been done so far over all motives of all activities to make citizen aware about adverse ecological effect of current model of transportation and other development work. Kalpvriksh.org

What Can I do? Food Crisis We are starting a new series from this month. We will take up an issue/ problem that our society is  faced with and we will try to find a few actionable items that we as individual responsible citizens can  take to help in solving that problem. If you want to suggest topics for this series, please feel free to write  directly to Anuj at [email protected] to the Publications' Coordinator at  [email protected] Month's Question:     Food Crisis : What Can I Do?     While no one can take away the knowledge that you will gain when you delve deeper into  understanding the reasons of hunger that millions of people across the world are facing today, I am  simply sharing with you my ideas on what we, as individuals, can do to reduce it.  1. Don't waste food ‐ eat even if it does not taste perfect.  2. Fast once a week ‐ Be careful that it doesn't turn into a feast.  3. Reduce animal based foods in your diet  4. Don't eat non‐seasonal and frozen foods and vegetables  5. Diversify your food bouquet to include millets (like ragi, jowar, bajra etc.) that can grow in arid lands  also.  6. Prefer raw fruits to juices (fresh (or preserved) juice has lower nutrition and is less filling than raw  fruits)  7. Go Organic with as much of your food as possible  8. Save Money ‐ don't get carried away even by the most lucrative discounts if you don't need  something  9. Have well ventilated homes with large windows to let natural light in.  10. Reduce Energy consumption so that it is more easily available for agriculture.     Puzzled how some of these points can avert food crisis ‐ write to me at [email protected] I will  share with you my take on how these all link up to reduce world hunger.           

Issue Explained The Clean Development Mechanism

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an arrangement under the Kyoto Protocol allowing industrialised countries with a greenhouse gas reduction commitment (called Annex 1 countries) to invest in projects that reduce emissions in developing countries as an alternative to more expensive emission reductions in their own countries. A crucial feature of an approved CDM carbon project is that it has established that the planned reductions would not occur without the additional incentive provided by emission reductions credits, a concept known as "additionality". The CDM allows net global greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced at a much lower global cost by financing emissions reduction projects in developing countries where costs are lower than in industrialized countries. However, in recent years, criticism against the mechanism has increased. Critics claim many approved projects are not actually additional.

What is the Kyoto Protocol ? The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement that arose out of the UNFCCC to tackle climate change through a reduction of green house gas emissions. Countries (those listed in Annex I) are legally bound to reduce man-made green house gases emissions by approximately 5.2%. Individual countries have their own reduction targets outlined in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol. The text of the protocol was adopted at the third conference of the parties to the UNFCCC in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997. However the protocol suffered many years of delay. The United States and Australia two major green house gas emitters did not ratify the treaty. The Protocol entered into force on February 15 2005 when Russia ratified the treaty.

What is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)? Clean Development Mechanism allows Annex I (industrialised) countries to meet their emission reduction targets by paying for green house gas emission reduction in non-Annex I (developing) countries. Example (Figures are hypothetical): A company in Brazil (a non Annex I country) switches from coal power to biomass. The CDM board certifies that by doing this the company has reduced Carbon dioxide emissions by 100,000 tonnes per year. It is issued with 100,000 CER’s (Certified Emission Reductions). Under the Kyoto Protocol, the United Kingdom (an Annex I country) has to reduce its green house gas emissions by 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. If it purchases the 100,000 CER’s from the Brazilian company, this target reduces from 1 million tonnes/year to 900,000 tonnes per year making the goal easier to achieve.

What is a CER?

CER's or Certified Emissions Reductions are a "certificate" just like a stock. A CER is given by the CDM Executive Board to projects in developing countries to certify they have reduced green house gas emissions by one tonne of carbon dioxide per year. For example, if a project generates energy using wind power instead of burning coal, it can save 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. There it can claim 50 cers (as one cer is equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide reduced). Developed countries buy CER's from developing countries under the cdm process to help them achieve their Kyoto target.

What is Global Warming Potential? Green house gases affect global warming with varying intensities. This intensity is measured by the "global warming potential" of the gas. The global warming potential (GWP) of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-23 for example is 11,700. The GWP of carbon dioxide is one. One tonne of HFC-23 has 11,700 times more the green house effect that Carbon dioxide does. CER’s are awarded based on the global warming potential of the gas. CER’s awarded = Tonnes of green house gas reduced X Global Warming Potential of the Gas

How do Annex I countries benefit from CDM? All Annex-I countries (Except Belarus and Turkey) have legally binding green house gas emission reduction requirements under the Kyoto Protocol. The clean development mechanism is one of the "flexibility mechanisms" of the Protocol to help these countries meet these targets. Instead of countries reducing emissions of their own companies, Annex I countries can "buy" emission reductions in non-Annex I countries. For example a CDM project such as a company switching fuels from coal to biomass results in a reduction of 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year in the atmosphere. If an Annex I country buys these credits, it can count them for its Kyoto reduction targets.

How do developing countries benefit from CDM? The Kyoto Protocol (Article 12) states : "The purpose of the clean development mechanism shall be to assist Parties not included in Annex I in achieving sustainable development and in contributing to the ultimate objective of the Convention, and to assist Parties included in Annex I in achieving compliance with their quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments" The idea was that developed countries get some flexibility in emission reductions in exchange for bring in investment in developing countries for projects and technologies that reduce green house gases.

What are the sustainable development criteria for CDM projects?

Sustainable development is a legal requirement of a CDM project. "It is the host party’s (e.g. India’s) prerogative to confirm whether a cdm mechanism project activity assists it in achieving sustainable development". Different countries have different sustainable development criteria. In India, clearance for sustainability is granted by the National CDM Authority (NCDMA) and is spearheaded by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MOEF).

What is the CDM Executive Board? The Executive Board supervises the operation of CDM. It meets four or five times a year. The Board has final say on whether a project is approved or not and lays out procedures and guidlines for CDM. It is made of 10 members from countries part of the Kyoto protocol. Two from Annex I, Two from non annex I countries, one from small island developing states, and 1 from each of the 5 UN groupings. Director Climate Change Union ministry of environment and forests is currently concurrently a member of the CDM Executive Board.

Sources: Wikipedia.com & cseindia.org

Photgraphs For the Month Prayas

Tara

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