Plenary Session I Earth’s Critical Zones Restoring Harmony

Balance and harmony are best learnt from mother nature in the ways she ensures peaceful coexistence of all lives on Earth. Human encroachment, soon turning into invasiveness, is breaking this harmony as we commodify this planet and irrationally exploit natural reserves. This has put the world’s critical areas such as the Arctic, Amazon forests, eastern Himalayas and western ghats in great danger. Anthropogenic pressure on these areas is causing ‘irreversible’ damage to the environment which will be lethal to life on Earth. The impacts are not just witnessed as erratic weather patterns but also as catastrophic health disasters. It’s high time we see these natural assets beyond their economic value and start rebuilding the harmonic relationship between all living and non living communities existent on this planet. This session deliberates on the status of such critical world areas, climate induced natural disasters and the future developmental agenda specific to these regions and around.

Chair – Shri. Manoj Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest & Climate Change Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh

Speakers

  • Mr. Hitesh Vaidya, Former Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
  • Dr. Anil Kumar Bhardwaj, Scientist - F, Wildlife Institute of India
  • Mr. Ashish Chaturvedi, Head - Action for Climate and Environment, UNDP India
  • Ms. Raina Singh, Deputy Regional Director, South and West Asia, C40 Cities
  • Ms. Neha Sinha, Head, Policy and Communications, WWF-India

Q & A Session