Worldwatch has just launched its State of the World 2009 Report in India. Into a Warming World is the 26th edition of the State of the World series, which since its inception has functioned as a platform to discuss some of the most pressing sustainability issues of the day. “State of the World 2009 is a research masterpiece’, said Alex Steffen, Executive Editor of Worldchanging.com, ”the single most important reference guide to climate change yet published.”
State of the World 2009: Into a Warming World
Through the eyes of 47 expert authors, Into a Warming World outlines not only the serious challenge that climate stabilization now presents to the global community, but also the multitude of economic, social, environmental, and security opportunities that exist to manage and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Bearing in mind that each country will need to adopt a unique yet coordinated response to address this challenge, Worldwatch has collaborated with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) to tailor State of the World 2009 for an Indian audience. This has been done through the inclusion of a Preface by Kartikeya Sarabhai, CEE’s Director, in which he offers an overview of India’s engagement with the issue of climate change to date and elaborates on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the country.
Into a Warming World was first launched in Washington in January 2009, a year that is set to become the most crucial year yet for climate change in 25 years of global warming diplomacy. 2009 is a year that has seen a new and more proactive U.S. administration, borne witness to a growing number of climate change-related impacts around the world as well as considerable growth in global awareness of the challenge and the opportunities that exist to address the problem, and is the year that will end with a meeting of global leaders in Copenhagen this December to decide the shape and form of a new global treaty on climate change within the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“At this critical juncture in history” said Sarabhai in his preface, “as the world meets for the UNFCCC climate negotiations, this Indian edition will make the volume available to a large cross-section of decision makers, students, and field practitioners in India and in the process will help enrich the quality of discussion as India searches for that alternative and sustainable paradigm of development.”
During October alone, the report will be presented to a wide audience in seven major cities across India. Organised by CEE, each of the launches includes two panel discussions around key themes drawn from the report. The choice of topic has been tailored to that of most interest and relevance for each city. The first launch took place in Pune this week, and events to follow this month will take place in Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, Bangalore and New Delhi. For more information on these events, please see here.
“This is an ambitious series of events,” said Christopher Flavin, President of the Worldwatch Institute, “and one that we welcome in our effort to understand the Indian context and elucidate how to most effectively support and catalyze a sustainable, low carbon economy in India and around the world.”
Speaking about the launch in Pune, Archana Devar, India Coordinator for the CleanStar Trust, a Pune-based NGO that supports rural poor in setting up agro-forestry and clean energy micro-enterprises, said “the panel discussions elaborated on the various clean development challenges and opportunities India has, particularly for a metropolis like Pune. NGOs working towards combating the challenges of climate change were well represented and the flow of ideas was aplenty. We look forward to some great action in and around Pune.”
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