Worldwide Projects acknowledged at COP23by Asmita Pramanik | 31-08-2018 05:08 |
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Driven by my curious nature, I always try my best to keep learning about even the smallest of inventions in the field of environment. It's so very intriguing to read about the various innovative projects undertaken by young minds around the world and the inspiration behind these projects. I have been following the website and Facebook page, Connect4Climate that is known for its untiring efforts in bringing users face to face with many, different projects taken up by people, from teens to the aged. LINK TO WEBSITE- https://www.connect4climate.org/ Here are some of the projects that I found inspiring- 1) Green Credit Cards in South Korea- The Green Credit Card was introduced by the Korean Ministry of Environment and Korean Environment Industry and Technology Institute. Green Credit Card users are rewarded with points that are converted into cash or can be donated to environmental funds when they buy eco-friendly products, use public transport, make paper-less transactions, and consume less electricity, water, and gas. The Green Credit Card also provides discounts for electric car charging services and the purchase of recycled automobile parts. The Green Credit Card is the world?s first nation-wide initiative that uses a credit card platform to provide various economic rewards for eco-friendly behaviors. 2) Women in Development- Sudan Even in underprivileged countries like Sudan, strong and resilient women have taken up the prevailing issue poor food security in the country. In a patriarchal society such as this, women are excluded from operating agricultural machines that can only be driven by men, which is one of the main reasons why 70% of women are limited to small-scale subsistence farming. Zenab for Women in Development is a non-profit government organization in Sudan that has initiated an agricultural program for Sudanese women farmers considering their crucial role as agents of development in food security and building climate resilience. Under this noble organization, women farmers are provided with training and a climate resilient agricultural package, which contains improved seed varieties. They also take part in hands-on training in conservation and agricultural techniques, and receive access to credit, savings, and insurance against natural disasters and access to markets. The organization has successfully developed 73 women's associations as part of their program and played a significant role in enlightening around 5,300 women on various modern farming techniques and food security. As opposed to viewing women as victims, the activity sees them as ?game changers? to build resilient livelihoods through increased sustainable agricultural productivity, thus improving food security and household income. 3) Police Force At Work in the United Arab Emirates- Dubai is one of the the fastest developing cities in the world, not in just in the economical aspect but also in its ability to propagate sustainable living. The greatly respected Dubai Police has taken up the goal of leading their country to be carbon neutral in 2020 by measuring and reducing their carbon emissions. They have been acknowledged as to being the first police force to achieve this feat globally. The City of Dubai is strongly committed to become the world?s lowest-carbon-footprint city by 2050, and Dubai Police have expanded its operational objectives and strategies to help meet this goal. Examples of actions taken under the strategy include green procurement, and transforming the police fleet into hybrid vehicles. Dubai Police has also created an internal culture of energy conservation through the appointment of the ?Carbon Champions?, a group of individuals within the police who are responsible for spreading awareness and drive implementation across the entire 22,000+ workforce. The above initiatives really struck a chord with me because of the mindfulness and concern of the makers towards the environment as well as the well-being of citizens. The above projects were rightfully honoured at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2017 in Bonn, Germany in Nov 2017.
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