Dear Team members,
At the outset let me express my profuse thanks to all members of the GLOBARC team for conferring the position of Secretary General. This brings upon me enormous responsibility and challenges but I derive solace from the fact that team GLOBARC is an amalgam of unique expertise and experience and the synergistic combination of the talented members of the team would support and supplement me.
Dr.K.M.George showed remarkable professional skill in conducting Webinar of the International Bamboo Festival of Western Ghats .
It was a 7-day wonder meticulously planned and executed. I would say , without any exaggeration, that the entire exercise followed the principles of Quality Guru Deming – the PDCA cycle ( Planning, Doing, Checking and Acting)
GLOBARC Is the logical outcome of the Webinar .
In the first communication as Director General of GLOBARC Dr.George defined the objectives in clear terms, described the scope of activities and delineated the roles of each member of the team GLOBARC.
Climate change is a matter of great concern for humanity. Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist, strongly expressed her fear that it would have a disproportionate effect on the young generation and that their future was sold by a small number of avaricious people. It reminds us not to forget the fact that we have borrowed this planet from the future generations and we have no right to squander it, but we are plundering it ! We have the responsibility to maintain ecological equilibrium . We have the duty to conserve, nourish and sustain it and hand it over to the next generation as heritage.
The activities of GLOBARC would create awareness of mitigating the impact of climate change and initiate tangible action plans in this direction .
Government policies the world over may not be in tune with the protocol for arresting the consequences of climate change. GLOBARC and similar organizations would be able to bring to the attention of the governments and caution them about the disaster which negligence would invite .
Recently , the Ministry of Environment , Forest and Climate change , Govt of India has issued a public consultation paper inviting comments and suggestions for amendment of forest conservation act . The paper says deforestation causes ecological imbalances and environmental deterioration . National forest policy underlines the need for achieving one third area of the country in forest and tree cover. At present it is only 24.56% of the geographic area. The paper brings out limitations in achieving the target and suggests that more and more non forest lands including private land has to be brought under tree cover.
Further, the nationally determined contribution (NDC) for the country of creating a carbon sink of additional 2.5 to 3.0 billion tons of Co2 equivalent by 2030 and to reduce the flow of foreign exchange for import of wood and wood derivatives to the tune of Rs.45 thousand crores requires encouragement of extensive afforestation.
GLOBARC may send our views and suggestions to the Ministry for participating in the afforestation mission. We would be able to involve NGOS , service organizations, colleges and schools for the massive programme. We may also think of bringing out an e-bulletin on various initiatives and programmes. Social media also has to be made use of in spreading the message.
I am sure the enlightened team of GLOBARC would find ingenious ways to achieve the ambitious target of tree cover envisaged by the ministry .
My warm greetings to all the members of the GLOBARC team.
Ecologically yours,
Dr.B.Jacob Meledom
Secretary General