Development

As I mentioned in earlier blog posts, at the Young Commonwealth Climate Change Summit I discovered many inspiring people and organizations working toward tackling climate change. One of them was a social enterprise called Worldview Impact that works on mitigating climate change and reducing poverty by creating green jobs in poor communities. 

After watching a dynamic presentation by founder Bremley Lyngdoh, I asked if he’d have time to give the Youthink! audience a little more background and insight into his organization. When I arrived for our meeting at Worldview headquarters, Bremley first treated me to some “conflict resolution tea” (lemongrass, in case you’re interested, and delicious).

Curious? I was. It’s thus named, Bremley informed me, because it was grown on Paradise Farm.

Even more curious? It turns out Paradise Farm is one of Worldview Impact’s projects—a farm in Sri Lanka where both Tamil and Sinhalese women work together to produce organic food. For those of you who’ve been living on Mars for the past few decades (or ok, are out of touch with Sri Lankan politics), the Tamils and Singhalese were opposing factions in a decades-long civil war that took place in the country.)  “Farming releases the negative energy in people,” Bremley tells me. “You can’t fight over there.” From what it sounds like, the people who work on Paradise Farm are probably too busy to think about fighting. They not only grow crops like tea, cocoa and cashew nuts; they also grow rubber trees which they then harvest to make a host of products—yes, including carbon-free condoms. 

Did you know that climate change—along with its numerous other sins— poses a threat to food security? For example, changes in rainfall patterns will affect poeple's ability to grow food and feed livestock. There are other connections between climate change and food, too. Some foods require huge amounts of energy and water in their production. Others are exported and travel long distances, leaving big carbon footprints.

On World Food Day (October 16), the Food and Agricultural Association (FAO) and World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts launched the Food Security and Climate Change Challenge Badge. This awesome guide (pdf) is a great way to learn all about climate change and food security issues and is also full of ideas and ways in which you can take action to reduce your footprint and your impact on the environment.

“A resounding success. We have had open, honest, and frank discussions, making this year’s session most fruitful.” So were the words of the President of the World Bank/IMF Group Board of Governors. I picked up a rumor that the Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session this morning and made my way to the grand hall. It seems I am early but just in time for the closing remarks. The intense elation of a job well done is definitely today’s feeling of the day…at least amongst the Secretariat.

My first day at the Annual Meetings, and it’s a good thing I’m here early. Security is tight and traffic is backed up. Still, delegates can be seen happily chatting away as they wait to pass through the metal detector, the press is photographing the lines, and meetings are being planned for lunch. A thermal camera screens us as we are cleared through.

I’m looking for the civil society rooms. As with any large conference, there may be up to seven or eight meetings being conducted at any one time. This isn’t so much a problem if it weren’t for the fact that no one seems to know where the “civil society people” are. “Civil society? I don’t know…but the plenary is this way.” No thanks. Then I’m security-blocked a few times from going down to the floor where I think I may find this morning’s meeting. It seems “the press are not allowed” into the civil society meetings. I beg to differ. I finally find a free staircase without any security. I run down and realize I am at the right place…and the press are definitely allowed.