Post Rio+20- Eco Tourisim Walk- Promoting Green Economy in Mountain Regions. Pirchanasi Muzaffarabad.

On July 15th, Asia Pacific Youth Force on Rio+20 and Pakistan Environmentalist Association (PEA) organized Post Rio+20 event “Eco-Tourism Walk” for promoting Green Economy in Mountain Regions as youth’s follow up of Rio+20 conference.

Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20 is volunteer commitment of Asia Pacific youth; mobilizing youth focusing on different issues of The Himalayas in the context of Rio+20; and so far have arranged several events at national, regional and most recently at global level in United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2012, by organizing (as co-organizer) Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions. Whereas, Pakistan Environmentalist Association is the national professional body, committed to lead, promote, develop and represent the profession of Environment in order to maximize the contribution of Environmentalists to conserve, restore and sustainable development in the Environment of Pakistan and organizing environmental activities through out the country.

Eco-Tourism Walk was organized in Sirran/ Pirchansi Muzaffarabad, to promote Green Economy in the context of Rio+20, aware local people of benefits of Eco-Tourism and share Mountain’s Youth Appeal that was developed by APYTF in Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions during historic event United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Jenerio, June 15th 2012.

President PEA- Mr Zaigham Abbas gave introductory talk by explaining the need and benefits of Eco-tourism to the participants including environmental professionals, students, tourists and local people. He emphasized on youth to play their role in promoting environmental awareness, and share best possible solutions. He added that Green Economy is one of the major theme that was under discussion during the UNCSD and Eco tourism is one of the potential ways to promote Green Economy especially in Mountain regions; it will help strengthening livelihoods of local people, and environment conservation by creating awareness among locals and tourists. Ms Sameera Zaib, Coordinator Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa/Gilgit Baltistan PEA, and member Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20 shared “Mountain’s Youth Appeal” key messages from Rio+20. She highlighted that mountains are home to indigenous people and poor marginalized communities that lack access to education and support services; however mountains are rich in natural resources and essential for sustainable development but they are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and deforestation. She stressed to efficiently develop and run institutional mechanisms offering opportunities for youth to get basic education as well as higher education; to develop their professional capacity; and start enterprises and businesses which create green jobs in a responsible manner in fields like ecotourism, waste management, energy generation, etc and to be part of social, economic, and environmental processes. Other team member’s including southern and central coordinators PEA also addressed by sharing their ideas and views regarding importance of young environmental professional participation in such kind of environmental awareness raising activities.

Major activities during event were environmental walk, discussion with local communities, sharing of Mountain’s youth appeal from Rio+20, and environmental clean up activity etc. Environmental professionals, students, local people and tourists actively participated in the event and showed commitment to strengthen network and promote environmental cause.

At the end of the event participants urged the Government of Pakistan to consider and ensure youth’s involvement in making country’s Action plan, which is under preparation by the Ministry of Climate Change in the context of UNCSD outcome document- Future we want.

Some glimpses from Rio+20 Conference, Brazil (9-24 June, 2012)

On the way to Brazil- junction where African land meets Atlantic Ocean.

Copacabana beach.

Rio+20 at Copacabana beach.

Youth Conference for Rio+20 - Youth Blast.

Copacabana beach - (a must visit for beach lovers).

Dr David Molden, (DG ICIMOD).

 Dr Rajendra K Pachauri, (Chairman, IPCC)

Dr Madhav Karko (Deputy DG ICIMOD).

Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland (Chaired WCED in 1983, and former PM of Norway)

Mrs Hillary Clinton addressing Plenary at Rio Centro.

Pakistan's Chair in Plenary at Rio Centro.

Pakistan's major event during Rio+20.

Christ the Redeemer (one of the seven wonders of world) - Rio de Jenerio (23 June, 2012).

Bhutans Ministr for Agriculture and Forestory and Dr Madhav Karki at Mountains Pavilion.

Dr Micheal Glantz (Director CCB-University of Colarado Boulder

Asia Pacific Task Force on Rio+20 team with PM of Nepal.

Asia Pacific Task Force on Rio+20 Team Leader- Mr Tek Mahat during Youth Blast.

Mr Sha Zukang (Secretary General of the 2012 UN Conference) addressing the Youth Blast. 

Rio in my View...

20-22 June, 2012-Rio+20 has been written in world's history as one of biggest environmental event for analyzing world's commitment and practices towards Sustainable Development; shaping and redefining tools and making new commitments for living in harmony with nature.

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development also called Rio+20 conference held in Rio de Jenerio, Brazil from 20-22 June, 2012. Whereas, Youth conference for Rio+20 also called Youth Blast (7-12 June, 2012; comprising the first 2days for Brazilian youth and rest for international youth) was to mobilize and strategize youth during and after Rio+20; that took place at SulAmericana Convention Centre in Rio de Janeiro. That was one of the important event for youth to interact, network and share ideas and experiences. Youth groups from different parts of world participated, presented their work and arranged different thought provoking and mobilizing sessions, where youth were both organizers and audience. This event was organized by UNCSD Major Group of Children and Youth (MGCY), Brazilian Government and other partnering organizations. 

I, being member of Asia Pacific Youth Task Force (APYTF), along with five youth from Nepal, participated in Youth Blast, Pre-com, and UNCSD (APYTF was initiated in April 2011 by ICIMOD). In youth blast I facilitated and organized two events i.e. Green Economy and My Sustainable Dreams, where more than 25 young people participated.  In Green Economy speakers of different countries shared their experience and way forward regarding Green Economy in their national context, whereas, "My sustainable Dreams" was more like participatory event, where groups of young people came-up with their sustainable vision.

Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions held on 15th June, 2012, at Mountain Pavilion. APYTF was co-organizer along with ICIMOD and other partner organizations as major organizers. It was attended by a number of young people representing different regions and youth delegates including MGCY, Earth Charter International, African Youth Initiative on Climate Chang, UN Youth Mobilizer for the UNDP Sustainable Development Dialogues, TUNZA Ambassador, Nepal Youth Task Force etc.  Main objective of forum was to bring together youth delegates from mountainous countries to discuss global issues and priorities as reflected in the Rio+20 submissions, and to  develop and issue as appeal to the Rio+20 delegates. Speakers from different groups/regions highlighted actions taken so far and the major challenges they are facing and that how important is youth participation in this process. At the end of forum "Mountains Youth Appeal" was jointly developed with full consensus that was later on shared with negotiators.

Beside these, I attended Sustainable Development Learning sessions like "Footprint family and its application (14 June), "From ground to cloud new tools for sustainable development (17 June), and "Assessing sustainable transport in the context of Green Economy" (18 June); side events like "Sustainable Development in an Unequal World" (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)), the only event organized by Pakistan's official delegate "Sustaining Resilience-Development In Crisis", and "Mountain Knowledge Solutions for Sustainable Green Economy through an Improved water, food, energy, and Environment Nexus (ICIMOD), these all took place at Rio Centro; and many other side-events that were organized by ICIMOD/Mountain Partnership at Mountains Pavilion; meeting well renowned personalities,  heads of states, activists, youth leaders, volunteers, indigenous people and many more was so inspiring and motivating.

By the end of conference on 22nd and 23rd June we went for city tour and visited the most famous places in Rio de Jenerio, like Christ Redeemer-which is among the seven wonders of modern world, in evening its beauty shines in Green which is worth watching (it was the time when I sighted the Holy month Shabaan's moon); Sugarloaf mountain-another famous place, from where Copacabana, Ipanema, flamingo beech, Christ Redeemer, ocean and much more can easily be seen, was reached via cable car; Copacabana beach- where Rio meets Atlantic Ocean and its gushing waves attract thousands of tourists to walk barefoot on its four km long sand beach. 

Brazilian people are very friendly, cooperative, having family system and strong social connections. People from different parts of the world, like US, Europe and Asia Pacific are settled in Rio de Jenerio from decades. Its youth is more aware about environmental issues and according to them major environmental problem in Rio is solid waste and unwise use of water sources. 

UNCSD was an amazing experience.  Rio de Jenerio has given me new ideas, directions, and vision that how potentially I can use my skills and knowledge for betterment of society, and how important it is for youth to share, network, and cooperate with each other for their common future, "The Future We Want for all".