People from the grassroots testify on climate change and its impact at a National Public Hearing on Climate Change and Coastal Communities held in Puducherry

27^th October, 2009, Pudhucherry: Oxfam India in association with the Tamil Nadu based NGO Sneha, Delhi-based Centre for Education and Communication and the Joint Action Committee of Pondicherry Fishermen Organisations, Puducherry,organized a national public hearing on "Climate change and the coastal communities" today in Pondicherry. The hearing was inaugurated by Mr. Thiru.V.Vaithilingam, Honorable Chief Minister of Puducherry State.

Over 300 community members from 9 coastal states (Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Karnataka, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra and Gujarat) participated in the event and shared their concerns on changing climatic patterns with a panel of experts comprising Justice H. Suresh, Retired High Court Judge, Mumbai; Prof. Sujoy Basu, Former HOD of Energy Studies, Jadavpur University, West Bengal; andMs. Nalini Nayak, Fisheries Expert, Thiruvananthapuram .

This initiative is part of a series of six hearings in India aimed at giving an opportunity to people from the grassroots to testify on the effects of climate change. Hearings have already been held in Patna, Rishikesh and, Mumbai, and are being planned in Jaipur and New Delhi between now and November 11.  A video made on the testimonies will be shown at Copenhagen where heads of States are meeting this December to agree on a global climate pact. .Geographies in India where hearings are being held range from deserts to oceans, from hills to backwaters and from forests to barren lands.

According to Nisha Agrawal, Chief Executive Officer, Oxfam India, ''India is observing drastic changes in the climatic pattern and is struggling to cope with its adverse effects. This year alone, there have been a series of natural calamities like the Cyclone Aila, drought in many States and more recently, the devastating floods in Southern India. All these catastrophes were an effect of climate change and took thousands of human lives besides destroying huge amounts of natural and manmade property. These occurrences should be treated as an early alarm to take action now for saving our nation and the globe from bigger tragedies.''

Effects of climate change spare none and worst hit are the poor who have limited resources and capacity to respond or adapt to the change weather patterns. Today's hearings gathered numerous testimonies which would work as evidences to influence the decision makers on the urgency of the issue of climate change. ''The objective of these hearings is to bring forward evidence in the form of testimonies of people to influence the decision makers on the urgency of taking action on the issue of climate change. Also, the final report to be submitted at Copenhagen would highlight the perspective of the developing nations in front of the world leaders which would help them keep the link between climate change and poverty in mind while framing the way ahead on this issue," Ms. Aditi Kapoor, Lead Economic Justice Specalist, Oxfam India said.  

Oxfam is organizing these hearings in many countries globally and the voices of people from the grassroots would be mainstreamed at the Copenhagen summit to put forth the argument that more funds are needed in developing countries for adaptation work and rich countries need to reduce their carbon emissions because there are limits to how much poor people can adapt to changing climatic conditions. .   

About Oxfam India:

Oxfam India works towards putting an end to poverty and injustice. For over 50 years, Oxfam has been actively partnering communities and like-minded organizations to bring in a global movement of change. Oxfam India is a member of Oxfam International, which works in over 110 countries on issues related to people living in poverty and helping them take control of their rights. Oxfam India focuses on 4 priority areas: Economic Justice - earning a better income; Gender Justice - unlocking women's potential; Essential Services - the ABC of overcoming poverty; and Humanitarian Work - preparing to survive.

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