Mission UN for this eco kid

Everyone has the passion to save the environment,” says Saket Dave, “it is just that at times this urge lies dormant.”
This 20-year-old Delhiite isn’t your normal, college-going kid dealing with books and classes, for he has more on his mind – saving the environment. And he’s taking it very seriously. Saket, along with his friend Priti Rajagpalan, has been elected to represent India in the 17th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 17) to be held in Durban from November 28 to December 9.While talking to DT, this Mother’s International alumnus explains why conservation has to be the need of the hour.
How it all started
Saket, who was passionate about the environment since school days, wanted to take it on to the next level in college. Says he, “I wanted to create awareness about climate change, so, I started the Patiala Chapter of the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN). It’s been over a year, and we have more than a 1000 people working for it. We have awareness building programmes, grassroots projects, energy audit and some creative programmes which include art forms.”
The chapter has two main focuses – awareness building and grassroot-level action. “In awareness building, we have workshops, film festivals, lectures and discussion sessions. The other focus – on-ground action – includes ‘Zero Garbage Campaign’ where we want to turn the university to a zero-garbage zone. Then there’s ‘Water Audit’, where we study the sources of water wastage and find means to stop it, and there’s ‘Energy Audit’, where we look to conserve energy after studying its consumption pattern, and then get sponsors for CFLs etc,” says Saket.
And he’s an engineer!
“The funny part is that in my Chemical Engineering course, I had a subject called Environment Sciences and I was short on attendance in it! And here I’m talking and doing all about environment. Ironic, isn’t it?” asks he. But on a serious note, he adds, “As a chemical engineer, I’m able to see the negative impact that industries have on the environment. It’s a vicious cycle, as we have industries – cement, steel – which produce maximum carbon dioxide. Being a conservationist I see that the emissions need to go down. I am able to see things from both perspectives, which helps me to come up with answers, by weighing options since you’re informed about both sides of the coin.”
Key is: Motivate Gen-i
For Saket, it was his internship with the Centre for Science and Environment that motivated him. “What I’ve got from the youth who I’ve interacted with is that the need and passion to conserve environment is there, but this lies dormant.” He explains that people need to be responsible. “Like if you have an option to choose then take a rick, instead of a car.What we need to realise is that the way we are right now cannot be the future model for our development, and that we need to soon figure out an alternative for this.”
The crucial COP 17
The Sri Lankan Youth Climate Action Network (SLYCAN), which wanted to send an international youth delegation to the COP 17, invited Saket and Priya to be a part, and then the two got endorsed by the ministry of external affairs. “Working with the youth of other nations is a great opportunity as there we will get to know about the problems plaguing the world. Right now, we are working on a policy with SLYCAN to understand things better from the other nation’s angle, and pick things up which helps us prepare better for COP, where environment ministers and world leaders and UN ambassadors will be present,” he says.
About the preps for COP 17, he says, “Since we’ll get to present our views to the panelists and the world leaders, we’re researching about India, especially its dilute stand on some issues. Also, with the Kyoto Protocol coming to an end this year, we’ll have questions like What will be India’s stand being the second fastest growing economy in the post-Koyoto world?”