Sudhir Chaudhary, CEO and Editor-In-Chief of WION on Tuesday (March 15) kicked off the WION Climate Summit. Theme of the summit was ‘Climate Calling: The last chance to answer climate emergency’
“It’s my honour to welcome you all in WION’s first climate summit but not the last,” he said at the outset.
“I want to start with a few questions. What is our top priority when we look at the problems that need to be solved? For example, in my own country India, for decades, we have been focussing on Bijli, Sadak, Paani (electricity, roads, water, food)”
He said that Indian politics remained focussed on these basic issues which he noted, remained primary issues of discussion for the average citizens of the country.
“On the other hand,” he said, “Issues like Climate Chnage, mental health are discussed on very elite forums of international conferences”
He observed that common citizens and mainstream media were “still far away” from these issues.
It is often that issues like Climate Change are considered somebody else’s problem.
“Climate Change is already changing our lives,” said Chaudhary.
Sharing his personal experience, Sudhir Chaudhary said that, coming from a middle-class Indian family, he was able to buy his first air conditioner only when he started working. Before that purchase, he said, he never felt the need (‘nor had money’) for an AC.
“But now, a day without AC is unthinkable,” he candidly admitted.
Drawing attention to increased use of appliances like air-purifiers, Chaudhary sounded a warning that Climate Change had the potential of “depriving us from our basic needs”
“This summit is an attempt to change our approach. Today, as a news channel, we want to give this platform to domain experts, policy makers, to all of you to raise awareness and take the steps that need to be taken. I welcome you all to this summit,” he said as he concluded.
