Thursday, 24th Oct. 02
The Hindu
NEW DELHI, OCT. 24, Realising the fact that consumer groups can play an important role in tackling the impact of unsustainable production and consumption patterns on climate change, a “Network of People and their Representatives for Action on Atmospheric Issues” is being put in place by the Kolkata-based Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) in association with major consumer groups in the region.
Apart from inter-governmental organisations like the United Nations Environment Programme and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, consumer groups who have agreed to be a part of the network include South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment, Kathmandu; Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, Dhaka; Energy Forum, Colombo and the Delhi-based Tata Energy Research Institute.
“As part of the initiative, we propose to increase awareness of legislators on the relationship of production and consumption patterns with atmospheric problems,” said Arjun Dutta of CUTS while elaborating on the role of consumer groups at a day-long workshop held here today with support from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Another specific objective of the initiative is to increase awareness of consumer groups on the relation of atmospheric pollution, ozone depletion and climate change with unsustainable production and consumption patterns.