The Context

The reports on the impacts of climate change caused by the globalization of non-renewable resource based consumption, production, habitats, leisure ,livelihoods and transport and so on are well known such as global warming, deforestation, rise in sea level, melting of glaciers, migration within and across the country and others. International Panel on Climate on Climate Change(IPCC) has been producing reports on the impacts of the climate change. We need to work for minimizing the emissions of the green house gases through adopting measures at the personal level and this is the reason for creating this network for promotion of carbon-neutral leisure across the neighbourhoods in cities and village where leisure time is used for various engagements.In order to ensure this, it is important that we hold carbon-neutral discussions regularly for maximising carbon-neutral leisure that would enable us build transition in policies and programmes at various levels.

We can consider promoting carbon neutral leisure across the cities and the villages for reducing the emission of the green house gases. We can discuss this in our neighborhoods, friends, colleagues, children, partners and all for reducing the emission of green house gases. This would be an important contribution for mitigating climate change and safeguarding the interests of the posterity and children in say 40th century.Here reference to children of 40th century is just for expanding vision for the span of time in the future as for many in the short term, it appears some sort of inventions and discoveries would be there for the insatiatable desire for energy and minerals for the expanding ecologically hostile energy guzzling urban habitats. I tend to beleive that all the non-renewable resources that are so much part of our lives in our time would not be available in the future. This appears to be logical too. Thus, we have both climate change and energy availability scenarios that should inspire us to do the make radical changes.

In this regard, one of the best way is to generate awareness in the neighbourhoods as all of live within neighbourhoods and for this carbon-neutral discussions would be most important. Through, this network, we can multiply the idea of holding carbon-neutral discussions across the neighbourhoods with a firm faith that men and women across the neighbourhoods can contribute best for strengthening the neighbourhoods for mutual care , personal and collective interests. Here, I am pleased to share a brief description of carbon-neutral neighbourhood discussion for promoting carbon-neutral leisure with tentative definition, target for the discussion and its impact with a firm faith that the Ecostrategic communicators would further contribute in multiplying responses across the neighbourhoods locally and globally.

What are carbon neutral neighborhood discussions(CNNDs)?
 The discussions, conversation, conferences that are held in the neighborhood with all who can be reached by foot or carbon neutral transport such as bicycle, bullock carts, horse driven carriages and others
 The discussion that we hold at home and in the neighborhood spaces such as parks, tea/ coffee ,vegetable shops, milk shops-all in the neighborhood and nearby habitations and localities .
CNNDs on what?
 Personal responses for reducing the emission of green house gases.
 Transforming travel decisions for energy intensive leisure i.e. leisure using GHG emitting transport and venues such as bars and discotheques.
 Alternative ways for getting the feeling of wellbeing including faith base practices such as practice of prayer, meditation individually and collectively in the neighborhood.
CNNDs with whom?
 With all irrespective of class, caste, race, religion, ethnicity, gender etc. as we all are contributors to the emission of green house gases in various measures and the impacts of the climate change are affecting us all
 With children who could contribute through avoiding the green house gas emitting engagements
 With women who are the potential consumers of the fossil fuel based energy, services and leisure
 With youth who are the potential consumers of the fossil fuel based energy, services and leisure
 With community leaders who are the potential consumers of the fossil fuel based energy, services and leisure
With all the potential contributors of emission of green house gases
 Who are potential contributor to the emission of green house gases
 All of us are the potential contributor to the emission of green house gases
 Both poor and rich, black and white, brown and yellow
 Across the nations, across the neighborhoods
 With men and women across the age groups
 With friends and foes
What is needed for CNNDs?
 Information on climate change and its reasons
 Commitments for communicating the same
 Setting personal examples in responding to mitigate the impacts of climate change
 Desire to talk to people in the neighborhood and outreach on the issues of climate change and others in the neighborhood.
 Carbon-neutral spaces for conducting the CNNDs
 A group of friends or relatives in the neighborhood
Communicating Ecological Audit
 Ecological audit of the consumption patterns- there is need to communicate ecological audit of the consumption patterns so that we are sure that we consume for survival and not for luxury and exhibition.
 Ecological audit of the transport patterns- reduction in fossil fuel based transport is critical for reducing emission of green house gases. It is important to consider the interests of future generations for ecological safe habitats. Fossil fuel based transports have a short history and short future. There is need to prepare for the end of petro-modern times
 Ecological audit of the use of water, energy, food and time
 Ecological audit of the travel needs
Potential Impacts
 Reduction in the personal contribution to the emission of green house gases
 Multiplication of the discussion across the neighborhoods
 Multiplication of the personal decisions for reducing the emission of green house gases
 Adoption of neighborhood carbon neutral measures for leisure ,relaxation, spiritual well-being and procuring the provisions

Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar Alam
Executive Director(H), Center for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance, a joint programme of Sewa, Labour League Foundation and Sufi Trust, Delhi