US Embassy promotes climate action champions across South Asia
Feb 15, 2023
New Delhi [India], February 15 : The US Embassy in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organized the second Climate Action Champions Network (CACN) conference in New Delhi on February 13-14, 2023.
Over 100 young and established leaders working on issues related to climate change in five countries in South Asia -- India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka -- participated in the two-day conference.
Addressing the event, Molly L Stephenson, Director, of the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy at the US State Department, said, "We are glad to be able to enable this dialogue where these brilliant young minds will explore and collaborate to find shared solutions to our global, shared challenge of climate change."
Other than Molly L Stephenson, Director, of the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, Harsh V Pant, Vice President, Studies and Foreign Policy at ORF, Harsh V Shringla, G20 India Chief Coordinator and Gloria Berbena, Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy were also present at the conference.
Selected competitively, these 100 participants include impressive South Asians who lead initiatives to combat climate change in their home countries and in the wider South Asia and Indo-Pacific region. Currently funded for two years, CACN includes virtual and in-person activities, a mentorship program, and a small grants program.
Half of the program's cohort members are alumni of other US government programs, such as the Fulbright Fellowship, Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program, and the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).
The participants are engaged in specific thematic areas, including but not limited to, the green technology industry, the impact of climate change on biodiversity, climate-smart agriculture, climate finance, and climate change policy.
The first CACN conference was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in September 2022.
