Climate change road tour for India's youth

EDF’s first foray into India was a partnership with the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN). Two years ago, EDF’s India program manager Richie Ahuja participated in a conversation with some influential young Indian organizers. Before long, he found himself helping the fledging IYCN organize and expand its outreach to young people across India.

The IYCN is now a well-established channel for the tremendous energy and optimism of India’s young population. The network helps young people share information about climate change through outreach to universities, civil society groups and even rural villages.

It also helps young people make their voices heard in global climate talks. Network members, participating in the Climate Solutions Road Tour, attend United Nations climate talk sessions and report back to other young citizens on India’s negotiators.

Road trip with a solar-powered rock band

What do you get when you ask a dozen energetic youth organizers to spread the word about climate change across India?

A cross-country road trip in low-emission cars with a traveling solar-powered rock band. One of the IYCN's most successful initiatives to date is the Climate Solutions Road Tour.

Recognizing that India’s regional and cultural differences can sometimes limit the sharing of new ideas and technologies, the Youth Network decided it was time to knock down some barriers and get young people across India talking about clean technology.

• Itinerary: The Road Tour began in January 2009 in the southern city of Chennai, extending to the capital city of Delhi and beyond (map of the route)
• Distance traveled: 3,500 kilometers (about 2,000 miles)
• Duration: one month
• Mode of transport: Three solar-electric cars donated by Indian electric car manufacturer Reva. Retrofitted with long-lasting batteries (90 miles of travel on one six-hour charge) with solar roof panels for back-up power
• Major activities:
  • Concerts by solar rock band Solar Punch (with two solar-powered guitars)
  • Cookouts using solar cookers
  • Meetings and conversations with local clean energy entrepreneurs
  • Tours of model eco-villages
  • Climate change film festival
• Participants: 10,000 residents in more than 30 cities, towns and villages across India attended road tour presentations, public concerts and events. More than 1,000 people attended the Tour’s leadership training sessions, and local journalists came out to cover the road trip’s activities.

Road Tour results

You can see pictures, videos and audio documentaries on the India Climate Solutions web site.

Road Tour travelers compiled a collection of climate change ideas and solutions being used in the cities and towns they visited. Some other unforgettable accomplishments:

• Indian President Pratibha Patil heard about the road trip and invited youth climate members to a photo-op at her house in New Delhi. The IYCN presented her with a solar lantern as a gift.
• Author Thomas Friedman heard about the Road Tour and wrote a column about it in The New York Times.

Youth climate activism goes international

Since its successful Climate Road Tour, the IYCN has received requests from organizers in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and China, all wanting to learn about their model for energizing youth.

In India, the network is exploring new ideas for engaging youth on climate change, especially in rural areas.