The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has selected the Centre for Sustainable Future at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore campus, as a resource partner to establish Environmental Information System (Envis) Centre on invasive alien species. The main objective of the ENVIS centre is to collect, document and disseminate information on invasive species threatening the biodiversity of the region and other parts of the country.

As a part of extension activity, ENVIS Centre at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, celebrated World Environment Day (WED) on June 5, 2020.

The major events included:

• National Webinar on the topic ‘Earth is healing now. But, what happens after lockdown?
• ENVIS newsletter release on theme Biological Invasion
• Publishing posters on Invasive alien animals and plants
• E-book release on ‘Faunal Diversity of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Campus’
• National Photography competition on Western Ghats Biodiversity

National Webinar on the Topic ‘Earth is Healing Now. But, What Happens After Lockdown?

Dr. Maya Mahajan is an environmental professional and a passionate and committed environmentalist who is currently associated with the Centre for a Sustainable Future, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore campus. She has more than 25 years of experience in research, training, advocacy and management in various sectors of Environment and Development – Biodiversity Conservation, Climate change and Sustainable Development, Participatory Forest Management, Wetland Ecology, Forest Ecology, Environmental Pollution and Environment Education while working with Research and academic Institutes, NGOs and corporate sector in various parts of India. She has presented and published several scientific papers in books, national and international journals, as well as being the keynote speaker for numerous international conferences including 6^th Griha summit, Earth Science and Engineering, Environmental Governance & Sustainable development and has written books, book chapters and several popular articles on various environmental issues. She has received several awards including International women Achievers award in the field of Environment and sustainability by Venus Internationals

Ms. Chinmai Hemani is a climate change and sustainability professional from Gujarat working under her proprietary firm name RuChiNi ESP. She has rich experience of over 7 years on research, community outreach with NGOs, corporate and grant based independent researches on climate change vulnerability assessment, adaptation planning, policy analysis wrt climate change and sustainable development, sustainable living. She is an avid nature lover, believer and follower of frugal living and a traveller.  She sincerely believes, wisdom from traditional knowledge, religion and ancient India can show way to the world on sustainable living. Prior to the works on climate change and her MTech in climate change and sustainable development in 2013, she has over 8 years of exp in telecom domain.

First Session started at 4.10 pm Around 27 participants across India participated in the Webinar. During the first session Dr Maya discussed about decrease in level of green house gases such as CO2 and NO2 in various countries such as China, Italy, US and India, which is clearly visible in NASA images. She mentioned that there is 25 percent decrease in GHG levels in China and around 200 million tons of carbon dioxide has reduced just during two months of lockdown period. Pollution levels are drastically down in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore in just 21 days after lockdown. No2 level has drastically reduced in China, Italy and many other countries during lockdown. Water quality in Ganga, Yamuna, Venice canals has improved and dolphins and fishes are clearly visible. Animals are roaming free on the roads in many counties. However she raised the concern about what will happen when lockdown is lifted. Again we will start polluting as before or even more in the name of economic growth. She mentioned that we cannot extend lockdown to save environment, but we can slow down, understand the difference between need and greed, essential and non essential things and adopt sustainable development and sustainable lifestyle as lockdown has taught us that environmental damage can be reduced or reversed in such a short period with drastic actions. We need to learn this lesson and take prevention measures after lockdown which can lead to the continous improvement of Environmental quality.

Later while explaining health hazards due to air pollution she discussed about the facts that in China every year more than 7 million people die because of air pollution as per WHO reports and in India 1.2 people die due to air pollution, which has not been taken seriously which is actually much higher as compared to deaths due to corona virus pandemic. She quoted the study by Marshall brokes from Stanford university which says air pollution levels without lockdown would have killed 20 times more people in China than the number of people died due to covid 19. Another research study also indicated that 4000 children and 73000 elderly peoples life is saved due to avoided pollution due to present lockdown in China,

However she also stressed that we need not undermine threats due to Covid 19 and  have to take maximum precautions to fight Covid 19 pandemic  however we also should not neglect health hazards due to environmental pollutions. She concluded the session by stating that on this international biodiversity day we should understand that every species has equal right to live on this planet and human being is just a part of nature and we must respect nature. At the end she explained about the importance of Sustainable lifestyle and development, which has to be the new normal in the post lockdown days.

Ms. Chinmai discussed about the need of adopting sustainable lifestyle to prevent climate change. She discussed that nature is resilient however the impact of climate is long lasting, and its health impacts would be huge. She also discussed about the importance of reduction in low carbon emission and energy efficient practices.  She stated that climate change would be responsible for one of the major health crisis of 21^st century. She also pointed that the EIA approvals cleared for the development projects and industries by ministry during lockdown period, which would cause adverse impacts on the biodiversity regions of India. She concluded the session by stating the importance to cut down the carbon footprint and adopting sustainable lifestyle

Environmental professionals, researchers and students from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab actively participated and interacted in the Webinar.