GUWAHATI, July 16 - Balipara Foundation on Wednesday launched its first Global Governing Council for catalysing an ecological revolution in the Eastern Himalayan region.
With members from over six countries, the council brought together eminent personalities such as S Ramadorai, TISS Governing Council; Dr Vandana Shiva, Navdanya; Manoj Badale, Blenheim Chalcot, the UK; Prof Rama Bijapurkar, IIM-Ahmedabad; Julie Stein, Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network, the USA, and Hasina Kharbhih of Impulse NGO Network to discuss the way forward for the Balipara Foundation, as it seeks to create 100 million natural assets across the Eastern Himalayas by 2030.
Welcoming partners and members to the first digital Governing Council Meet organised through online communication platform Zoom, founder trustee and president of Balipara Foundation Ranjit Barthakur introduced the key addressing speakers Lord Nicholas Stern and Paul Polman.
Polman addressed the global pandemic crisis and opined that �if we rely on natural assets in a sustainable way we can develop resilient economies, healthy societies and healthy ecosystems across the world.�
�COVID-19 is clearly showing us interdependency in economies and bringing to light what we should do in a right way,� he added.
He was followed by Lord Stern, who focused on the need to invest in natural capital for long-term solutions to climate change that can create job opportunities for unemployed youths, also potentially can eradicate poverty at the grassroots. He especially highlighted the need to measure the value of the natural ecosystems that are being lost on a daily basis.
Other dignitaries and members of the Governing Council � Senior Fellow, Bay of Bengal Institute Project, Ambassador Tariq Karim; ATREE founder Dr Kamal Bawa and food sovereignty activist Dr Vandana Shiva shared their thoughts on the Balipara Foundation�s 100 million natural asset plan, zeroing in on the need for cross-border collaborations to achieve meaningful ecological restoration.
