Need for conservation of electrical energy, changing of people’s mindset towards energy consumption and developing energy sensor technologies to prevent its wastage were highlighted at a two-day national seminar on ‘Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Sustainable Development’.

The Seminar was organised by the Department of Economics, Jamia Millia Islamia under the aegis of UGC-SAP-DRS-II from March 14, 2018.

Ashok Lavasa, IAS, Election Commissioner of India & Former Secretary Environment, Forests and Climate Change, GOI, was the chief guest and keynote speaker at the inaugural session which was chaired by Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor JMI.

S Mohanty, IAS, Former Secretary Higher Education, MHRD, GOI, Shahid Ashraf, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, JMI and Shahid Ahmed, Head, Department of Economics, JMI, were the other dignitaries who attended the seminar besides faculty members and students of the department.

Talat Ahmad appreciating the choice of the theme of the seminar said that senseless wastage of scarce energy resources in day-to-day activities should be avoided.
He emphasised on the need for more research on energy saving sensor technologies to manage electricity consumption optimally. 

Ashok Lavasa highlighted the need to develop newer energy saving alternatives.

While underscoring the importance of changing people’s mindset towards energy consumption, he emphasised that one should go by need rather than the capacity to afford energy consumption.

Lavasa informed that India has witnessed LED bulb and street lights revolution in a very short period of time compared to other countries which are doing case studies to replicate the Indian experience.

He also emphasised on the role of market and scale economies which brought down the price of LED bulbs from Rs. 300-400 to Rs. 35-40 without any government subsidies.

Mohanty said that unmitigated climate change is antithetical to sustainable development.

While a prior planning and adaptation is a must, immediate mitigation will be more cost effective, he said.

Mohanty said that post facto adaptation will be costlier with dead weight losses and no welfare gain. Until a global consensus emerges, national, local and regional efforts will have to kick start the process, he said.

Shahid Ahmed, Head, Department of Economics highlighted the impact of climate change  on all living species and called for widespread deliberations to suggest appropriate policy measures in the interest of the mankind.
 
TA Farooqui, Organising Secretary, Department of Economics, JMI explained the relevance of the theme of the seminar in the current scenario.