Youth4Water Plus Shares COP30 Insights to Drive Local Climate Action in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In an effort to bridge the gap between global climate negotiations and grassroots action, Youth4Water Plus, with support from UNICEF Odisha, organised a state-level dissemination meeting at the BAKUL Library. The event focused on sharing key takeaways and firsthand experiences from the COP30 conference held in Belem, Brazil, in 2025, and translating those global discussions into locally relevant climate action.

Setting the context, Sujeet Mahapatra, Founder of Bakul Foundation, underlined the importance of amplifying grassroots voices in international climate platforms. He stressed that bridging the energy of youth with the lived experiences of older generations strengthens community resilience and ensures that climate action remains inclusive and sustainable.

Shipra Saxena, WASH-CCES Specialist at UNICEF Odisha, highlighted the transformative role of youth engagement in climate and water governance. She said Youth4Water Plus continues to demonstrate how meaningful participation can convert global conversations into tangible local solutions, adding that climate and WASH interventions are most effective when rooted in real community needs.

A key highlight of the programme was a panel discussion moderated by Stalin Nayak, CEO of PANTISS Foundation. Participants who had engaged directly with the COP30 process shared their journeys, key issues discussed at the global platform, and how those deliberations resonate with climate and sustainability challenges faced by communities in Odisha.

Renowned academic Prof. Asha Hans, former Professor of Political Science and Founder Director of Women’s Studies at Utkal University, offered expert insights into the socio-political dimensions of climate change. She welcomed the inclusion of perspectives of persons with disabilities at COP30, describing it as a significant step towards more inclusive global climate discourse.

Kunal Ananda, an IIT Kanpur alumnus specialising in deep tech and disaster management, spoke on the role of GIS and emerging technologies in building climate resilience and strengthening disaster preparedness at the local level.

The event also saw the presence of Pradeep Ghosal, Head Odisha–CSR and Head–CSR, TPCODL, and Pradeep Mohapatra, Secretary of UDYAMA, who encouraged young participants to take climate action within their own spheres of influence.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Blorin Mohanty, Director of Youth4Water Plus, who reiterated the organisation’s commitment to nurturing youth leadership for climate-resilient and water-secure communities in Odisha.