One of my favorite shows is West Wing. What's not to love? The fast-paced dialogue, the wit, "walk and talks" through the White House, and the glamour of State Dinners and other functions. I often thought about how great it would be to have a career as a White House official or diplomat.
This past week, I got a sneak preview of what it looks like to attend a conference as a diplomat or policymaker. I attended the T20 conference in Shillong, which was titled "Nature Solves: A New Framework for our Sustainable Future." The conference serves as an idea bank for G20 by bringing together different think tanks, policymakers, and experts around the world to discuss policy issues relevant to G20. Leaders of multilateral organizations like Shombi Sharp, who is the UN Resident Coordinator in India as well as diplomats like the Mexican Ambassador to India, Federico Salas Lotfe, attended the conference. The objective of T20 is to foster discussion and exchange ideas on topics related to green growth, women-led development, climate finance, and nature-based solutions for climate action.
I had a great time attending all the panel discussions. Each panel consisted of delegates representing different regions and sectors. As a result, the discussion was very thought-provoking and insightful. One of my key takeaways from the summit was that the Northeast needed to collaborate together as a region. There was also a push towards increasing connectivity with Bangladesh from Meghalaya and engaging them in the regional efforts toward nature-based solutions for climate change as well as climate finance.
During one panel discussion, a representative from Arunachal Pradesh posed a great question to the delegates. He asked how many of the delegates had actually walked through a forest or engaged with nature. None of the delegates were able to respond to the question. It reminded me of how many academics are so distanced from the fieldwork and action they so strongly champion. The representative from Arunachal Pradesh was expressing his frustrations with how scholars and government officials often time place the burden of problem-solving on local community members. While community engagement is necessary in many spheres, I understood where his frustration was coming from. Many of these communities in the Northeast have not contributed to the climate crisis or polluted. They have preserved nature and respected the lands they've been on for centuries. Therefore, they feel unfairly burdened by scholars and government officials to keep developing solutions to mitigate climate issues that they themselves have not caused in the first place.
On a more personal note, I enjoyed meeting people from different parts of the world. It was a great opportunity for networking as well as appreciating how interconnected our world is when it comes to global issues like climate change. I also was able to meet local government officials and district managers from Meghalaya who showed great hospitality and warmth towards all the attendees of the conference. I also loved all the cultural programs that were part of the program. We were able to hear an amazing local band as well as see a fashion show that showcased the beautiful clothing of the Khasi people. I'm leaving the conference feeling excited about the future and grateful that I had the chance to attend.
Cheers!
-Priya
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