The project operates at two levels: working with selected networks to influence action at the corporate level and secondly working with a wider young audience to bring about extensive action.

Twenty participants in the age group of 16-18 years were short-listed from over 500 applications received form across the four regions of India. Says Dr GS Gujral, Head Science, British Council, “This programme is meant to motivate the youth to play a key role in mitigating the effects that climate change is causing in India and worldwide. The 20 winners will engage in awareness programes at a local level, perhaps by organising a school network, set up an eco project or talk to important people in their community about bigger plans.”

Of the 20 participants, three have been selected to represent India at the G8+5 summit at Kobe, Japan in May. Their role would be to interact with world leaders and thinkers and make them aware of the problem of climate change.

Nidhi Patel of Vadodara, one of the three, believes that the possible solutions to climate change are by involving people at the grassroots level. “We need to realise that we are destroying our planet and if we do not react now, we will not be able to save it from destruction. The policymakers should be careful that the policies should percolate down to the lowest levels.”