Rajasthan: THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM ORIENTATION WORKSHOP

Environmental crisis resulting from the disruption and destruction of natural environment and resources has emerged as a critical and crucial problem around the globe. This problem is not merely environmental in nature, but it is a complex issue incorporating ideological, economic, social, political and health dimensions as well. To tackle this existential crisis facing life on earth, a comprehensive action-plan is need of the hour, incorporating the dimensions mentioned above and tackling the issues at multiple fronts, individual as well as collective levels.

The Centre for Educational Research and Training (CERT) in collaboration with the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) is launching the Green Footprints Initiative, a comprehensive environmental activism initiative which aims to:
 Popularize awareness about environmental crisis and issues.
 Train people to undertake environmental activism, individually and collectively.
 Collaborate with other organizations and individuals to tackle environmental crisis.
As part of the Green Footprints Initiative, a workshop is organized in Jaipur on 13-14 July, 2019. This workshop is aimed at imparting a comprehensive conceptual understanding and strategic training to students and youth activists to undertake environmental activism at a collective level.

This workshop will have four components:
1. Understanding Environmental Crisis:
This component aims to frame understanding of the factors causing the environmental crisis. This is done in two parts. This first explores the causes, impact and extent of ecological disruption, climate change, food, water, air, energy and waste
crises. The second explores the social, political, economical, technological, and
medical dimensions of the environmental crisis and the conceptualization of resource
politics and environmental justice.
2. Islam & Ecological Conservation:
This component aims to explore, establish and facilitate for people of faith to relate
with their faith teachings about sustainable living and protection of environment.
With the target audience of this workshop being Muslim, the Quranic concept of
‘Imaratul Ardh is explored which expounds responsible practices for sustainable
living and ecological preservation. An introduction of renowned Muslim
environmentalists, Muslim environmental organizations and their contributions is
also explored.
3. Combating Environmental Crisis:
This component discusses the importance of action at different levels of society, such
as practices for sustainable living, and role of individuals, community, students &
youth, religious leadership in combating environmental crises. Similarly, the legal
framework and institutions at national and international levels for combating
environmental crises and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are
also explored.
4. Strategies for Environmental Activism:
This component discusses strategies for environmental activism and imparts tactical
competency to deal with different aspects of environmental activism such as
collective action, working with localities and subjectivities, media, PR, HR, finance,
etc. Participants will present on major environmental issues of their region and group
discussions will be held to formulate strategies to deal with them.