Young People's Experience and Understanding of Climate Change and Natural Disasters in India

Climate change is a global challenge of modern times. Recent events have emphatically demonstrated India’s growing vulnerability to climate change and various natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslide in mountain region. The consequences of climate change on ecosystems, weather conditions and socio-eco-political realities is experienced by all sections of the society including youth which consists more than fifty percent of Indian population. Young people not only experience the consequences of climate change and natural disasters, but also study these issues in their classes. Topics like global warming, climate change, earthquakes, tsunami, and other ecological disturbances are subjects for discussions, debates and academic assignment in school-college curriculum in India. Young people have to play a crucial role in combating climate change and natural disasters as they are real contributors in nation building. Given to this, an empirical study was planned to study the experience and understanding of climate change and natural disasters of 300 youth of age group between 12-17 years from two senior secondary schools in Lucknow city. The data has been collected through a well designed and focused interview schedule. The four major research questions are probed in the present research. 1) How young people take the current changes in weather conditions? 2) Are young people aware about the possible threats of natural disasters and climate change? 3) To what extent young people are prepared to face the challenges of natural disasters? 4) What is young people’s experience of recent April-May 2015 earthquake in North India?  The main argument in this research paper is that youth in Indian Cities are well aware of the phenomenon of climate change and various consequences of natural disasters. They also see their role in combating it. They relate themselves to future of ecosystems in which they live.