Report by Suchismita Sahoo; Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik raises concern over impact of climate change. He said this on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the Regional Museum of Natural History.

Patnaik said that the impact of climate change could disrupt the fragile  life sustaining ecological system.  It could seriously affect the infrastructure, economy, health and eco-system.  It is time we put an end to the carbon economy by changing our lifestyles. 

With a view to take appropriate mitigate and adaptive measures, Odisha has prepared an Action Plan for climate change.  Odisha is the first state in the country to formulate the State Climate Change Action Plan.  This reflects the great importance the state attaches to this major environmental issues. To survive the century we should follow four principles –   sustainability, respect for nature. Preservation of planet earth is our natural obligation and also a constitutional mandate. 

Text of speech CM: I am glad to be here to inaugurate this exhibition on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the Regional Museum of Natural History. At the outset let me congratulate the Director of the Museum and his colleagues for their endeavor in collecting the Baleen whale which was washed ashore at Gopalpur beach in 2010.

The retrieval of its skeletal structure,   and its preservation in this Museum is indeed a commendable effort. It’s preservation along with other marine animals will certainly make people, particularly children aware of the marine eco-system, the vast biodiversity and bio-resources of Odisha  and their conservation.

Odisha, as you all know, has a lengthy  coast line of 480 kilometers. This coastline supports three of the world’s most important mass-nesting beaches for the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle at GahiraMatha; the Devi river mouth and the Rushikulya beaches; the second largest mangrove of the country-  Bhitarkanika and Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon- the Chilika. Coastal eco-systems,  are regions of remarkable biological productivity. The eco-system and its people are bound together in a complex symbiosis. These are the productive engines of the planet. Encompassing a broad range of habitats and harbouring a wealth of species and genetic diversity, ecosystems store and cycle nutrients, filter pollutants from inland fresh water systems, and help to protect shorelines from erosion.

Oceans, on the other hand, play a vital role in regulating global hydrology and climate. We have an unparalled   civilization which began in the forest.  Our tribal people through their traditional languages preserve the knowledge of the eco-system.   It is important to preserve the languages as they are the repository of ancient knowledge and native wisdom. The British Women’s Manifesto on Climate Change echoed the same truth by stating that “we can prevent climate change by respecting the culture of  tribals.” Museums needless to say are the best tools to preserve that culture.

The importance of museum in the life of a nation is well known. The more we know about the natural world, the more we can do to protect it. By looking back at our biological records in the Natural History Museums, we can determine whether a particular species has decreased in number or is on the verge of extinction and search for factors that may be causing it.
 
Our planet earth is 4.5 billion years old. While Dinosaurs ruled for 165 million years, human beings have been on this planet only for around two lakh years. But the damaged that we have caused to the earth’s eco-system is enormous.  Leading climate scientists agree that human action is accelerating  climate change.  It is a global issue.  The impact of climate change could disrupt the fragile  life sustaining ecological system.  It could seriously affect the infrastructure, economy, health and eco-system.  It is time we put an end to the carbon economy by changing our lifestyles. 

With a view to take appropriate mitigate and adaptive measures, Odisha has prepared an Action Plan for climate change.  Odisha is the first state in the country to formulate the State Climate Change Action Plan.  This reflects the great importance the state attaches to this major environmental issues. To survive the century we should follow four principles –   sustainability, respect for nature. Preservation of planet earth is our natural obligation and also a constitutional mandate. 

I wish these celebrations all success.
         
The Chief Minister released an informative literature on whale and  also distributed prizes to children.  Among others the meeting was attended by Shri Bijayshree Routray, Minister, Forest & Environment, Labour & ESI;  Shri Devi Prasad Mishra, Minister, Agriculture and F& ARD;  Eminent Scientist Dr.Priyambada Hejmadi, Dr. B. Venugopal, Director, NMNH; Shri G.N. Indresha, Chief, RMNH, Bhubaneswar.