Workshop on Orientation and Assembly of Climate Clock

The third-year Geography Honours students of Loreto College, Kolkata attended a one-day workshop on the looming threat of climate change organized by the SwitchON Foundation on August 24, 2023 at Birla High School. The workshop focused on the assemblage of a Climate Clock—a clock depicting the time window left to reach zero emissions and thereby limit global warming to 1.5°C. Its purpose is to make citizens aware of the pressing need for climate-corrective action.

The workshop commenced on an inspiring inaugural note, with Mr. Sachin emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change. He elaborated on the invention of the ‘1.5°C Climate Clock,’ which uses a simple tool to compute the ‘deadline’ (indicating the critical time window left to reach zero emissions) and the ‘lifeline’ (tracking progress on key solution pathways such as energy from renewables). It was noted that at 10:00 P.M. IST on June 2, 2023, the time left to limit global warming was 6 years and 49 days.

The sight of a ticking clock makes the issue of climate change visible and tangible, creates a sense of dynamism, and fuels action. It is a powerful tool for generating public awareness and mobilizing people in the fight against climate change. The participating students were encouraged to engage themselves in the process of assembling the Climate Clock, and this exposed them to valuable practical experiences beyond the theoretical world.

The second session of the event involved an enlightening online meeting with the Solar Man of India, Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki from IIT Bombay. Prof. Solanki introduced the students to three concepts necessary to curb climate change: AVOID, MINIMIZE, AND GENERATE. The workshop was an enriching experience for the participants as it fostered the development of significant skills and heightened the students’ awareness of present realities and future challenges.