KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM) organized a guest talk on “Climate Change and Rural Development”. The speaker for the talk was Mr. Abinash Lahkar, Climate Change Advisor at Save the Children, Korea and Japan. In his talk, Mr. Lahkar explained about climate change, its causes and impacts. He shared how sectors like agriculture, industrial processes, water misuse, and land-use change contribute to climate stress. These changes have direct impacts on rural communities, making them more vulnerable to disasters such as floods, droughts, heat-waves, and cyclones.
Mr. Lahkar further spoke about global climate policies, especially the Paris Agreement (COP21), stressing the importance of global cooperation and the shift toward a low-emission economy. He explained the distinction between mitigation and adaptation, which helps communities prepare for and cope with disasters through better planning and resilience-building. He also emphasized the relevance of the circular economy based on Reduce–Reuse–Recycle and highlighted the need to integrate sustainability in both rural and urban development. Mr. Lahkar concluded by urging everyone to adopt mindful consumption habits and climate-smart practices to build long-term resilience and protect livelihoods affected by the changing climate.
Mr. Lahkar had previously worked at Oxfam India on conflict response and humanitarian response. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Delhi University and Master’s in Communication Studies from Savitribai Phule Pune University.