All entries for Tuesday 08 November 2011

A Memorable Trip in NYC – Nirali Patel

After landing back in the UK, I find my mind wandering back to the days spent in New York . The debates and discussions we had have indeed given me the chance to evaluate the position we are in with regards to energy and of course where we need to go. I must also mention the amazing sights we saw during our stay including the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and my personal favourite – Brooklyn Bridge .

The key factors that I believe are essential in targeting if we are to make progress in terms of climate change and energy consumption are the following:

• Technological advancement – if we are to become less dependent on fossil fuels then we must invest in renewable energy technology. This investment of both money and skills is necessary to ensure that renewable energy technologies become as efficient as possible. Then only will they be able to surpass non-renewable form of energy.
• Education – if we want the people of the world to have a more considerate attitude towards energy, then they must be educated about the consequences of excessive energy use. This education could be incorporated into school curriculums in order to create successive generations of people who realise the importance of their actions in terms of the environment.
• Political policies – a factor that we constantly debated was that of what role governments would play in implementing policies in order to tackle the energy crisis. This was one area where we found it hard to come to a definitive conclusion. However, we did agree that the course of action adopted would depend on the country. If a government is unable to decide on any coherent policies then a bottom-up solution would be best. In an ideal situation the government would work closely with the people to ensure a successful and productive outcome.

The trip to New York was indeed a very thought-provoking and informative one. It will be interesting to see where our research takes us and what we all agree to include in our report. Though we have learnt quite a lot from the trip we must now set our sights on the future and how we hope the world will change to adapt to shifting conditions.

To Caroline, Karen, Jo, Graeme and Kevin, I thank you for organising this trip and ensuring that we had a great time in New York . I cannot even begin to imagine how much work and time went into making our visit a good one. Thank you also to all the sponsors without whom this trip would have not been possible. I feel extremely lucky and privileged to be part of an organisation such as IGGY where I have had the chance to interact with like-minded individuals and expand my knowledge in various areas.

To all the Junior Commissioners – Gurrein, Massimo, Bakht, Ben, Thlompho, Tommy, Kitty and Jarel – I thank you for making this trip a memorable one. I always believed that I would learn much from all of you and my belief has been confirmed. Your ideas and opinions have certainly shaped my views and encouraged me to think about the issues facing the world with a global perspective. Also, your humour and lively spirits added that extra light to New York City ! Elliam, you were not forgotten and we are all keen to fill you in on what we have learnt and also hear your views.

I hope to see you all again soon but until then, good luck and goodbye.

 - Nirali Patel

Nirali Patel : 08 Nov 2011 21:16 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem