Non economic loss and damage- Cartoons for CJRF

As part of a recent project with the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, I had the opportunity to interact with climate activists from India and Bangladesh, and come up with cartoons on how non-economic losses and damage from climate change manifest in some of the world’s most climate vulnerable regions like the transboundary Sunderbans Delta. The cartoons also reflected upon the use of art in preserving aspects of community heritage and culture, the existence and passing down of which is threatened by climate change.

Thanks to Ritu Gupta for the opportunity!

Climate Action Cartoons for CJRF

I recently had the opportunity to join a series of conversations online hosted by the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, as part of a climate action creative workshop on the intersections of climate and social justice. The first workshop, led by the prolific artist and researcher Natasha Sharma and joined by several young climate leaders from India and Bangladesh discussed how climate and civic inequalities intersect in our societies, and creative expressions of climate change and the demand for climate justice using interactive media. Natasha’s film ‘Gutter ki Machhli’ co-created with the youth of Govandi, Mumbai, set the tone for the workshop.

Given each of the participant’s love for Shahrukh Khan and his films, I began my endeavour of depicting the most salient highlights, emotions and findings of the conversations in cartoons, with a piece referring to his critically acclaimed film Swades, followed by the other cartoons in the post.

A huge thanks to Ritu Gupta, CJRF’s Gender Integration and Resource Coordinator for the Loss & Damage Program for not just giving me this immensely enriching opportunity, but also for creating safe spaces where young people from climate vulnerable regions and communities express climate vulnerabilities and hopes sans any fear of judgement.

The Biodiversity Map of Delhi

(click on the image for a larger view)

It is easy to dismiss Delhi as the world's most polluted capital. But Delhi's choking rivers, stifled city forests, disappearing ridges and wetlands are still home to a stunning array of biodiversity. Migratory birds thronging on the banks of the Yamuna, bats flying out of its famed monuments, Nilgai bumping into joggers in city parks like Jahanpana Forest, and leopards, jackals and hyenas scrambling for refuge in the remaining vestiges of the Aravalli ridges are still occurrences in a city characterised by unplanned suburban expansion and an ever-growing human population. Delhi's proximity to India's oldest mountain range, the Aravallis, blesses the national capital with a diversity in vegetation like no other, with ridge specialties like the Dhok, Pilkhan and varius hill shrubs rubbing shoulders with Red Silk Cotton lining the capital's avenues. Endangered birds like the Egyptian Vulture make Delhi's busy highways its home, and Greater Flamingos, Pallid Scops Owls and migratory raptors still make its wetlands their winter home. 

In a city that withstands ecological annihilation from unmitigated development every week, wildlife fights for survival and space alongside Delhi's citizens. I hope that this map of the biodiversity of the capital will play a part in giving prominence to aspects of Delhi that the real estate industry would prefer to render invisible to the city's residents.

A huge thanks to Ms. Monalisa Sen of ICLEI South Asia for commissioning the illustration! The illustration is a freely downloadable resource available on ICLEI's website. 

Special thanks to my friend, wildlife conservationist and author Neha Sinha for her breakout publication 'Wild Capital' which served as an indispensable resource in the process of creating this illustration. 

Some snippets from the map are below-