A CORRESPONDENT
JORHAT: North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a grassroots humanitarian and development organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, is participating in the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), being held in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20. Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of NEADS, is attending the global climate conference as a UNFCCC Observer Delegate, representing the organisation and bringing grassroots perspectives from Assam and Northeast India to the international climate platform.
This year’s COP is focusing on translating global climate commitments into meaningful action, particularly for developing countries and communities most vulnerable to climate change. Key areas of discussion include climate finance, loss and damage, locally led adaptation (LLA), just transition, indigenous peoples’ rights, nature-based solutions and biodiversity conservation, climate-resilient agriculture and food security, and climate-induced disasters and humanitarian action.
For NEADS, participation in COP31 provides an important opportunity to bring the experiences, priorities, and perspectives of climate- and disaster-affected communities of Assam and Northeast India into international climate discussions.
Speaking about NEADS’ participation at COP31, Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of NEADS, said, “Climate action must go beyond global commitments and translate into meaningful changes in the lives of communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. The experiences of flood-affected and indigenous communities in Assam and Northeast India remind us that adaptation must be locally led, climate finance must reach the grassroots, and indigenous knowledge and community leadership must be recognised. We need to ensure that the voices of the most vulnerable are not only heard in global climate discussions but also reflected in decisions, policies and actions.”