There is no reason why we cannot adopt best practices being used globally within the industry in combating climate change: Reto Braun.

The Earth Council e-Learning is a Geneva-based NGO that aims to promote a more equitable, secure, and sustainable future by: 

•  Harnessing the power of e-Learning to deliver educational programs, accessible from anywhere in  the world;
•  Recruiting experts worldwide to provide quality education, training, and capacity building; and
•  Equipping representatives of government, international organizations, civil society, business, the media, and other stakeholders with knowledge and skills to address global challenges.

Earth Council e-Learning offers courses on topics of global importance such as climate change, global trade, biodiversity, and sustainability. The Earth Council Geneva is chaired by Mr. Reto Braun (Switzerland), and includes Mr. Lucas Assunção (Brazil), Mr. Jose Maria Figueres (Costa Rica), Ms. Christine Novakovic (Italy), Mr. Juan Rada (Chile), Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun (Algeria), and Mr. Maurice Strong (Canada).

In an exclusive interview with CARBONyatra.com, chairman Reto Braun explained the concept behind Earth Council and its courses on offer for India:

What is the Earth Council e-learning initiative and what are the courses on offer in India? 

The Earth Council as an idea was founded by Maurice Strong, who was the spiritual father of the Rio Conference in Geneva in 1992. If we accept that climate change is the biggest problem facing the planet and combine that with the power of the Internet, then we can get the message across to a huge percentile of the population. We can raise the awareness of the problem and get the facts and figures out to the world. That is why we have developed over 30 courses in Climate Change, Global Trade, Biodiversity, Desertification and so on. These are interactive courses and you can log on to earthcouncil.com and get into the course. 

Can you tell us about the fee structure? 

We usually sell packages to various governments like in the Philippines and now also in China. The courses also come in regional languages like Spanish and Chinese. These governments then hook on students to the courses and then they pay us that way. We are a non-profit NGO financed by the Swiss government and by myself.  

Why do you think there is a need for such courses in India? 

In India, the green house gas (GHG) initiative would be a wonderful addition to other climate change initiatives being currently undertaken by various industry bodies like the CII. I have been in touch with the Tata's with whom I've been in touch with for over 25 years and they too think this is appropriate. We are not just offering a course in GHG's, but we are developing it to make it right for India and rolling it out for SE Asia with CII and then to go worldwide. I think it is a first step and we hope to get it rolling by Fall this year in India. 

Apart from these climate change courses, you also talked about industry best practices and the need to spread the message across in curbing GHG's? Tell us more about that? 

To distribute climate change facts and figures is one thing, but I think more importantly there is a need to find out important industrial best practices being adopted in countries, particularly in India. Learners of the course need to talk to each other about such best practices. That will be appreciated and could be the biggest asset of the course.  

Give us an example? 

Take the example of Holcim, one of the world's leading suppliers of cement and aggregates. The Swiss cement major is an excellent example in carbon emission reductions for the industry.

There is no reason why the Earth Council should not contact the 20 largest cement companies in the world and have Holcim be the teacher on the online course, informing the rest of cement industry on the best practices to be adopted in reducing carbon emissions. This can then be taken forward to the other sectors as well.  

Rather than reinventing the wheel, we should go around the globe and grab the good things and spread the message through the Internet.