A maxim by Plato goes thus: The feeling of wonder is the mark of the philosopher, for all philosophy begins in wonder.

With this wonder in mind, the 22-year old thought leader Sanyam Yadav, who like few others, has envisioned living in harmony with Nature and accepts the symbiotic relationship of humanity with Mother Earth, wants to work towards maintaining it. And he offers a philosopher’s touch to one of his chosen subjects – climate change.

Son of 1996-batch IPS officer Laxmi Kant Yadav and equipped with an Hons in Philosophy from Hindu College, Delhi, Sanyam is way ahead of his contemporaries in his thoughts and actions. He recently attended COP28, a global convention on climate change, in Dubai as one of the 12 student delegates selected from across the globe. Here is a tete-a-tete with thought leader Sanyam Yadav:

What is your philosophy behind climate change?

As human beings, the conditions in which we exist cannot be separated from our consciousness. We have been extracting from the environment continuously, our actions must not breach the limits of this carrying capacity. Nature has its own way of replenishing itself. We have been exceeding the limits of Nature’s replenishing capacities to catastrophic levels, that is why we are facing climate change and global rise in temperatures.

What was your role at COP 28 in Dubai?

I attended COP28, UAE as a student representative from India. I was a part of all the hubs and events in the Green Zone which was all about active participation. I got the opportunity to interact with global leaders and trailblazers in their respective fields.

What was your takeaway from the conference?

In the premises leading to the green zone at COP28, quotes of famous people were inscribed which left an imprint on my mind. Albert Einstein said ’with time the world is becoming like a ship that has all the comforts, but it doesn’t have a compass’. There was another one, ‘man is more than himself, and always dies before fully born’. Another quote read ‘Technology is the answer but, what is the question?’

At the COP28, there was a sculpture of a girl striving to reach great heights in life. The most striking part of it is that one of her foot is firmly grounded, symbolizing her deep connection to her roots. It is only with such authenticity that one is able to rise in life genuinely and enduringly.

Since when have different nations been taking cognizance of the awareness towards climate change?

As we human beings realised our follies, we started talking about it seriously at the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit followed by UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement and the recent COP28 with its first ever stocktake.

Has India been proactive regarding climate change at the national level?  

At the national level, India is already dealing with climate change quite ambitiously. India has been setting its INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) from time to time. However, the developed countries are not doing as much, they need to fully address climate finance and transfer of technology.

Who has been your inspiration behind the philosophical perspective you have developed in life?

I have always been influenced by my late grandfather Ram Lal Yadav, who was a Karmayogi and considered good deeds as contributions to the society at large. Viraasat-e-Karmayogi, situated at my ancestral village Maswan Siyariya, Kunda, Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is my go-to place whenever I need to draw my inner strength.

Climate change is a global phenomenon, and hence a matter of global concern. And who can take it forward than the aware youth of our times.