*Note - IYCN has opened up positions for young leaders to facilitate the Great Power Race in the country. If you wish to facilitate GPR, contact chaitanya kumar at chaitanyakumar@iycn.in or +91 9849016371
The world has witnessed another earth day go by and another environment day breeze past us with little or no difference to the day next. Symbolic actions for environment and climate have come a long way in the world with increasing participation from public and more pressure on the leaders, but Govt.’s across the world are still callous and work in denial of the environmental crises the world is currently undergoing. The Copenhagen conference is an example of the gross injustice perpetrated on the people of this world.
The youth from India, China and the US have seen their nations fumble and falter at important negotiations and act for their own narrowed interests. The gauntlet has been thrown to the public and we need to be ready to take it up. It is time for climate solutions and the power of communities and groups to implement them with or without Govt. intervention.
The Great Power Race (GPR) is a clean energy competition between universities and other college/school campuses in India, China and the US. The aim is to kick-start hundreds of new climate solution projects on campuses and in communities in all three countries and to demonstrate to governments and businesses our generation’s leadership in transforming our world towards a green economy.
Download the GPR presentation to learn more about the race and how to participate. We will add more info as the actual race begins to help participants identify campus projects and execute them. 
From installing compost pits to solar panels to changing light bulbs to growing local food, campus teams are encouraged and trained to take up various projects that reduce their dependence on dirty fossil fuel and emit less greenhouse gases. The competition is a one of its kind where teams will be allowed to communicate with each other across nations and share best practices thereby learning and understanding the differences and challenges of executing clean energy projects.
The Indian Youth Climate Network, Chinese youth climate action network, Energy action coalition and 350.org are the main organizers of the competition in the three countries.
Phase I ends by August 31st and the race is on for the maximum registrations from countries. Phase II involves training and execution of projects with the winners being declared in Cancun, Mexico during COP16 and the final two phases will accept more registrations and the winners will be declared in mid 2011. Eminent personalities in the field of environment from all three countries will be chosen to judge the projects and an elaborate point system has been designed to evaluate projects across various criteria.
Participants and other students can register on the IYCN Forum to pose queries or put forward their projects/ ideas for discussion. The forum is aimed to answering all your queries on GPR and help you network and improve your project on campus.
The Indian Youth Climate Network is the organizer of GPR in India. With a wide network amongst youth in the country, IYCN aims at helping support multiple climate solution projects in India.
Campus teams can register or follow the race at www.greatpowerrace.org or www.facebook.com/greatpowerrace and please help spread the word to your friends, family and the world.
AIESEC India is our youth outreach partner. Present in over 107 countries and territories and with over 45,000 members, AIESEC is the world's largest student‐run organisation. Focused on providing a platform for youth leadership development, AIESEC offers young people the opportunity to be global citizens, to change the world, and to get experience and skills that matter today.
For general queries and more details on GPR, write to us at grp@iycn.in
For specific queries in
Coastal Andhra - Bharat at bharatedara@gmail.com
Tamil Nadu & rest of Andhra - contact Ravi at ravi@iycn.in
Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, UP - contact Anoop singh at anoop@iycn.in
Kerala, Bihar, Uttarakhand - contact Suren at suren@iycn.in
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh - Reetu Asrani at reetu.asrani@gmail.com
Maharashtra, Goa - Ayesha at ayesha@iycn.in
Hyderabad and rest of the country - Chaitanya kumar at chaitanyakumar@iycn.in
