For "India" read "South Asia". On Tue, 21 Dec 2021 at 11:58, Ashwin Baindur <[email protected]> wrote:
> I applaud the participation of the West Bengal Wikimedia Users Group in > this sustainability initiative. It is heartening to see their leadership in > this regard. How wonderful it would be if all the user groups and country > communities in India think beyond immediate concerns and align their values > with the needs of the World. > > AshLin > > On Sun, 19 Dec 2021 at 13:13, Bodhisattwa Mandal < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hello all, >> >> In response to the climate crisis, the West Bengal Wikimedians User Group >> has joined hands with other affiliates from around the world and committed >> to a cross-affiliate initiative to reduce the environmental impact of the >> Wikimedia movement. The initiative can be looked at as one of the first >> steps to implement Movement Strategy Recommendation #1.8 >> <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Strategy/Wikimedia_movement/2018-20/Recommendations/Increase_the_Sustainability_of_Our_Movement>- >> "*While we grow and become more sustainable as a Movement, we will also >> align our practices to support the environmental sustainability of our >> planet.*" >> >> The user group took part in drafting a document which we call as Wikimedia >> Affiliates Environmental Sustainability Covenant >> <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Affiliates_Environmental_Sustainability_Covenant> >> and became one of the first signatories of the agreement along with >> Wikimedians for Sustainable Development, Wikimedia Deutschland, Wikimedia >> France, Wikimedia South Africa, Wikimedia Italia, Wikimedia UK and >> Wikimedians of Tamazight User Group. >> >> The agreement till now is as follows - >> >> 1. Affiliates commit to reducing their carbon footprint through a >> variety of measures, including but not limited to: >> - drastically limiting the number of kerosene-based flights taken >> by affiliate staff and representatives and community members, through >> measures such as >> - caps for flights taken on behalf of the affiliate, >> - increased technical and organisational support for remote >> events, >> - travel policies that discourage flights over other means of >> transport and that encourage the use of public transportation, >> and/or >> - travel policies that require compensation for the >> environmental cost of air travel, >> - switching to renewable energy for their electricity consumption, >> where possible, >> - divesting their financial investments from carbon-intensive >> industries, >> - when engaging in carbon offset programmes, supporting only the >> planting of native trees in uninhabited areas and not using offsets as >> an >> ‘excuse’ for their carbon emissions, >> - implementing other practices listed below. >> Affiliates related to Most Affected People and Areas shall only have >> limited responsibilities in this regard, and shall receive support from >> other affiliates to meet them. >> 2. Affiliates call on other Wikimedia Movement entities, including >> and especially the Wikimedia Foundation, to follow their example, >> specifically concerning the sustainable operation of the Wikimedia >> Foundation’s data centres. >> 3. Affiliates commit to supporting initiatives aimed at improving the >> coverage of the climate crisis on Wikimedia projects. >> 4. Affiliates commit to regularly (at least yearly) sharing their >> experiences adhering to this covenant to inspire each other and others >> inside and outside of the Wikimedia Movement. >> >> As an affiliate with very limited capacity and resources and from a >> developing nation, the user group will have technical and infrastructural >> limitations implementing many of the clauses, but during the next AGM which >> is going to happen in mid January 2022, a travel policy will be formulated >> in compliance with this agreement. As before and with agreement with the >> covenant, the UG will also keep committing to actively promote remote >> virtual events including conferences, workshops, meetups whenever a >> physical event can be avoided or deemed unnecessary. The UG will also >> continue to support projects which focus on digital conservation of nature >> like Wiki Loves Butterfly etc. There might be some more plans which can >> come up gradually as our commitment to the agreement. >> >> You can learn about this initiative presented by different speakers at >> different virtual conferences from this year. >> >> - Wikimania 2021: >> >> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Towards_a_more_environmentally_sustainable_Wikimedia_Movement.webm >> - WikiIndaba 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch? >> <http://goog_766684395>v=uXIVCUNoGu4 <http:///> >> - WikiArabia 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENERdAmdAo >> - CEE meeting 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oAIMDlc13M >> - WikiConference North America: >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbJ7IO9cJYg (at 3:33:10) >> - WikiConvention francophone 2021: >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlUD8MVPsyU (at 3:53:00) >> - German-language WikiCon 2021: >> >> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2021-10-01_Klimaschutz_in_der_Community_(WikiCon_2021).webm >> >> Many affiliates are internally discussing the document and reviewing it >> right now. If you as an affiliate are also interested, you are welcome to >> do the same and join this effort. We look forward to your active >> participation. >> >> Regards, >> Bodhisattwa >> (On behalf of West Bengal Wikimedians User Group) >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimediaindia-l mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe from the list / change mailing preferences visit > > > > -- > Warm regards, > > Ashwin Baindur > -- Warm regards, Ashwin Baindur
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