4 days ago
Students table green Bills in mock parliament aiming for grassroot-level actions
From setting up climate monitoring hubs to turning water hyacinths stalks into value-added products, students took the floor with purpose at the Panchayat Climate Mock Parliament (PCP) held recently at Christ College, Irinjalakuda, under the joint leadership of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) and the Bring Back Green Foundation.
More than 300 school and college students, acting as youth parliamentarians, introduced a series of bold, actionable proposals rooted in hyperlocal climate data. The standout Bills included a climate monitoring and awareness centre in Muriyad panchayat to support its agrarian economy; a CCTV surveillance network in Irinjalakuda municipality to curb illegal waste dumping; stream and canal rejuvenation projects in Padiyoor and Poomangalam to strengthen flood resilience; and an initiative to manufacture value-added products from water hyacinths and other natural resources, tapping into local biodiversity for economic sustainability.
The mock parliament, modelled on real legislative procedures, saw spirited debates between ruling and opposition benches. Student ministers defended their Bills while their peers challenged the feasibility and inclusivity of each, replicating authentic democratic functioning.
Student volunteers
The proposals were not theoretical. They stemmed from an year-long grassroots survey and campaign in the Irinjalakuda constituency, where student volunteers from Christ College and St. Joseph's College engaged with communities across Muriyad, Padiyoor, Poomangalam, and Irinjalakuda municipality. Their work included climate vulnerability assessments, data collection, and community dialogue , all of which informed the legislative agenda.
The initiative was inaugurated by Minister for Higher Education R. Bindu, who praised the programme for transforming classrooms into real-world civic labs. 'The Panchayat Climate Mock Parliament offers a rare opportunity for students to translate knowledge into governance, activism, and climate leadership,' she said.
This event marked more than a symbolic exercise. The final reports and Bills were formally submitted to the respective local self-government institutions (LSGIs), paving the way for possible real-world adoption.
Youth-led model
Spearheaded by KILA and Bring Back Green with the support of the State government and the LSG department, the Panchayat Climate Mock Parliament is a decentralised, youth-led model for participatory climate governance. It bridges the gap between global climate discourse and local action, enabling students to assess vulnerabilities, co-create solutions, and collaborate with elected representatives.
Now, buoyed by the success of the Irinjalakuda pilot, the programme aims to expand to more climate-vulnerable places across Kerala, using hazard, vulnerability, and risk (HVR) assessments to guide interventions.
