Bhubaneswar: Humanity must come together and work collectively to protect the planet from the growing threat of environmental and climate disasters, Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Chandi Prasad Nanda said at the Earth Again Conference 2026 in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

Speaking at the third edition of the Punashcha Pruthibi (Earth Again) conference, Prof. Nanda said the event would help students understand what “Earth Again” means and why such an initiative is necessary at a time when the planet is facing mounting environmental challenges.

Reflecting on the idea behind Earth Again, Prof. Nanda referred to Indian historian Dipesh Chakrabarty's work on climate history and drew a distinction between the human-made “world” and the planet itself.

He said the human world has been shaped by language, memory, institutions, navigation, mapping, photography, development and capitalism, all of which are largely human-centric structures. The planet, however, exists beyond these constructs and encompasses the atmosphere, oceans, rocks, climate, biological processes and the history of life.

“Earth Again” should therefore not simply be understood as a call to return to the Earth, he said, but as an invitation to look at the planet differently after recognising its larger ecological and planetary processes.

Prof. Nanda stressed that protecting the Earth would require collective action by humanity.

“Human civilisation must come together and work to protect the Earth, which is moving towards disaster,” he said, emphasising the need for concerted efforts to safeguard the planet.

Meanwhile, Sambad and Kanak TV Editor Tanaya Patnaik said the Punashcha Pruthibi initiative had grown beyond an awareness campaign and evolved into a movement.

The third edition of the conference was inaugurated by Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati. Odisha Minister for Odia Language, Literature and Culture Suryabanshi Suraj, Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Chandi Prasad Nanda, Eastern Media Limited Chairman Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Sambad and Kanak News Editor Tanaya Patnaik were present during the inaugural session.

The three-day conference is being held across two halls at Utkal University. Sessions at the main auditorium are focusing on environmental issues and development, while the Maharaja Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Auditorium is hosting discussions on disaster management.

Experts from Odisha, across India and abroad are participating in the conference to discuss climate change, its causes and consequences, natural disasters, environmental protection and the creation of a greener and more sustainable planet.

Environmentalists, intellectuals and students are also participating in the event, which aims to encourage wider dialogue and collective action on climate and environmental challenges.