jitendershooda
December 19th, 2007, 11:15 AM
There was a climate change meet in BALI where 190 countries joined hands to fight global warming. Though it ended with the harsh/blunt attitude of USA this time. But Its good to see that atleast they have started thinking of it.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1140216
Some times back Dr. Ranbir Dahiya have written an article on the climate change. Sharing with you all:
HARYANA VIGYAN MANCH
CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
ľ This year the arctic ice cap shrunk to just 60% of its normal size.
ľ We are seeing the first macro-impact of global warming.
ľ Some have speculated that only a small temperature increase (of a kind quite possible in the next ten years or so) could see the ice disappear completely and very rapidly.
ľ That would leave open sea which absorbs heat from the sun rather than reflect it back into the atmosphere as ice does.
ľ The warmed waters would then transmit heat to the land causing massive melting of permafrost, releasing huge quantities of CO2 and methane, triggering a massive warming event that would render much of the globe uninhabitable.
ľ This is just one of the terrifying 'positive feedback' scenarios that have been suggested as a possible result of continuing to belch out greenhouse gases into the atmosphere the way we do now.
ľ If greenhouse gas emissions continue to spiral, scientists predict ecological disaster: melting ice sheets, erratic and destructive weather patterns and increasing desertification. All this will turn hundreds of millions of people into refugees.
ƒæ In an attempt to control the world¡¦s remaining major reserves of oil, the US has embarked on barbaric energy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also threatening military action against other oil-rich countries, such as Iran and Venezuela.
It¡¦s time the world quit its fossil-fuel addiction.
ľ Climate change will affect India's poor the worst, in areas like agriculture, water supply and health, former environment minister Suresh Prabhu said here Monday
ľ We need to adapt to climate change in areas like agriculture, water supply, public health and the entire economy of coastal areas," Prabhu said at a workshop on climate change and human development attended by journalists of 12 Asian countries. He added that the record of all countries on adapting to climate change was "abysmal".
ƒæ ¡§Carbon trading¡¨ is capitalism¡¦s ¡§solution¡¨ to climate change.
ƒæ But relying on ¡§market forces¡¨ to fix a problem that has been created by the same market forces is like trying to put out a fire by throwing petrol on it.
ƒæ Carbon trading will inevitably exacerbate the problem of runaway CO2 emissions because it does not challenge the root cause of the problem ¡X fossil-fuel dependence. Renewable energy and energy efficiency must be at the centre of any successful international agreement to stop global warming.
ƒæ Howard is pushing nuclear power as a solution to global warming, but it¡¦s nothing of the sort. He simply wants to help boost the profits of uranium mining companies. The construction of nuclear plants is CO2-intensive and costly. The economics of nuclear power do not stack up, as even some pro nuclear experts have advised.
ľ The plants would also take a minimum of 10 years to build, by which time CO2 emissions will have already spiralled out of control if nothing is done now.
ƒæ There¡¦s also the potential nuclear meltdowns and other accidents, as happened in Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, not to mention problems associated with nuclear waste and the industry¡¦s intrinsic link to nuclear weapons proliferation.
ƒæ Alongside nuclear power, Howard is pushing so-called ¡§clean coal¡¨ ¡X a last-ditch attempt to rehabilitate a fossil-fuel-based industry when it should be being phased out. Coal-fired electricity plants need to be phased out, and funds need to be provided for the retraining of people with associated jobs.
ľ The technology exists to produce clean energy. A solar power plant being built in Victoria, which will power 45,000 homes with no ongoing emissions, is evidence of this.
ľ Wind power is also available.Ultimately we need 100% renewable energy. We need massive government investment in renewable energy research, not handouts to polluting corporations. Other measures that can and should be taken include: increasing energy efficiency; a halt to logging; and a massive expansion of public transport.
ľ A sustainable system solving the world wide environmental crisis, of global warming is just one facet, will require more, however.We need to fight for a world that does not sacrifice environmental sustainability for corporate profit.
ľ Cuba is an example of a country that (despite being a poor, Third World nation that has faced continuous hostility from Washington including a punishing economic blockade, because its people dared to make a revolution and kick out a US-backed dictator) has made important steps towards building a sustainable future because it puts people and the environment before profit.
ľ Cuba faced a massive energy crisis when its major trading partner, the Soviet Union, collapsed in 1991. But even in the wake of this major economic blow, it was able to make massive advances towards environmental sustainability.
ľ The island nation lost 70% of its food imports and faced the threat of starvation. However, by converting to organic, low-energy-input agriculture and using alternative/renewable energy, the country was able to avert catastrophe. By 2003, Cuban food availability was at a level recommended by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, and in 2006 the World Wide Fund for Nature declared Cuba the only country in the world to achieve sustainable development.
ľ
So should not we do something to combat it?
ľ Changing the light bulbs.
ľ Buying cars that use slightly less petrol.
ľ At most, reducing emissions by a few percentage points a year.
ľ Do we have a plan even remotely radical enough to stand any real chance of heading off disaster ?
ľ Where are the politicians conveying the true urgency of the situation ?
ľ Where is the solemn prime ministerial broadcast explaining that the nation and the world is in grave peril and we need to take extreme action ?
ľ What can we do in this situation to turn the politics around and get the scale and speed of action that we really need ?
ľ Are you a member of a trade or students union or social reform movement? If so, we need your help!
ľ We want to build the widest possible coalition of forces to campaign for action on climate change. Involving different unions is an important part of this.
ľ National leaders should not say different things when they wear different hats.
ľ Emission Reductions should be planned Nationally and Locally.
ľ Largely as a result of pressure from the Save Climate campaign, organised by many organisations and movements and Haryana Vigyan Manch, the Indian Govt should be persuaded to pass a Climate Bill in near future. But we need to make sure that the Bill is effective and includes annual emissions reductions targets of a reasonable level.
ľ You can think independently what can be done at your level in this regard
ľ 8th December 2007 is being organized as the INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE DAY all over the world .
ľ Should not we do something on the occasion?
Dr .Ranbir Singh Dahiya
President
Haryana Vigyan Manch,
Rohtak
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1140216
Some times back Dr. Ranbir Dahiya have written an article on the climate change. Sharing with you all:
HARYANA VIGYAN MANCH
CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
ľ This year the arctic ice cap shrunk to just 60% of its normal size.
ľ We are seeing the first macro-impact of global warming.
ľ Some have speculated that only a small temperature increase (of a kind quite possible in the next ten years or so) could see the ice disappear completely and very rapidly.
ľ That would leave open sea which absorbs heat from the sun rather than reflect it back into the atmosphere as ice does.
ľ The warmed waters would then transmit heat to the land causing massive melting of permafrost, releasing huge quantities of CO2 and methane, triggering a massive warming event that would render much of the globe uninhabitable.
ľ This is just one of the terrifying 'positive feedback' scenarios that have been suggested as a possible result of continuing to belch out greenhouse gases into the atmosphere the way we do now.
ľ If greenhouse gas emissions continue to spiral, scientists predict ecological disaster: melting ice sheets, erratic and destructive weather patterns and increasing desertification. All this will turn hundreds of millions of people into refugees.
ƒæ In an attempt to control the world¡¦s remaining major reserves of oil, the US has embarked on barbaric energy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also threatening military action against other oil-rich countries, such as Iran and Venezuela.
It¡¦s time the world quit its fossil-fuel addiction.
ľ Climate change will affect India's poor the worst, in areas like agriculture, water supply and health, former environment minister Suresh Prabhu said here Monday
ľ We need to adapt to climate change in areas like agriculture, water supply, public health and the entire economy of coastal areas," Prabhu said at a workshop on climate change and human development attended by journalists of 12 Asian countries. He added that the record of all countries on adapting to climate change was "abysmal".
ƒæ ¡§Carbon trading¡¨ is capitalism¡¦s ¡§solution¡¨ to climate change.
ƒæ But relying on ¡§market forces¡¨ to fix a problem that has been created by the same market forces is like trying to put out a fire by throwing petrol on it.
ƒæ Carbon trading will inevitably exacerbate the problem of runaway CO2 emissions because it does not challenge the root cause of the problem ¡X fossil-fuel dependence. Renewable energy and energy efficiency must be at the centre of any successful international agreement to stop global warming.
ƒæ Howard is pushing nuclear power as a solution to global warming, but it¡¦s nothing of the sort. He simply wants to help boost the profits of uranium mining companies. The construction of nuclear plants is CO2-intensive and costly. The economics of nuclear power do not stack up, as even some pro nuclear experts have advised.
ľ The plants would also take a minimum of 10 years to build, by which time CO2 emissions will have already spiralled out of control if nothing is done now.
ƒæ There¡¦s also the potential nuclear meltdowns and other accidents, as happened in Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, not to mention problems associated with nuclear waste and the industry¡¦s intrinsic link to nuclear weapons proliferation.
ƒæ Alongside nuclear power, Howard is pushing so-called ¡§clean coal¡¨ ¡X a last-ditch attempt to rehabilitate a fossil-fuel-based industry when it should be being phased out. Coal-fired electricity plants need to be phased out, and funds need to be provided for the retraining of people with associated jobs.
ľ The technology exists to produce clean energy. A solar power plant being built in Victoria, which will power 45,000 homes with no ongoing emissions, is evidence of this.
ľ Wind power is also available.Ultimately we need 100% renewable energy. We need massive government investment in renewable energy research, not handouts to polluting corporations. Other measures that can and should be taken include: increasing energy efficiency; a halt to logging; and a massive expansion of public transport.
ľ A sustainable system solving the world wide environmental crisis, of global warming is just one facet, will require more, however.We need to fight for a world that does not sacrifice environmental sustainability for corporate profit.
ľ Cuba is an example of a country that (despite being a poor, Third World nation that has faced continuous hostility from Washington including a punishing economic blockade, because its people dared to make a revolution and kick out a US-backed dictator) has made important steps towards building a sustainable future because it puts people and the environment before profit.
ľ Cuba faced a massive energy crisis when its major trading partner, the Soviet Union, collapsed in 1991. But even in the wake of this major economic blow, it was able to make massive advances towards environmental sustainability.
ľ The island nation lost 70% of its food imports and faced the threat of starvation. However, by converting to organic, low-energy-input agriculture and using alternative/renewable energy, the country was able to avert catastrophe. By 2003, Cuban food availability was at a level recommended by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, and in 2006 the World Wide Fund for Nature declared Cuba the only country in the world to achieve sustainable development.
ľ
So should not we do something to combat it?
ľ Changing the light bulbs.
ľ Buying cars that use slightly less petrol.
ľ At most, reducing emissions by a few percentage points a year.
ľ Do we have a plan even remotely radical enough to stand any real chance of heading off disaster ?
ľ Where are the politicians conveying the true urgency of the situation ?
ľ Where is the solemn prime ministerial broadcast explaining that the nation and the world is in grave peril and we need to take extreme action ?
ľ What can we do in this situation to turn the politics around and get the scale and speed of action that we really need ?
ľ Are you a member of a trade or students union or social reform movement? If so, we need your help!
ľ We want to build the widest possible coalition of forces to campaign for action on climate change. Involving different unions is an important part of this.
ľ National leaders should not say different things when they wear different hats.
ľ Emission Reductions should be planned Nationally and Locally.
ľ Largely as a result of pressure from the Save Climate campaign, organised by many organisations and movements and Haryana Vigyan Manch, the Indian Govt should be persuaded to pass a Climate Bill in near future. But we need to make sure that the Bill is effective and includes annual emissions reductions targets of a reasonable level.
ľ You can think independently what can be done at your level in this regard
ľ 8th December 2007 is being organized as the INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE DAY all over the world .
ľ Should not we do something on the occasion?
Dr .Ranbir Singh Dahiya
President
Haryana Vigyan Manch,
Rohtak