If climate change is allowed to occur at its present pace we would be putting poor who constitue 40% (2.6 billion) of the world's poor at a serious disadvantage. The people contribute the least to greenhouse gases and would suffer the most as they do not have the necessary resources to adapt. The emissions by the rural poor in India are estimated to be 335 to 462 kg per capita annually which is neglible. In fact the rich emit five times that amount and have adaptation options ranging from choice of residential location to a variety of livelihood options and a level of economic security. Unfortunately the nations responsible for maximum emissions are also home to the more affluent human beings whose icomes are 10 to 12 times those of their Indian counterparts. These people can a numer of adaptation the most obvious ones being huge land resources, access to advanced technology and purchasing power. Global warming may, in fact be a boon for them with a reduction in heating costs and higher agricultural productivity. the total emissions of USA are 5 times that of China and 15 times those of India. One of the most damaging and visible impacts of climate change is increase in frequency and intensity of disasters. This is applies particularly to hydrological disasters.
India has a 7500 km long coastline which houses numerous communities depending on marine resources. Poverty and dependence on marine resources force them to live in vulnerable areas along the coast. They are the first casualities in times of disaster. They are required to face frequent floods, cyclones droughts etc. From 2000 to 2004 about 2.6 million people were killed in natural disasters 98% of whom were from developing countries. It is this vulnerability of the poor in developing countries like India that so many people are killed.
India has set a growth target of 8-9% annually for the next five years for which it plans to increase its generation from coal based power plants thus adding to global warming. It would be good if somebody would spare a thought for India's rural poor.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
carbon trading
It is surprising how an important issue like Global warming has been diluted by escape provisions such as carbon trading. Rich nations, which are the worst polluters, can buy Carbon credits and continue to pollute. These nations can continue to pollute while the poor nations earn carbon credits to sell by cutting down their emissions at the cost of development. At the end of the day the carbon levels continue to remain the same and the world continues to stand on the brink of environmental catastrophe.
While individuals and nations continue to profit through carbon trading, communities and species arond the world continue to bear the brunt of Climate Change without contributing to it. The situation is similar to punishing a bystander on a crime scene. If only the haves of the world would have been more sensitive to the needs of have nots. The Carbon credits would be of little use when half the world is submerged and most of its species have disappeared. It is surprising that in the process of making its life more livable a part of the world is making life unlivable for another part of the world and for various species of the world. The world does not belong only to the the humans. it has been made what it is by its plants and animals too who will be the first casualities of human follies. How can we singlehandedly destroy a shared asset? since when did humans become so cold hearted, so unfair?
While individuals and nations continue to profit through carbon trading, communities and species arond the world continue to bear the brunt of Climate Change without contributing to it. The situation is similar to punishing a bystander on a crime scene. If only the haves of the world would have been more sensitive to the needs of have nots. The Carbon credits would be of little use when half the world is submerged and most of its species have disappeared. It is surprising that in the process of making its life more livable a part of the world is making life unlivable for another part of the world and for various species of the world. The world does not belong only to the the humans. it has been made what it is by its plants and animals too who will be the first casualities of human follies. How can we singlehandedly destroy a shared asset? since when did humans become so cold hearted, so unfair?
Friday, January 25, 2008
people's car vs environment
January 2007 started with a sensational event in the field of transportation which created ripples amongst city dwellers in India who were dvided amongst those who could hardly contain their excitement and those who shook their heads in despair. The happy ones saw big possibilities in a small car, the Tata nano, and the others saw another bundle of problems being added to the already choked roads. concerns were raised about pollutions, road safety, parking spaces and most of all implications for climate change. The concern emerged from the fact that greater car ownership would increase the demand for petrol and lead to increased emissions.
The fears of the group of people concerned with the city environment seem to be largely unfounded. The small car may in fact help to improve traffic situations thus reducing emissions. The traffic scene in India can at best be described as chaotic for most towns. This is largely due to non -segregation of slow and fast moving modes of traffic. The merger of the two modes creates a stop and go situation with continous stops and accelerations which greatly increase fuel consumption and emissions. Replacement of two wheelers and three wheelers, which are the main slow modes, with a small car would greatly improve flow conditions on roads and reducing fuel consumption and emmissions. Secondly the small car promises a higher mileage pr litre of petrol than any of the existing cars. This factor also contributes to lower petrol consumption. Thirdly availability of a fast and smooth means of travel may prompt users to look for residential options in the suburbs which offer a better and cheaper quality of life.Such a phenomenon has already occured in the west when horse drawn buggies were replaced by cars. A fourth advantage is that due to its small size the car would not be space intensive which is as it is a scarce commodity in cities. Finally due to its low purchase cost (2500$) and running cost(20 km to a litre) it may be a popular travel option for students who could carry their grouping tendencies to travel and resort to car pools.
Considering the above the future seems to be bright for urban roads and urban environment with major auto makers competing to match the achievements of an Indian car company.
The fears of the group of people concerned with the city environment seem to be largely unfounded. The small car may in fact help to improve traffic situations thus reducing emissions. The traffic scene in India can at best be described as chaotic for most towns. This is largely due to non -segregation of slow and fast moving modes of traffic. The merger of the two modes creates a stop and go situation with continous stops and accelerations which greatly increase fuel consumption and emissions. Replacement of two wheelers and three wheelers, which are the main slow modes, with a small car would greatly improve flow conditions on roads and reducing fuel consumption and emmissions. Secondly the small car promises a higher mileage pr litre of petrol than any of the existing cars. This factor also contributes to lower petrol consumption. Thirdly availability of a fast and smooth means of travel may prompt users to look for residential options in the suburbs which offer a better and cheaper quality of life.Such a phenomenon has already occured in the west when horse drawn buggies were replaced by cars. A fourth advantage is that due to its small size the car would not be space intensive which is as it is a scarce commodity in cities. Finally due to its low purchase cost (2500$) and running cost(20 km to a litre) it may be a popular travel option for students who could carry their grouping tendencies to travel and resort to car pools.
Considering the above the future seems to be bright for urban roads and urban environment with major auto makers competing to match the achievements of an Indian car company.
A preview of the future
Climate change is being talked about globally at various forums and leevels. Feverish attempts are underway to avoid taking steps for mitigation. Blamegames are being played at the global level between nations with each one accusing the other of being responsible for bringing the world to the edge of an environmental abyss. But in the cacophony of all this activity the irreplaceable element which is being lost every day is time. Every day and every year that passes in these grand negotiations for the extent and nature of action to be taken to avoid the catastrophe brings the world closed to the abyss and the biggest casualities in the entire beureaucratic process are the common people. This is particularly true of the poor ones in developing country. Many of these dont understand the concept of climate change and do not contribute to it in any way. These people are facing the impacts in their daily lives and are regularly facing loss of live, livelihood and possessions. These people are affected by one of the most powerful and dangerous elements namely the deep blue sea. Due to climate change the sea is relentlessly advancing on the coastal settlement and appropriating land, houses, livestock and people in the process. The land submergence that climate change analysts talk about for 2050 and 2100 has already begun. Though the climate change negotiators living in the cities have not yet experienced it but they probably may not have to wait too long and by then any action they take would be a case of too little, too late.
One of the areas which has been witnessing such drastic climate change effects is the state of Orissa in India. The state is located on the coast of Bay of Bengal and has coastline of about 500 km. The state has a long history of natural disasters which have intensified in the recent years due to climate change. The Bay of Bengal is said to be rising by about 3mm every year. It has been estimated that a 1mm rise in sea level can submerge 425 acres of land. It can only be imagined what a 3mm rise would do. The state seems to have been singled out for a sound thrashing by nature. The small settlements of villagers along the coast are facing a variety of climate change impacts and are overwhelmed by the wrath of nature that they are being made to bear. One such coastal settlement is the village of Satbhaya. As the level in the Bay of Bengal continues to rise the sea is advancing forward and submerging land and everything else on it. In about 10 years the sea has submerged about 150 acres of land in the area along with 5 villages located on it. These villages were located in the vicinity of Satbhaya and housed a vibrant community of farmers. Satbhaya too is a village of farmers who earn their living through paddy crops. It is surprising that the village has no fishermen despite being located so close to the sea (about 500 meters). However the abscence of a fishing community is easily explained if we consider the fact that about 10 years back the sea was 4 to 5 km away from the village and the paddy fields right behind it and adjoining it. Now the advancing sea has destroyed agriculture to a great extent due to salt water intrusion into the agricultural fields during every high tide. The underground water which was the only source of drinking water has turned saline. The very houses of the villagers face the threat of submergence and have been shifted to the tops of sand bunds constructed to protect them from storms and cyclones. However these bunds themselves are getting eroded as there is no plantation on them to hold the soil. The situation has reached such a sorry state as the government department which makes the bunds and the one which does the plantation are different and have separate priorities. To add to the woe of the villagers the village is located deep inside a reserved forest where no new construction is permitted. Thus any plans to resttle them in the vicinity can not be thought of or approved. One is required to cross a Crocodile infested river on a rickety boat just to reach the village. The villagers are thus sandwitched between the sea and the forest with no option left except to wait and watch everything they hold dear getting submerged beneath the advancing waves of a agressive sea.
While this drama is being played in a corner of the world the people have the power to do something and avert a catastrophe are busy playing their own power games. We do not know when this show will end, but the way things are going the story seems to be heading for a painful and tragic ending for por communities on the coasts of the world.
One of the areas which has been witnessing such drastic climate change effects is the state of Orissa in India. The state is located on the coast of Bay of Bengal and has coastline of about 500 km. The state has a long history of natural disasters which have intensified in the recent years due to climate change. The Bay of Bengal is said to be rising by about 3mm every year. It has been estimated that a 1mm rise in sea level can submerge 425 acres of land. It can only be imagined what a 3mm rise would do. The state seems to have been singled out for a sound thrashing by nature. The small settlements of villagers along the coast are facing a variety of climate change impacts and are overwhelmed by the wrath of nature that they are being made to bear. One such coastal settlement is the village of Satbhaya. As the level in the Bay of Bengal continues to rise the sea is advancing forward and submerging land and everything else on it. In about 10 years the sea has submerged about 150 acres of land in the area along with 5 villages located on it. These villages were located in the vicinity of Satbhaya and housed a vibrant community of farmers. Satbhaya too is a village of farmers who earn their living through paddy crops. It is surprising that the village has no fishermen despite being located so close to the sea (about 500 meters). However the abscence of a fishing community is easily explained if we consider the fact that about 10 years back the sea was 4 to 5 km away from the village and the paddy fields right behind it and adjoining it. Now the advancing sea has destroyed agriculture to a great extent due to salt water intrusion into the agricultural fields during every high tide. The underground water which was the only source of drinking water has turned saline. The very houses of the villagers face the threat of submergence and have been shifted to the tops of sand bunds constructed to protect them from storms and cyclones. However these bunds themselves are getting eroded as there is no plantation on them to hold the soil. The situation has reached such a sorry state as the government department which makes the bunds and the one which does the plantation are different and have separate priorities. To add to the woe of the villagers the village is located deep inside a reserved forest where no new construction is permitted. Thus any plans to resttle them in the vicinity can not be thought of or approved. One is required to cross a Crocodile infested river on a rickety boat just to reach the village. The villagers are thus sandwitched between the sea and the forest with no option left except to wait and watch everything they hold dear getting submerged beneath the advancing waves of a agressive sea.
While this drama is being played in a corner of the world the people have the power to do something and avert a catastrophe are busy playing their own power games. We do not know when this show will end, but the way things are going the story seems to be heading for a painful and tragic ending for por communities on the coasts of the world.
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