Richard Levin,president of Yale University, has written the following article in 2007. It gives us a comprehensive and relevant understanding of the grave danger humanity is facing today
Global Climate Change: Taking the Battle to the Campus
Richard Levin
YaleGlobal, 26 February 2007
NEW HAVEN: We are at last awakening to the reality of global climate change. The report this month by the worldwide team of scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that global warming is unequivocal and that most of the warming over the last half century is likely due to greenhouse gas emissions from human activity. No previous report of the respected panel, which was formed in 1988, has been so conclusive. There is less certitude about what to do and who will take the initiative.
Governments and corporations are obvious candidates for leadership in confronting the threat of global climate change. But there is also need to take the battle to university campuses, where the world's future leaders should join the fight by taking measures that communities at large will be asked to adopt.
Without dramatic action over the next half century, we face the threat of rising sea levels and massive economic disruption. Substantial costs cannot be avoided without a dramatic effort to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
Recently, 10 large corporations and four leading environmental groups announced support for US legislation to introduce a cap-and-trade system for carbon-dioxide emissions. The benefit of such as a system is that it produces a tangible limit on emissions – they are "capped" – while allowing the parties within a sector or industry whose emissions have an overall cap to buy and sell, or "trade," portions of that total emissions allowance.
Another way to curb emissions is for governments to impose a "carbon tax" on the companies or individuals that produce emissions. A tax will produce an uncertain amount of environmental benefit, but may be more practical for reaching millions of households than a cap-and-trade scheme, which has been effective in regulating the sulfur-dioxide emissions of large entities such as public utilities.
The call for legislation is welcome news, but not enough. Our governments have failed to take effective action so far. The US is most deficient, but even among the governments that signed the Kyoto Agreement, most have not taken sufficient steps to ensure that national targets will be met by 2012.
We cannot wait for our governments to act, though they must act if the problem is ultimately to be solved. Large organizations all over the world with the power to act independently should take matters into their own hands and begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now. We need to demonstrate that resisting global warming is feasible and not prohibitively expensive. By showing leadership in action, not just in words, we will make the necessary response by governments much more likely, in part because they will be more confident that significant laws and policies in response to climate change will be accepted by those they represent.
Several large global companies, including General Electric, have started down this path, and so has Yale, along with other universities. I have called upon my colleagues at some of America's best-known institutions to join Yale in committing to ambitious greenhouse gas reduction programs of their own. At this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, I met with the leaders of 23 global universities and urged them to join this effort.
Universities are a natural place to demonstrate that global warming can be resisted and its adverse long-term consequences avoided. It is, after all, our scientists who identified the causes and effects of climate change and who research ways to address it. And it is our students who, in the coming decades, will have the responsibility for ensuring that the opportunities for the health and prosperity of future generations will be no less abundant than they have been for the generations that preceded them.
Here's why universities must act today. Collectively and decisively, we can set a powerful example for the next generation of leaders who will increasingly interact with one another on global issues. We can demonstrate that it is possible to reduce emissions dramatically, even while accommodating the continuing growth and development of our campuses. If we succeed, so can others.
At Yale, we committed in 2005 to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below the 1990 level by the year 2020. This represents a 43 percent reduction from our 2004 level, even while our plans call for 15 percent growth in our physical plant.
We intend to reach this ambitious goal by a combination of strategies, including:
1. Conservation within existing buildings
2. Sustainable construction of new buildings
3. More efficient production and distribution of energy on campus (Yale produces its own steam, chilled water and two-thirds of its electricity by co-generation)
4. Use of energy from renewable sources on campus
5. Direct participation in off-campus production of renewable energy
We have already reduced campus greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent in one year. Among other measures, we have installed more efficient controls and sensors to regulate heat, air conditioning and lighting; we have begun to modify our power plant and distribution systems for greater efficiency; and we run our campus bus fleet on a blend of ultra low-sulfur diesel and carbon-free biodiesel fuels. A simple step we have taken is keeping our buildings a couple of degrees cooler in winter and warmer in summer than in the past.
Students have supported our commitment on many fronts. As community members, students reduced energy use in our residential colleges by 10 percent in 2006; as researchers, they contribute to the dialogue on climate science; as activists, they continue to raise the question as to how our universities ought to assist in shaping a vision for the future.
The good news is that many of the investments required to reduce carbon emissions actually save money in the long run. The astonishing news is that we estimate that we can reach our 2020 goal – a 43 percent reduction in emissions from current level – at a cost that is below 1/2 of 1 percent of our annual operating expenses. Any organization can afford this level of sacrifice to ensure the future of the planet.
Yale's strategy depends on conservation, renewable energy and participation in carbon-offset projects in roughly equal measure. All three approaches can be part of any organization's strategy. It is important, however, that carbon offsets produce real environmental benefit. Carbon markets in the US, in the absence of governmentally imposed caps, are immature. Carbon offsets, sometimes called "renewable energy certificates," can currently be purchased at prices well below the cost of creating incremental supplies of renewable energy. As long as this persists, purchasing offsets in the market will have no environmental benefit. Thus, at Yale, we only count offsets created by direct investment in new sources of supply.
For institutions in developing countries, where growth needs to be more rapid, a reduction to 10 percent below 1990 levels is too much to expect. But a 10 percent reduction below today's levels, or even a no-growth-in-emissions policy, would be a reasonable and constructive aspiration. On a global level, it would be unreasonable and unjust to maintain the wide disparity in nations' per-capita emissions well into the future, but a worldwide collective effort in greenhouse gas reductions must still be the goal.
Universities are the natural leaders of such an effort, but other non-profit organizations, municipal governments and for-profit businesses should heed the call as well. Our future depends on it.
Richard Levin is president of Yale University.
Rights: © 2007 Yale Center for the Study of Globalization
Monday, May 12, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Antarctic warming slows down
Climate models off on Antarctic warming - LiveScience- msnbc.com
Climate models off on Antarctic warming
Change is less than predicted; concern remains about 'ice sheet edge'
updated 4:27 p.m. ET, Fri., May. 9, 2008
Antarctica hasn’t warmed as much over the last century as climate models had originally predicted, a new study finds.
Climate change's effects on Antarctica are of particular interest because of the substantial amount of water locked up in its ice sheets. Should that water begin to melt, sea levels around the globe could rise and inundate low-lying coastal areas.
The new study, detailed in the April 5 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, marks the first time that researchers have been able to give a progress report on Antarctic climate model projections by comparing climate records to model simulations (these comparisons have been done for the other six continents). Information about Antarctica's harsh weather patterns has traditionally been limited, but temperature records from ice cores and ground weather stations have recently been constructed, giving scientists the missing information they needed.
"This is a really important exercise for these climate models," said study leader Andrew Monaghan of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Co.
Temperature gap
Monaghan and his team found that while climate models projected temperature increases of 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.75 degrees Celsius) over the past century, temperatures were observed to have risen by only 0.4 F (0.2 C).
"This is showing us that, over the past century, most of Antarctica has not undergone the fairly dramatic warming that has affected the rest of the globe," Monaghan said.
The gap between prediction and reality seemed to be caused by the models overestimating the amount of water vapor in the Antarctic atmosphere. The cold air over the southernmost continent handles moisture differently than the atmosphere over warmer regions.
The models did, however, correctly capture the increases in snowfall over Antarctica in the late 20th century, followed by a decrease in the last decade.
One reason that Antarctica hasn't warmed as much as other parts of the globe is the existence of the ozone hole overhead: It alters wind patterns, creating a swirling belt of winds around the landmass that keeps comparatively warm air from seeping in, preserving the continent's frigid temperatures.
One important exception to this rule is the Antarctic Peninsula, which has warmed by several degrees, in part because winds there draw in warmer air from the north.
Mixed verdict
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated that sea levels could rise by 7 to 23 inches (18 to 59 centimeters) globally this century, in part due to ice melt at the poles and from mountain glaciers.
The new study, funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, suggests that warming in Antarctica could offset this amount by about 2 inches (5 centimeters) if the continent warms by 5.4 F (3 C), as warmer air would hold more moisture and generate more snowfall, which contributes to the growth of the ice sheets, locking up any additional water in the these large masses of ice. That would mean a rise of only 5 to 21 inches (13 to 54 centimeters).
But these projections are by no means certain — if melt from Antarctic ice sheets outweighed the snowfall that contributes to their growth, sea level rise could be higher.
"The research clearly shows that you can actually slow down sea-level rise when you increase temperatures over Antarctica because snowfall increases, but warmer temperatures also have the potential to speed up sea-level rise due to enhanced melting along the edges of Antarctica," Monaghan said. "Over the next century, whether the ice sheet grows from increased snowfall or shrinks due to more melt will depend on how much temperatures increase in Antarctica, and potentially on erosion at the ice sheet edge by the warmer ocean and rising sea level."
The findings of the study don't call into question model projections for other parts of the globe, Monaghan said. "The models are really doing quite a good job at simulating the 20th century changes over the six inhabited continents," he told LiveScience.
© 2008 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.
Climate models off on Antarctic warming
Change is less than predicted; concern remains about 'ice sheet edge'
updated 4:27 p.m. ET, Fri., May. 9, 2008
Antarctica hasn’t warmed as much over the last century as climate models had originally predicted, a new study finds.
Climate change's effects on Antarctica are of particular interest because of the substantial amount of water locked up in its ice sheets. Should that water begin to melt, sea levels around the globe could rise and inundate low-lying coastal areas.
The new study, detailed in the April 5 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, marks the first time that researchers have been able to give a progress report on Antarctic climate model projections by comparing climate records to model simulations (these comparisons have been done for the other six continents). Information about Antarctica's harsh weather patterns has traditionally been limited, but temperature records from ice cores and ground weather stations have recently been constructed, giving scientists the missing information they needed.
"This is a really important exercise for these climate models," said study leader Andrew Monaghan of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Co.
Temperature gap
Monaghan and his team found that while climate models projected temperature increases of 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.75 degrees Celsius) over the past century, temperatures were observed to have risen by only 0.4 F (0.2 C).
"This is showing us that, over the past century, most of Antarctica has not undergone the fairly dramatic warming that has affected the rest of the globe," Monaghan said.
The gap between prediction and reality seemed to be caused by the models overestimating the amount of water vapor in the Antarctic atmosphere. The cold air over the southernmost continent handles moisture differently than the atmosphere over warmer regions.
The models did, however, correctly capture the increases in snowfall over Antarctica in the late 20th century, followed by a decrease in the last decade.
One reason that Antarctica hasn't warmed as much as other parts of the globe is the existence of the ozone hole overhead: It alters wind patterns, creating a swirling belt of winds around the landmass that keeps comparatively warm air from seeping in, preserving the continent's frigid temperatures.
One important exception to this rule is the Antarctic Peninsula, which has warmed by several degrees, in part because winds there draw in warmer air from the north.
Mixed verdict
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated that sea levels could rise by 7 to 23 inches (18 to 59 centimeters) globally this century, in part due to ice melt at the poles and from mountain glaciers.
The new study, funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, suggests that warming in Antarctica could offset this amount by about 2 inches (5 centimeters) if the continent warms by 5.4 F (3 C), as warmer air would hold more moisture and generate more snowfall, which contributes to the growth of the ice sheets, locking up any additional water in the these large masses of ice. That would mean a rise of only 5 to 21 inches (13 to 54 centimeters).
But these projections are by no means certain — if melt from Antarctic ice sheets outweighed the snowfall that contributes to their growth, sea level rise could be higher.
"The research clearly shows that you can actually slow down sea-level rise when you increase temperatures over Antarctica because snowfall increases, but warmer temperatures also have the potential to speed up sea-level rise due to enhanced melting along the edges of Antarctica," Monaghan said. "Over the next century, whether the ice sheet grows from increased snowfall or shrinks due to more melt will depend on how much temperatures increase in Antarctica, and potentially on erosion at the ice sheet edge by the warmer ocean and rising sea level."
The findings of the study don't call into question model projections for other parts of the globe, Monaghan said. "The models are really doing quite a good job at simulating the 20th century changes over the six inhabited continents," he told LiveScience.
© 2008 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.
Environment protection: Chinese leader seeks Japanese help
Chinese leader seeks Japanese help on environment - Yahoo! News
Chinese leader seeks Japanese help on environment
Fri May 9, 10:43 AM ET
KAWASAKI, Japan (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday voiced hope that Japan would share environmental technology with his country as he toured a state-of-the-art recycling factory.
Hu, on a rare visit to Japan to mend ties between Asia's two largest economies, visited the Kawasaki PET Bottle Recycling Factory near Tokyo which processes used bottles and electronics devices.
"We want to introduce Japan's advanced technology on the environment to China," Hu said, adding that his administration will focus on green businesses.
China's pollution has been rapidly growing as its economy soars, posing particular concern for neighbours such as Japan and South Korea.
Hu and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda had agreed Wednesday to work together to fight global warming in a summit that focused mostly on general themes of reconciliation.
The two countries have long had tense relations, in part due to the legacy of Japanese aggression in China before World War II.
Hu wound up his time in Tokyo on Friday by meeting with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, who in an unusual step went to his hotel to bid farewell to Hu and his wife, Liu Yongqing.
Hu later visited a Chinese school in Yokohama, Japan's second most populous city which has a large Chinese community. He was welcomed with a traditional lion dance and Chinese songs.
Hu also met with a group of Japanese lawmakers supporting the Beijing Olympics, which has become a lightning rod for global criticism over China's rights record and treatment of restive Tibet.
"The Beijing Olympics are not only for the Chinese people but also for people in Asia, including Japan, and around the world," Hu told lower house Speaker Yohei Kono, who heads the group.
Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang, one of his country's main hopes for Olympic gold, saluted Hu as he prepared for Saturday's Grand Prix in the western metropolis of Osaka.
"His visit to Japan helped deepen friendship between China and Japan," Liu said.
Hu later headed to Osaka for talks with business leaders. He was due to visit historic temples in the western town of Nara on Saturday before flying home.
Chinese leader seeks Japanese help on environment
Fri May 9, 10:43 AM ET
KAWASAKI, Japan (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday voiced hope that Japan would share environmental technology with his country as he toured a state-of-the-art recycling factory.
Hu, on a rare visit to Japan to mend ties between Asia's two largest economies, visited the Kawasaki PET Bottle Recycling Factory near Tokyo which processes used bottles and electronics devices.
"We want to introduce Japan's advanced technology on the environment to China," Hu said, adding that his administration will focus on green businesses.
China's pollution has been rapidly growing as its economy soars, posing particular concern for neighbours such as Japan and South Korea.
Hu and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda had agreed Wednesday to work together to fight global warming in a summit that focused mostly on general themes of reconciliation.
The two countries have long had tense relations, in part due to the legacy of Japanese aggression in China before World War II.
Hu wound up his time in Tokyo on Friday by meeting with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, who in an unusual step went to his hotel to bid farewell to Hu and his wife, Liu Yongqing.
Hu later visited a Chinese school in Yokohama, Japan's second most populous city which has a large Chinese community. He was welcomed with a traditional lion dance and Chinese songs.
Hu also met with a group of Japanese lawmakers supporting the Beijing Olympics, which has become a lightning rod for global criticism over China's rights record and treatment of restive Tibet.
"The Beijing Olympics are not only for the Chinese people but also for people in Asia, including Japan, and around the world," Hu told lower house Speaker Yohei Kono, who heads the group.
Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang, one of his country's main hopes for Olympic gold, saluted Hu as he prepared for Saturday's Grand Prix in the western metropolis of Osaka.
"His visit to Japan helped deepen friendship between China and Japan," Liu said.
Hu later headed to Osaka for talks with business leaders. He was due to visit historic temples in the western town of Nara on Saturday before flying home.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Ethanol Fuel -- Ecofriendly?
Kick the oil habit and make your own ethanol - Yahoo! News
Kick the oil habit and make your own ethanol
By Timothy Gardner Thu May 8, 6:00 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new company hopes drivers will kick the oil habit by brewing ethanol at home that won't spike food prices.
E-Fuel Corp unveiled on Thursday the "MicroFueler" touting it as the world's first machine that allows homeowners to make their own ethanol and pump the brew directly into their cars.
The portable unit that sells for $10,000 resembles a gasoline station pump and nozzle -- minus the slot for a credit card, or the digital "SALE" numbers that whir ever faster at retail pumps as global demand pushes fuel prices to record levels.
Instead of tapping gasoline from an underground tank, the pump's back end plugs into home power and water supplies to make ethanol for as little as $1 a gallon (3.8 liters), according to E-Fuel.
The company says one of the machine's top selling points is its sweet tooth. It ferments fuel from sugar, the price of which is historically cheap as global supplies are glutted.
That means it avoids the Achilles heel of today's U.S. ethanol system -- reliance on corn -- which has been blamed for helping to spike global food prices.
"There's no mother in America crying that their kids aren't getting enough sugar," Tom Quinn, CEO and founder of E-Fuel said in an interview.
Regular table sugar alone is too expensive, so E-Fuels says it will link customers to cheaper surplus supplies, including inedible sugar from Mexico that sells at a fraction of the price. It also hopes to get users to help pay for feedstock by selling carbon credits for using the machine, since making ethanol from sugar emits fewer greenhouse gases than making it from corn.
"We will break the traditional ethanol system," said Quinn a California computer and computer games inventor, who has bankrolled the company with what he calls "millions, but not multimillion" of dollars.
He said despite the steep upfront costs, the machines will pay for themselves quickly. For a two-car family that drives about 34,500 miles a year, the MicroFueler will pay for itself in less than two years, assuming average gasoline prices of $3.60 per gallon, the company said. The unit makes up to 35 gallons (132 liters) of 100 percent ethanol per week.
Others are not so sure that the MicroFueler is a good investment.
"I doubt it will work," said David Pimental, a professor at Cornell University who has studied the economics of ethanol for decades. He said the history of the fuel has been one of moving to greater and greater scales to increase the efficiencies of making the fuel.
E-Fuel says the machine is efficient in a way that big ethanol plants aren't because it removes water from the fuel with special fine filters that reduce the fuel costs of distilling the water out.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner, editing by Marguerita Choy)
Kick the oil habit and make your own ethanol
By Timothy Gardner Thu May 8, 6:00 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new company hopes drivers will kick the oil habit by brewing ethanol at home that won't spike food prices.
E-Fuel Corp unveiled on Thursday the "MicroFueler" touting it as the world's first machine that allows homeowners to make their own ethanol and pump the brew directly into their cars.
The portable unit that sells for $10,000 resembles a gasoline station pump and nozzle -- minus the slot for a credit card, or the digital "SALE" numbers that whir ever faster at retail pumps as global demand pushes fuel prices to record levels.
Instead of tapping gasoline from an underground tank, the pump's back end plugs into home power and water supplies to make ethanol for as little as $1 a gallon (3.8 liters), according to E-Fuel.
The company says one of the machine's top selling points is its sweet tooth. It ferments fuel from sugar, the price of which is historically cheap as global supplies are glutted.
That means it avoids the Achilles heel of today's U.S. ethanol system -- reliance on corn -- which has been blamed for helping to spike global food prices.
"There's no mother in America crying that their kids aren't getting enough sugar," Tom Quinn, CEO and founder of E-Fuel said in an interview.
Regular table sugar alone is too expensive, so E-Fuels says it will link customers to cheaper surplus supplies, including inedible sugar from Mexico that sells at a fraction of the price. It also hopes to get users to help pay for feedstock by selling carbon credits for using the machine, since making ethanol from sugar emits fewer greenhouse gases than making it from corn.
"We will break the traditional ethanol system," said Quinn a California computer and computer games inventor, who has bankrolled the company with what he calls "millions, but not multimillion" of dollars.
He said despite the steep upfront costs, the machines will pay for themselves quickly. For a two-car family that drives about 34,500 miles a year, the MicroFueler will pay for itself in less than two years, assuming average gasoline prices of $3.60 per gallon, the company said. The unit makes up to 35 gallons (132 liters) of 100 percent ethanol per week.
Others are not so sure that the MicroFueler is a good investment.
"I doubt it will work," said David Pimental, a professor at Cornell University who has studied the economics of ethanol for decades. He said the history of the fuel has been one of moving to greater and greater scales to increase the efficiencies of making the fuel.
E-Fuel says the machine is efficient in a way that big ethanol plants aren't because it removes water from the fuel with special fine filters that reduce the fuel costs of distilling the water out.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner, editing by Marguerita Choy)
Bio fuels or food habits
Friday, May 09, 2008
Bio fuels, not Indian food habits escalate food prices
Mumbai: Minister of State for External affairs feel that diversion of food grain and encouraging it by diversion is the reason behind price hike. "Diversion of food grain for bio-fuels and encouraging it by subsidising such diversion is the primary reason if not the exclusive reason for rising food grain prices all over the world", said Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma.
He was speaking at the round table conference organised by FICCI on 'Foreign policy-Implications for Indian Business'. Perhaps for the first time in sharp response to US president George Bush's statement, "India and China are causing rise in the food prices", from the senior government functionary Sharma said, "issue of the bio-fuels must be addressed very carefully and it should be ensured that, it doesn't threatens the food security".
The food grains which are diverted for bio-fuels may not be the staple diet for rich and affluent countries but they are part of staple diet for millions and millions of people in many poor countries. And one must understand issue of food security is also linked with health security, he added.
Another important factor, which is causing rise in the food prices, all over the world is the rising oil prices, as today's agriculture is energy intensive and also dependent on fertilisers, which is also a petroleum product, he pointed out.
Later speaking with media persons on the future of Indo-US nuclear deal he virtually admitted that, nuclear deal is dead and buried by saying "I won't like to use such a harsh words and dialogue and consensus between two sovereign nations don't get affected by the change in the dispersion".
Even if there is a change of government in the United States after the elections, it won't disturb basic understanding between two countries on civil nuclear deal, he expressed confidence. Defending governments dilly-dally approach over the nuclear deal Sharma said, "we are living in an era of coalition politics and it is necessary to build larger consensus on such an important issue at home before, we sign a treaty with another country.
Source: Business Standard
Bio fuels, not Indian food habits escalate food prices
Mumbai: Minister of State for External affairs feel that diversion of food grain and encouraging it by diversion is the reason behind price hike. "Diversion of food grain for bio-fuels and encouraging it by subsidising such diversion is the primary reason if not the exclusive reason for rising food grain prices all over the world", said Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma.
He was speaking at the round table conference organised by FICCI on 'Foreign policy-Implications for Indian Business'. Perhaps for the first time in sharp response to US president George Bush's statement, "India and China are causing rise in the food prices", from the senior government functionary Sharma said, "issue of the bio-fuels must be addressed very carefully and it should be ensured that, it doesn't threatens the food security".
The food grains which are diverted for bio-fuels may not be the staple diet for rich and affluent countries but they are part of staple diet for millions and millions of people in many poor countries. And one must understand issue of food security is also linked with health security, he added.
Another important factor, which is causing rise in the food prices, all over the world is the rising oil prices, as today's agriculture is energy intensive and also dependent on fertilisers, which is also a petroleum product, he pointed out.
Later speaking with media persons on the future of Indo-US nuclear deal he virtually admitted that, nuclear deal is dead and buried by saying "I won't like to use such a harsh words and dialogue and consensus between two sovereign nations don't get affected by the change in the dispersion".
Even if there is a change of government in the United States after the elections, it won't disturb basic understanding between two countries on civil nuclear deal, he expressed confidence. Defending governments dilly-dally approach over the nuclear deal Sharma said, "we are living in an era of coalition politics and it is necessary to build larger consensus on such an important issue at home before, we sign a treaty with another country.
Source: Business Standard
Press Release : Climate Change
Press Release : Climate Change
Mayl 07, 2008
Press Release
Nargis not just a natural disaster, but a human-made disaster because of climate change
Deaths of over 20,000 people and reports of over 40,000 missing
is a sad reminder to the world that it has done little
to contain greenhouse gas emissions -- says CSE
* Climate change is urgent, real and happening. We know that large parts of the sub-continent will be worst impacted. We know that we are climate victims.
* But we do not connect the dots to recognise the fact that the tropical cyclone Nargis, which has led to such enormous devastation in Myanmar, is also because of changing climate. It is not just a natural disaster.
* The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has established that climate change will intensify cyclones.
* Is Nargis then the beginning of the change? If so, why is the rich industrialised world doing so little to contain its emissions? Why are we not recognising that these are victims of climate change? Why are we not beginning to penalise the polluters, so that emissions are reduced?
New Delhi, May 7, 2008: Tropical cyclone Nargis, which has killed over 20,000 people and reportedly left 40,000 missing in its wake, is not just a natural disaster, says Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “While we can never pinpoint one disaster as the result of climate change, there is enough scientific evidence that climate change will lead to intensification of tropical cyclones,” says Sunita Narain, director, CSE.
“Nargis is a sign of things to come. Last year, Bangladesh was devastated by the tropical cyclone Sidr. The victims of these cyclones are climate change victims and their plight should remind the rich world that it is doing too little to contain its greenhouse gas emissions,” Narain added.
What the IPCC says
The 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had clearly observed that cyclones will increase in their intensity as a result of global warming. According to the IPCC: “There is observational evidence of an increase of intense tropical cyclone activity in the North Atlantic since about 1970, correlated with increases of tropical sea surface temperatures”.
The IPCC also notes that “based on a range of models, it is likely that future tropical cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) will become more intense, with larger peak wind speeds and more heavy precipitation associated with ongoing increases of tropical sea surface temperatures”.
Big polluters responsible for these deaths and devastation
Says Mario D’Souza, CSE’s climate change researcher: “The voices of the victims of climate change must be heard. Like the tropical cyclone Sidr, which ripped through Bangladesh in 2007, the Nargis has also left thousands dead and homeless. This devastation happened because the rich failed to contain emissions necessary for their growth.”
Points out Narain: “This is the challenge of climate science. It is clear that while we will never be able to make absolute predictions or direct correlations between events that we see around us and the warming that is now inevitable, there is enough evidence to make connections. For instance, we know that rainfall in our world will become more variable – devastating for people dependent on rain-fed agriculture. And now we can see the intensification of tropical cyclones, another prediction of climate science.”
Climate change is related to economic growth and wealth creation. The bulk of greenhouse emissions are related to burning of fossil fuels, for the energy that drives the world. It is no wonder then that the rich industrialised world, responsible for the bulk of the emissions in the atmosphere, has found it difficult to cut its emissions. After all, “its lifestyle is not negotiable”, as a former American president has said.
In this growth path, ‘more’ is the mantra. While science tells us that drastic reductions are needed, no country is talking about limiting consumption.
But these emissions and lifestyles are now spelling doom for countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh – and the big polluters of the world, such as the US, cannot escape their responsibility and role in the ‘dance of death’ of tropical cyclones like Nargis. “The question that the world needs to answer now,” says Narain, “is how to make these countries pay for the victims of climate change.”
The only way it can be done is by making them reduce their emissions drastically – 30 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. There is no comparison between the emissions of countries like India or even China and rich big emitters of the world. There is a stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, built up over centuries in the process of creating nations’ wealth. “This is the natural debt of nations, and they must pay up,” says D’Souza.
The fact is that these countries are doing too little to cut their emissions. While the Kyoto Protocol agreed to meager emission reduction targets of 5 per cent by 2012, between 1990 and 2005, emissions have increased. In fact, emissions of countries like the US have increased by a whopping 20 per cent during that period. This is unacceptable.
It is time the voices of the victims of climate change are raised to demand tougher action from the rich world to reduce emissions. It is time that the victims are compensated and the climate polluters penalised.
For more details, please contact:
*
For more on this, please contact Mario D’Souza at mario@cseindia.org or Souparno Banerjee at souparno@cseindia.org
Mayl 07, 2008
Press Release
Nargis not just a natural disaster, but a human-made disaster because of climate change
Deaths of over 20,000 people and reports of over 40,000 missing
is a sad reminder to the world that it has done little
to contain greenhouse gas emissions -- says CSE
* Climate change is urgent, real and happening. We know that large parts of the sub-continent will be worst impacted. We know that we are climate victims.
* But we do not connect the dots to recognise the fact that the tropical cyclone Nargis, which has led to such enormous devastation in Myanmar, is also because of changing climate. It is not just a natural disaster.
* The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has established that climate change will intensify cyclones.
* Is Nargis then the beginning of the change? If so, why is the rich industrialised world doing so little to contain its emissions? Why are we not recognising that these are victims of climate change? Why are we not beginning to penalise the polluters, so that emissions are reduced?
New Delhi, May 7, 2008: Tropical cyclone Nargis, which has killed over 20,000 people and reportedly left 40,000 missing in its wake, is not just a natural disaster, says Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “While we can never pinpoint one disaster as the result of climate change, there is enough scientific evidence that climate change will lead to intensification of tropical cyclones,” says Sunita Narain, director, CSE.
“Nargis is a sign of things to come. Last year, Bangladesh was devastated by the tropical cyclone Sidr. The victims of these cyclones are climate change victims and their plight should remind the rich world that it is doing too little to contain its greenhouse gas emissions,” Narain added.
What the IPCC says
The 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had clearly observed that cyclones will increase in their intensity as a result of global warming. According to the IPCC: “There is observational evidence of an increase of intense tropical cyclone activity in the North Atlantic since about 1970, correlated with increases of tropical sea surface temperatures”.
The IPCC also notes that “based on a range of models, it is likely that future tropical cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) will become more intense, with larger peak wind speeds and more heavy precipitation associated with ongoing increases of tropical sea surface temperatures”.
Big polluters responsible for these deaths and devastation
Says Mario D’Souza, CSE’s climate change researcher: “The voices of the victims of climate change must be heard. Like the tropical cyclone Sidr, which ripped through Bangladesh in 2007, the Nargis has also left thousands dead and homeless. This devastation happened because the rich failed to contain emissions necessary for their growth.”
Points out Narain: “This is the challenge of climate science. It is clear that while we will never be able to make absolute predictions or direct correlations between events that we see around us and the warming that is now inevitable, there is enough evidence to make connections. For instance, we know that rainfall in our world will become more variable – devastating for people dependent on rain-fed agriculture. And now we can see the intensification of tropical cyclones, another prediction of climate science.”
Climate change is related to economic growth and wealth creation. The bulk of greenhouse emissions are related to burning of fossil fuels, for the energy that drives the world. It is no wonder then that the rich industrialised world, responsible for the bulk of the emissions in the atmosphere, has found it difficult to cut its emissions. After all, “its lifestyle is not negotiable”, as a former American president has said.
In this growth path, ‘more’ is the mantra. While science tells us that drastic reductions are needed, no country is talking about limiting consumption.
But these emissions and lifestyles are now spelling doom for countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh – and the big polluters of the world, such as the US, cannot escape their responsibility and role in the ‘dance of death’ of tropical cyclones like Nargis. “The question that the world needs to answer now,” says Narain, “is how to make these countries pay for the victims of climate change.”
The only way it can be done is by making them reduce their emissions drastically – 30 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. There is no comparison between the emissions of countries like India or even China and rich big emitters of the world. There is a stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, built up over centuries in the process of creating nations’ wealth. “This is the natural debt of nations, and they must pay up,” says D’Souza.
The fact is that these countries are doing too little to cut their emissions. While the Kyoto Protocol agreed to meager emission reduction targets of 5 per cent by 2012, between 1990 and 2005, emissions have increased. In fact, emissions of countries like the US have increased by a whopping 20 per cent during that period. This is unacceptable.
It is time the voices of the victims of climate change are raised to demand tougher action from the rich world to reduce emissions. It is time that the victims are compensated and the climate polluters penalised.
For more details, please contact:
*
For more on this, please contact Mario D’Souza at mario@cseindia.org or Souparno Banerjee at souparno@cseindia.org
India Together: Insufficient relief for Kerala's endosulfan victims - 11 February 2008
India Together: Insufficient relief for Kerala's endosulfan victims - 11 February 2008
Insufficient relief for Kerala's endosulfan victims
For seven-year-old Sandhya and her siblings, totally dependant on their mother who ekes out a living by making beedis, the state government's relief package, announced nearly 18 months ago, is simply not enough. Many more suffer the same fate. P N Venugopal reports.
11 February 2008 - Seven-year old Sandhya had the first glimpse of the world around her in the first week of 2008. Born blind due to the deadly fallout of the hazardous pesticide endosulfan, this innocent girl belonging to Swarga village of Kasargod district in Kerala had her vision restored after two surgeries and prolonged treatment. This was the initiative of the teachers of her school and under the auspices of the Endosulfan Victims Relief & Remediation Cell of the Kasargod District Panchayat. Sandhya's paternal uncle had died of the ill effects of endosulfan and her two siblings too are the victims of.
Sandhya is just one of the many in Kasargod district who are the living victims of the aerial spraying of endosulfan in the cashew plantations of Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) for over two decades, till 2001. Endosulfan is recognised as being unacceptably hazardous to human health and the environment. It has left a legacy of deformity and malfunctions in various communities world over. Its use is banned not only in many European countries, but even in India's neigbouring Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, it took hundreds of deaths, dedicated effort of environmental/public health activists and two decades to force the Kerala government to stop the use of endosulfan.
But it was only in August 2006 that the Kerala Government owned up its responsibility and disbursed Rs.50,000 each to the kin of 135 victims who had died. The Chief Minister V S Achutanandan also announced a relief package of Rs.50 lakhs to take care of the treatment of the affected and their rehabilitation. "We are now preparing a list of those who died after June 2006," says M V Balakrishnan Master, District Panchayat President, Kasargod. And there have been many deaths too. Eight-year old Jumaila, of Chengala died in July, Mani (65), a resident of Ukkinadukawho in September, Lakkanna Rai, 55, of Velloor Sabrakaje died in a Mangalore hospital in December, Sangamulya, 70, died in January this year.
Opinion about the relief is divided. Some feel that not enough is being done for the endosulfan-impaired living and the easier way of compensating the dead is being adopted. "By all means, list out all those who have died," says Dr Y S Mohankumar of Padre, who was one of the first to trace the deaths due to mysterious ailments in the district to the spraying of endosulfan. "But please don't wait till they die. Treat the living."
But that is exactly what we are doing counters, Balakrishnan Master. He reels out numbers. "Out of the Rs.50 lakhs allotted by the government we have earmarked Rs 37.5 lakhs for treatment. In a medical camp, 153 victims who had ailments of ear, nose and throat were treated. 162 were treated in another medical camp for the vision impaired. 103 victims who lost vision fully or partially have been treated. Certain serious patients have been treated in hospitals outside the state. Several surgeries have been done."
Master adds that in the case of victims who were immobile, doctors visited them at their residence and charted out their course of treatment. Rs.12.5 lakhs is kept aside for implements such as hearing aids and although not distributed as yet, it is reported that orders have been placed.
Money is the crunch. The district panchayat is working on a website to appeal to the global community for assistance.
• Kerala owns up responsibility
• The living dead: endosulfan victims
Sudheerkumar, the convener of the Anti-Endosulfan Committee more or less agrees with the contentions of the district panchayat president. "They have done quite a bit of work. Many of the victims do get treatment." But he points out that in such a massive tragedy treatment alone is not enough. Rehabilitation and nursing care has not been given equal priority. Many of the affected families have been deprived of their breadwinner either by death or by deserting. Paid home-nurses could help take care of such children while the mothers can go for work and eke out a living.
Sandhya and her siblings are totally dependant on their mother who ekes out a living by making beedis. Their father had left them after the three were born with physical disorders. Then there is four-year- old Anjana of Periya village, who was born with her urinary bladder outside her body. Her mother has to be with her all the time and also make a living. Is it not the duty of the state, which has owned up the responsibility, to provide assistance to the mother at least by providing nursing care, asks Sudheer Kumar. "In fact, the state should adopt such children."
Dr Mohan Kumar too points out the lack of schemes for rehabilitation. He cites the example of the two visually-challenged sons of Easwar of Padre village. No treatment or surgery can ever give them sight. The two kids should get necessary support for learning Braille, Mohankumar says. Providing means of livelihoods to those who can work has also not been taken up. The PCK should be asked to register all those who are suffering and facilities provided for organic farming in side the plantations argues Sudheer Kumar. But the residues of the dreaded chemical has to be removed beforehand and no such moves are in the offing.
Another disturbing factor is that only Rs.50 lakhs had been allocated in the last year's state budget for the relief measures. Several cases filed by individuals seeking compensation are currently pending in courts. One was disposed off last year, where the judiciary merely asked the government to hasten the disbursal of the allocated amount and did not go into the merits of the claim or the quantum of compensation.
The district panchayat had earmarked another Rs.10 lakhs from its funds. The money is almost over. And there are about 2000 victims registered till date. Balakrishnan as well as M Madhavan Nambiar, the coordinator of the relief cell was extremely cautious when they mentioned the preparation of a second list of those who have died. "We've not made any commitment that the relatives of those in the list will be provided with compensation," they say. Money is the crunch. The district panchayat is working on a website which will contain the details of the gruesome tragedy and will make appeals to the global community for assistance.
But do the victims have to depend on charity? Are not the perpetrators out in the open? "But so far we do not have concrete and scientific evidence that will stand in a court of law which will squarely implicate the PCK and the producers of endosulfan," says Balakrishnan Master. "We have to prove that they are the culprits." But Dr.Sreepadi Khajampadi another early activist, disagrees. "It's for the accused to prove that they are not guilty, " he says.
The activists seem to have more or less withdrawn from the scene and the local politicians appear to have taken over. There are allegations that politics is playing its own role in deciding whether one is a endosulfan victim or not. There are also cynical comments about attributing almost every other death to endosulfan. But those who allege this are unwilling to be quoted as even they think that if some one is going to be benefited - after all, they are all so poor - they shouldn't be deprived of the compensation. (The Quest Features & Footage, Kochi) ⊕
Insufficient relief for Kerala's endosulfan victims
For seven-year-old Sandhya and her siblings, totally dependant on their mother who ekes out a living by making beedis, the state government's relief package, announced nearly 18 months ago, is simply not enough. Many more suffer the same fate. P N Venugopal reports.
11 February 2008 - Seven-year old Sandhya had the first glimpse of the world around her in the first week of 2008. Born blind due to the deadly fallout of the hazardous pesticide endosulfan, this innocent girl belonging to Swarga village of Kasargod district in Kerala had her vision restored after two surgeries and prolonged treatment. This was the initiative of the teachers of her school and under the auspices of the Endosulfan Victims Relief & Remediation Cell of the Kasargod District Panchayat. Sandhya's paternal uncle had died of the ill effects of endosulfan and her two siblings too are the victims of.
Sandhya is just one of the many in Kasargod district who are the living victims of the aerial spraying of endosulfan in the cashew plantations of Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) for over two decades, till 2001. Endosulfan is recognised as being unacceptably hazardous to human health and the environment. It has left a legacy of deformity and malfunctions in various communities world over. Its use is banned not only in many European countries, but even in India's neigbouring Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, it took hundreds of deaths, dedicated effort of environmental/public health activists and two decades to force the Kerala government to stop the use of endosulfan.
But it was only in August 2006 that the Kerala Government owned up its responsibility and disbursed Rs.50,000 each to the kin of 135 victims who had died. The Chief Minister V S Achutanandan also announced a relief package of Rs.50 lakhs to take care of the treatment of the affected and their rehabilitation. "We are now preparing a list of those who died after June 2006," says M V Balakrishnan Master, District Panchayat President, Kasargod. And there have been many deaths too. Eight-year old Jumaila, of Chengala died in July, Mani (65), a resident of Ukkinadukawho in September, Lakkanna Rai, 55, of Velloor Sabrakaje died in a Mangalore hospital in December, Sangamulya, 70, died in January this year.
Opinion about the relief is divided. Some feel that not enough is being done for the endosulfan-impaired living and the easier way of compensating the dead is being adopted. "By all means, list out all those who have died," says Dr Y S Mohankumar of Padre, who was one of the first to trace the deaths due to mysterious ailments in the district to the spraying of endosulfan. "But please don't wait till they die. Treat the living."
But that is exactly what we are doing counters, Balakrishnan Master. He reels out numbers. "Out of the Rs.50 lakhs allotted by the government we have earmarked Rs 37.5 lakhs for treatment. In a medical camp, 153 victims who had ailments of ear, nose and throat were treated. 162 were treated in another medical camp for the vision impaired. 103 victims who lost vision fully or partially have been treated. Certain serious patients have been treated in hospitals outside the state. Several surgeries have been done."
Master adds that in the case of victims who were immobile, doctors visited them at their residence and charted out their course of treatment. Rs.12.5 lakhs is kept aside for implements such as hearing aids and although not distributed as yet, it is reported that orders have been placed.
Money is the crunch. The district panchayat is working on a website to appeal to the global community for assistance.
• Kerala owns up responsibility
• The living dead: endosulfan victims
Sudheerkumar, the convener of the Anti-Endosulfan Committee more or less agrees with the contentions of the district panchayat president. "They have done quite a bit of work. Many of the victims do get treatment." But he points out that in such a massive tragedy treatment alone is not enough. Rehabilitation and nursing care has not been given equal priority. Many of the affected families have been deprived of their breadwinner either by death or by deserting. Paid home-nurses could help take care of such children while the mothers can go for work and eke out a living.
Sandhya and her siblings are totally dependant on their mother who ekes out a living by making beedis. Their father had left them after the three were born with physical disorders. Then there is four-year- old Anjana of Periya village, who was born with her urinary bladder outside her body. Her mother has to be with her all the time and also make a living. Is it not the duty of the state, which has owned up the responsibility, to provide assistance to the mother at least by providing nursing care, asks Sudheer Kumar. "In fact, the state should adopt such children."
Dr Mohan Kumar too points out the lack of schemes for rehabilitation. He cites the example of the two visually-challenged sons of Easwar of Padre village. No treatment or surgery can ever give them sight. The two kids should get necessary support for learning Braille, Mohankumar says. Providing means of livelihoods to those who can work has also not been taken up. The PCK should be asked to register all those who are suffering and facilities provided for organic farming in side the plantations argues Sudheer Kumar. But the residues of the dreaded chemical has to be removed beforehand and no such moves are in the offing.
Another disturbing factor is that only Rs.50 lakhs had been allocated in the last year's state budget for the relief measures. Several cases filed by individuals seeking compensation are currently pending in courts. One was disposed off last year, where the judiciary merely asked the government to hasten the disbursal of the allocated amount and did not go into the merits of the claim or the quantum of compensation.
The district panchayat had earmarked another Rs.10 lakhs from its funds. The money is almost over. And there are about 2000 victims registered till date. Balakrishnan as well as M Madhavan Nambiar, the coordinator of the relief cell was extremely cautious when they mentioned the preparation of a second list of those who have died. "We've not made any commitment that the relatives of those in the list will be provided with compensation," they say. Money is the crunch. The district panchayat is working on a website which will contain the details of the gruesome tragedy and will make appeals to the global community for assistance.
But do the victims have to depend on charity? Are not the perpetrators out in the open? "But so far we do not have concrete and scientific evidence that will stand in a court of law which will squarely implicate the PCK and the producers of endosulfan," says Balakrishnan Master. "We have to prove that they are the culprits." But Dr.Sreepadi Khajampadi another early activist, disagrees. "It's for the accused to prove that they are not guilty, " he says.
The activists seem to have more or less withdrawn from the scene and the local politicians appear to have taken over. There are allegations that politics is playing its own role in deciding whether one is a endosulfan victim or not. There are also cynical comments about attributing almost every other death to endosulfan. But those who allege this are unwilling to be quoted as even they think that if some one is going to be benefited - after all, they are all so poor - they shouldn't be deprived of the compensation. (The Quest Features & Footage, Kochi) ⊕
India Together: Old conflict resurfaces at Athirappilly falls - 9 April 2008
India Together: Old conflict resurfaces at Athirappilly falls - 9 April 2008
ENVIRONMENT
Old conflict resurfaces at Athirappilly falls
Kerala's electricity board is preparing to build the seventh dam across the 144-kilometers-long Chalakudy river. The fate of the picturesque Athirappilly waterfalls hangs in the balance, with locals battling against the project. Sudhirendar Sharma has more.
9 April 2008 - The flow at the Athirappilly falls near Thrissur in Kerala has been curtailed to cap the tourist influx. Registering a complaint with the District Collector, the tourists and local people alleged that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had done this to add a new justification to the proposed seventh dam on the Chalakudy river.
That this has been done from the upstream Poringalkuthu reservoir came to the notice of activists on 25 March. The waterfalls depends on release from the Poringalkuthu reservoir upstream.
Reduced flow at the Athirappilly falls near Thrissur, from February this year. See second picture below for the falls view in full bloom during the monsoons. Pic: River Research Centre.
javascript:void(0)
Publish Post
The picturesque water falls is a couple of hours drive from the concrete jungle of Kochi. This is the last stretch of the river that flows freely before it merges into the Arabian Sea. Most of the upstream having been already dammed, a new dam will sound the death knell for the river.
Proposed dam will reduce Athirappilly falls to trickle
KSEB is preparing to move heavy earth machinery for building what will be the seventh dam across the Chalakudy, the 144 kilometers long river in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. However, local people are fighting a decisive battle to save the waterfalls. Had the courts not intervened in the past, Athirappilly would have long met the same fate as the Jog Falls in Karnataka.
Ammini, a mother of three, is leading the ongoing campaign against the proposed dam and contends that odds are stacked in their favour. Some million tourists are attracted to the site each year, sustaining livelihoods of several hundred families engaged in providing services. Her small kiosk has been the favourite of most visiting film crews but she is piqued at their non-indulgence as the picturesque site waits for its doom.
The proposed dam will cap about 86 per cent of all water flowing in the river, reducing the falls at Athirappilly to a trickle. But KSEB is unmoved. Not without reason has it revised the detailed project report (DPR) four times since 1989 during which it faced two court strictures, first of which suspended the environmental clearance given in 1998 while the second quashed similar clearance given in 2005. Environmental clearance is given by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi.
Two mandatory public hearing held following the High Court's directives had both rejected the project.
• Was the Bhakra dam worth it
• More accidents at dam sites
The Kerala High Court was convinced that the KSEB had violated the EIA Notification 1994 procedures regarding non-publication of the clearance letter at relevant places, non-holding of the Public Hearing based on a WAPCOS (Water & Power Consultancy Services) EIA and also not making the EIA report available to the public as has been mandatory.
It is alleged that manipulating data has remained KSEB's quest to secure fresh clearance every time it hits a judicial roadblock. The latest clearance obtained on 18 July 2007. Five members from the River Valley Committee of MoEF had visited the project site and held discussions with the people and also held a public consultation in April 2007. Ironically, the report did not have a word on 'environment'.
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that two mandatory public hearing held following the High Court's directives, had both rejected the project. The first was held as on 6 Feb 2002 at Thrissur Town Hall, which around 500 people attended. The second was held on 25 June 2006 at Chalakudy, the dam site. The venue was shifted from Thrissur to Chalakudy due to complaints by the petitioners. Around 1500 people took part.
View during the monsoons. Pic: River Research Centre.
Despite all this, there has been no let-up in the efforts by the board to get the project implemented. According to a report by the River Research Centre at Thrissur the proposed 163 MW hydroelectric project will be one of the least efficient, operating at a plant load factor of 16 per cent. And at a projected investment of Rs.700 crores, which is five times its original estimate, the power generated will be grossly expensive.
Dubious justifications
The project appears to be based on dubious justifications. Else, how could a project that will scuttle the downstream Thumpurmuzhi irrigation project which commands 40,000 acres in Trissur and Ernakulum districts be ignored? And how could its direct impact on the tourism revenue and local livelihoods get sidestepped?
There are threatened species too. Four species of rare hornbills, a rich diversity of 104 different fish and some 2.1 elephants traversing each kilometre in the valley do not seem to have impacted KSEB's single-minded pursuit.
Refer the number of families to be displaced and the discourse takes a different turn. Will it matter if 78 families of the Kadar tribe, the primitive hunter gatherers endemic to the river valley, get relocated to a new site? Relocation and rehabilitation is more of a norm than exception in the case of big projects and why should Athirappilly be any different?
Yet, these are the tools that have repeatedly been deployed to contest big projects. That the proposed project will dry the remaining stretch of the river and that it will be the most dammed river of its size should the proposed project get commissioned are consequences that one may has to live with. "But this is an avoidable blunder," argues S P Ravi of RRC, "mere seven percent reduction in the prevailing transmission losses from existing power projects can contribute as such as 1000 MW of additional power."
The reasons for dropping the project have multiplied ever since. Land use change caused by deforestation and submergence has been acknowledged by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as one of the critical factors in affecting climate change. With the Council on Climate Change convened by the Prime Minister seized on matter like these, no two thoughts should be spared on summarily rejecting the project at Athirappilly. ⊕
ENVIRONMENT
Old conflict resurfaces at Athirappilly falls
Kerala's electricity board is preparing to build the seventh dam across the 144-kilometers-long Chalakudy river. The fate of the picturesque Athirappilly waterfalls hangs in the balance, with locals battling against the project. Sudhirendar Sharma has more.
9 April 2008 - The flow at the Athirappilly falls near Thrissur in Kerala has been curtailed to cap the tourist influx. Registering a complaint with the District Collector, the tourists and local people alleged that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had done this to add a new justification to the proposed seventh dam on the Chalakudy river.
That this has been done from the upstream Poringalkuthu reservoir came to the notice of activists on 25 March. The waterfalls depends on release from the Poringalkuthu reservoir upstream.
Reduced flow at the Athirappilly falls near Thrissur, from February this year. See second picture below for the falls view in full bloom during the monsoons. Pic: River Research Centre.
javascript:void(0)
Publish Post
The picturesque water falls is a couple of hours drive from the concrete jungle of Kochi. This is the last stretch of the river that flows freely before it merges into the Arabian Sea. Most of the upstream having been already dammed, a new dam will sound the death knell for the river.
Proposed dam will reduce Athirappilly falls to trickle
KSEB is preparing to move heavy earth machinery for building what will be the seventh dam across the Chalakudy, the 144 kilometers long river in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. However, local people are fighting a decisive battle to save the waterfalls. Had the courts not intervened in the past, Athirappilly would have long met the same fate as the Jog Falls in Karnataka.
Ammini, a mother of three, is leading the ongoing campaign against the proposed dam and contends that odds are stacked in their favour. Some million tourists are attracted to the site each year, sustaining livelihoods of several hundred families engaged in providing services. Her small kiosk has been the favourite of most visiting film crews but she is piqued at their non-indulgence as the picturesque site waits for its doom.
The proposed dam will cap about 86 per cent of all water flowing in the river, reducing the falls at Athirappilly to a trickle. But KSEB is unmoved. Not without reason has it revised the detailed project report (DPR) four times since 1989 during which it faced two court strictures, first of which suspended the environmental clearance given in 1998 while the second quashed similar clearance given in 2005. Environmental clearance is given by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi.
Two mandatory public hearing held following the High Court's directives had both rejected the project.
• Was the Bhakra dam worth it
• More accidents at dam sites
The Kerala High Court was convinced that the KSEB had violated the EIA Notification 1994 procedures regarding non-publication of the clearance letter at relevant places, non-holding of the Public Hearing based on a WAPCOS (Water & Power Consultancy Services) EIA and also not making the EIA report available to the public as has been mandatory.
It is alleged that manipulating data has remained KSEB's quest to secure fresh clearance every time it hits a judicial roadblock. The latest clearance obtained on 18 July 2007. Five members from the River Valley Committee of MoEF had visited the project site and held discussions with the people and also held a public consultation in April 2007. Ironically, the report did not have a word on 'environment'.
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that two mandatory public hearing held following the High Court's directives, had both rejected the project. The first was held as on 6 Feb 2002 at Thrissur Town Hall, which around 500 people attended. The second was held on 25 June 2006 at Chalakudy, the dam site. The venue was shifted from Thrissur to Chalakudy due to complaints by the petitioners. Around 1500 people took part.
View during the monsoons. Pic: River Research Centre.
Despite all this, there has been no let-up in the efforts by the board to get the project implemented. According to a report by the River Research Centre at Thrissur the proposed 163 MW hydroelectric project will be one of the least efficient, operating at a plant load factor of 16 per cent. And at a projected investment of Rs.700 crores, which is five times its original estimate, the power generated will be grossly expensive.
Dubious justifications
The project appears to be based on dubious justifications. Else, how could a project that will scuttle the downstream Thumpurmuzhi irrigation project which commands 40,000 acres in Trissur and Ernakulum districts be ignored? And how could its direct impact on the tourism revenue and local livelihoods get sidestepped?
There are threatened species too. Four species of rare hornbills, a rich diversity of 104 different fish and some 2.1 elephants traversing each kilometre in the valley do not seem to have impacted KSEB's single-minded pursuit.
Refer the number of families to be displaced and the discourse takes a different turn. Will it matter if 78 families of the Kadar tribe, the primitive hunter gatherers endemic to the river valley, get relocated to a new site? Relocation and rehabilitation is more of a norm than exception in the case of big projects and why should Athirappilly be any different?
Yet, these are the tools that have repeatedly been deployed to contest big projects. That the proposed project will dry the remaining stretch of the river and that it will be the most dammed river of its size should the proposed project get commissioned are consequences that one may has to live with. "But this is an avoidable blunder," argues S P Ravi of RRC, "mere seven percent reduction in the prevailing transmission losses from existing power projects can contribute as such as 1000 MW of additional power."
The reasons for dropping the project have multiplied ever since. Land use change caused by deforestation and submergence has been acknowledged by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as one of the critical factors in affecting climate change. With the Council on Climate Change convened by the Prime Minister seized on matter like these, no two thoughts should be spared on summarily rejecting the project at Athirappilly. ⊕
ENN: Can Green Trade Tariffs Combat Climate Change?
ENN: Can Green Trade Tariffs Combat Climate Change? From: , Global Policy Innovations Program, More from this Affiliate
Published May 3, 2008 09:21 AM
Can Green Trade Tariffs Combat Climate Change?
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* Italy Swings Its Support Back to Kyoto and Beyond
* W.House voices concerns on future climate talks
/energy/article/35758
In recent months, China has taken center stage in the international debate over global warming. It has surpassed the United States as the world's largest source of greenhouse gases, and it became developing nations' diplomatic champion at the recent United Nations climate negotiations in Bali. Now China may become the target of a full-fledged trade war that could destroy—or perhaps rescue—the chances of bringing rich and poor nations together to fight global warming.
The focus on China intensified late last year, when new data from the International Energy Agency and other research organizations revealed that China had overtaken the United States as the largest source of greenhouse gases—and, more ominously, that its emissions are growing at a rate that exceeds all wealthy nations' capacity to decrease theirs. Even if China met its own targets for energy conservation, its emissions would increase by about 2.3 billion metric tons over the next five years—far larger than the 1.7 billion tons in cutbacks imposed by the Kyoto Protocol on the 37 developed "Annex 1" countries, including the United States.
After the inconclusive end of the UN led Bali talks on the global environment, worry has grown among U.S. and European industries—especially iron, steel, cement, glass, chemicals, and pulp and paper—that any new climate treaty would put them at a big disadvantage against their fast-growing competitors in China. In response, the U.S. Congress is moving to create a system of trade sanctions that would levy heavy taxes on imports from other major greenhouse gas emitters. Ironically, the American plan is taking shape even before the United States takes any action to reduce its own emissions, inviting charges of hypocrisy, violation of international law, and threatening a major trade war.
The tariff proposal—contained in the central piece of global warming legislation now before Congress—would impose emission controls on domestic industries starting in 2012. It would also levy punitive tariffs on greenhouse-gas-intensive products imported from countries that lack "comparable action" to that of the United States, starting in 2020. Industrial lobbies and labor unions are pushing hard for these sanctions to take effect more quickly.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and industrial chambers of commerce strongly advocate a similar tariff system, leading many analysts to predict that the EU will also adopt some sort of green tariff system in the next few years.
Warning of an "all-out trade war" if the sanctions go forward, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab argues that green trade sanctions would violate World Trade Organization rules. In a recent letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, she wrote, "We believe this approach could be a blunt and imprecise instrument of fear, rather than one of persuasion, that will take us down a dangerous path and adversely impact U.S. manufacturers, farmers, and consumers."
Developing nations' allies, meanwhile, are warning that the sanctions plan could destroy the chances of a post-Kyoto treaty. Chinese diplomats have not responded directly, but they have noticeably hardened their stand on climate talks. In February, China's top climate negotiator, Yu Qingtai, said at the UN that rich nations, which "caused the problem of climate change in the first place," must be treated as "culprits," and developing countries as "victims."
Despite China's official hard line, some Chinese environmental officials privately express alarm at run-away carbon emissions, and suggest that foreign green tariffs would actually strengthen their hand in domestic policy struggles over controlling greenhouse gases by helping to win political support for emissions cuts. Pan Yue, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, recently argued in a China Daily article in favor of stronger emissions regulations and a more "green-oriented China," warning that "China's image among the international community" was in jeopardy.
The growing dispute over trade sanctions brings to the fore not only the fundamental ethical question of whether wealthy nations should bear the burden of emissions reduction alone, but also the strategic question of whether sticks as well as carrots should be used to induce green behavior in developing countries.
Although China may not like it, the international trading system may provide more leverage than any other post-Kyoto mechanism over developing countries' environmental policies. Despite the threat of trade wars, trade sanctions could emerge as the most effective means of forcing international action on global warming.
Published May 3, 2008 09:21 AM
Can Green Trade Tariffs Combat Climate Change?
RELATED ARTICLES
* U.S. and EU propose trade plan to counter climate change
* China to Watch Others on Climate Change Action
* Italy Swings Its Support Back to Kyoto and Beyond
* W.House voices concerns on future climate talks
/energy/article/35758
In recent months, China has taken center stage in the international debate over global warming. It has surpassed the United States as the world's largest source of greenhouse gases, and it became developing nations' diplomatic champion at the recent United Nations climate negotiations in Bali. Now China may become the target of a full-fledged trade war that could destroy—or perhaps rescue—the chances of bringing rich and poor nations together to fight global warming.
The focus on China intensified late last year, when new data from the International Energy Agency and other research organizations revealed that China had overtaken the United States as the largest source of greenhouse gases—and, more ominously, that its emissions are growing at a rate that exceeds all wealthy nations' capacity to decrease theirs. Even if China met its own targets for energy conservation, its emissions would increase by about 2.3 billion metric tons over the next five years—far larger than the 1.7 billion tons in cutbacks imposed by the Kyoto Protocol on the 37 developed "Annex 1" countries, including the United States.
After the inconclusive end of the UN led Bali talks on the global environment, worry has grown among U.S. and European industries—especially iron, steel, cement, glass, chemicals, and pulp and paper—that any new climate treaty would put them at a big disadvantage against their fast-growing competitors in China. In response, the U.S. Congress is moving to create a system of trade sanctions that would levy heavy taxes on imports from other major greenhouse gas emitters. Ironically, the American plan is taking shape even before the United States takes any action to reduce its own emissions, inviting charges of hypocrisy, violation of international law, and threatening a major trade war.
The tariff proposal—contained in the central piece of global warming legislation now before Congress—would impose emission controls on domestic industries starting in 2012. It would also levy punitive tariffs on greenhouse-gas-intensive products imported from countries that lack "comparable action" to that of the United States, starting in 2020. Industrial lobbies and labor unions are pushing hard for these sanctions to take effect more quickly.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and industrial chambers of commerce strongly advocate a similar tariff system, leading many analysts to predict that the EU will also adopt some sort of green tariff system in the next few years.
Warning of an "all-out trade war" if the sanctions go forward, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab argues that green trade sanctions would violate World Trade Organization rules. In a recent letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, she wrote, "We believe this approach could be a blunt and imprecise instrument of fear, rather than one of persuasion, that will take us down a dangerous path and adversely impact U.S. manufacturers, farmers, and consumers."
Developing nations' allies, meanwhile, are warning that the sanctions plan could destroy the chances of a post-Kyoto treaty. Chinese diplomats have not responded directly, but they have noticeably hardened their stand on climate talks. In February, China's top climate negotiator, Yu Qingtai, said at the UN that rich nations, which "caused the problem of climate change in the first place," must be treated as "culprits," and developing countries as "victims."
Despite China's official hard line, some Chinese environmental officials privately express alarm at run-away carbon emissions, and suggest that foreign green tariffs would actually strengthen their hand in domestic policy struggles over controlling greenhouse gases by helping to win political support for emissions cuts. Pan Yue, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, recently argued in a China Daily article in favor of stronger emissions regulations and a more "green-oriented China," warning that "China's image among the international community" was in jeopardy.
The growing dispute over trade sanctions brings to the fore not only the fundamental ethical question of whether wealthy nations should bear the burden of emissions reduction alone, but also the strategic question of whether sticks as well as carrots should be used to induce green behavior in developing countries.
Although China may not like it, the international trading system may provide more leverage than any other post-Kyoto mechanism over developing countries' environmental policies. Despite the threat of trade wars, trade sanctions could emerge as the most effective means of forcing international action on global warming.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Times of India - Indian Newspapers in English Language from six editions.
The Times of India - Indian Newspapers in English Language from six editions.
Is the CJI a public servant?
22 Apr 2008, 0300 hrs IST
,Dhananjay Mahapatra,TNN
NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan's contention that the CJI was not a public servant but a constitutional authority flies in the face of a 1991 ruling by a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court which held that all judges of the apex court and high courts were "public servants".
Justice Balakrishnan recently said, "The Chief Justice is not a public servant. He is a constitutional authority. RTI does not cover constitutional authorities." This assertion appears contrary to the ruling of the five-judge Bench, which by a 4:1 majority, held that "a judge of the high court or the Supreme Court is a 'public servant' within the meaning of Section 2 of the Prevention of Corruption Act".
The RTI Act had not been conceived at that time and the SC could not debate whether a person categorised as public servant under PC Act would retain his classification under the RTI Act.
In the judgment given on July 25, 1991, the apex court had rejected the plea of a former HC chief justice, K Veeraswamy, seeking quashing of criminal proceedings initiated against him by the CBI for accumulating disproportionate assets during his tenure as CJ.
Justices K J Shetty, B C Ray, L M Sharma and M N Venkatachalliah unanimously came to the conclusion that all judges of the superior courts were "public servants".
Justice J S Verma dissented. "A judge or chief justice of a high court is a constitutional functionary, even though he holds a public office and in that sense, he may be included in the wide definition of a public servant."
He said that as there was no authority nominated in the PC Act to sanction prosecution of SC and HC judges, they could not be classified as public servants under the anti-corruption law.
The majority did not agree with Justice Verma. They said for sanctioning prosecution of a judge of the Supreme Court or high court in a corruption case, the President would be the competent authority, though no criminal case would be registered without first consulting the chief justice of the court where the judge was working.
"If the Chief Justice of India himself is the person against whom allegations of criminal misconduct are received, the government shall consult any other judge or judges of the Supreme Court," the majority verdict said.
dhananjay.mahapatra@timesgroup.com
22 Apr 2008, 0300 hrs IST
,Dhananjay Mahapatra,TNN
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NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan's contention that the CJI was not a public servant but a constitutional authority flies in the face of a 1991 ruling by a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court which held that all judges of the apex court and high courts were "public servants".
Justice Balakrishnan recently said, "The Chief Justice is not a public servant. He is a constitutional authority. RTI does not cover constitutional authorities." This assertion appears contrary to the ruling of the five-judge Bench, which by a 4:1 majority, held that "a judge of the high court or the Supreme Court is a 'public servant' within the meaning of Section 2 of the Prevention of Corruption Act".
The RTI Act had not been conceived at that time and the SC could not debate whether a person categorised as public servant under PC Act would retain his classification under the RTI Act.
In the judgment given on July 25, 1991, the apex court had rejected the plea of a former HC chief justice, K Veeraswamy, seeking quashing of criminal proceedings initiated against him by the CBI for accumulating disproportionate assets during his tenure as CJ.
Justices K J Shetty, B C Ray, L M Sharma and M N Venkatachalliah unanimously came to the conclusion that all judges of the superior courts were "public servants".
Justice J S Verma dissented. "A judge or chief justice of a high court is a constitutional functionary, even though he holds a public office and in that sense, he may be included in the wide definition of a public servant."
He said that as there was no authority nominated in the PC Act to sanction prosecution of SC and HC judges, they could not be classified as public servants under the anti-corruption law.
The majority did not agree with Justice Verma. They said for sanctioning prosecution of a judge of the Supreme Court or high court in a corruption case, the President would be the competent authority, though no criminal case would be registered without first consulting the chief justice of the court where the judge was working.
"If the Chief Justice of India himself is the person against whom allegations of criminal misconduct are received, the government shall consult any other judge or judges of the Supreme Court," the majority verdict said.
dhananjay.mahapatra@timesgroup.com
Sunday, April 13, 2008
History of Latin
History of Latin
753 BC — Traditional date of the founding of the city of Rome by Romulus, a fictional character who killed his twin brother Remus, populated his city with escaped convicts, and found wives for his subjects by kidnapping Sabine women who had come for a visit. At this stage, Latin is the language spoken by several thousand people in and near Rome. 6th century BC — Earliest known Latin inscription, on a pin, which says "Manios me fhefhaked Numasioi", meaning "Manius made me for Numerius". Only a few other inscriptions predate the 3rd century BC. 250-100 BC — Early Latin. The first Latin literature, usually loose translations of Greek works or imitations of Greek genres, stems from this period. Meanwhile, the Romans are conquering the Mediterranean world and bringing their language with them. 100 BC-150 AD — Classical Latin. Guys like Cicero, Caesar, Vergil, and Tacitus write masterpieces of Latin literature. Also, Ovid writes a book on how to pick up women at the gladiator shows. The literary language becomes fixed and gradually loses touch with the ever- changing popular language known today as Vulgar Latin. 200-550 — Late Latin. Some varieties of literature adhere closely to the classical standard, others are less polished or deliberately closer to the popular speech (e.g., St. Jerome's translation of the Bible into Latin—the Vulgate). The western half of the empire is falling to pieces, but the Greek-speaking east, which is still in good shape, keeps using Latin in official contexts until the end of this period. 600-750 — Latin has become a dead language. Few people in the west outside of monasteries can read. The spoken languages of Italy, France and Spain change rapidly. Monks, particularly in Ireland, read and write classical Latin and preserve ancient texts as well as church documents. The Roman Catholic church continues to use Late Latin in the liturgy, though they eventually decide to deliver homilies in the local popular language. The Byzantines still call themselves Romans but have given up on the Latin language. 800-900 — The Carolingian Renaissance. Charlemagne decides that education is a good thing and promotes it in his kingdoms. After his death scholarship goes downhill a while, but never as far as it had before his reign. 1100-1300 — Contact with the educated Arabs who have conquered North Africa and Spain leads to a revival of learning, especially the study of Aristotle and other Greeks. Leading smart guys include St. Thomas "The Dumb Ox" Aquinas and John "Dunce" Scotus, as well as Petrus Hispanus, a pope who was killed when a ceiling collapsed on him. All learned writing is done in Latin, a practice which persisted until the 20th century at some fairly silly universities. Mid 14th century — The Black Death kills a lot of people, including students, professors and other people who live in crowded, unsanitary cities. This is bad for the educational system. Meanwhile, an Italian poet named Petrarch decides that plague-infested professors and anyone else who doesn't write the classical Latin used by Cicero is a moron. In fact, everyone between Cicero and Petrarch was a moron in the latter's opinion, so it was high time to have a Renaissance and make fun of everything medieval. 1400-1650 — During the Renaissance, which spreads from Italy to France and finally to England, people start reading Latin classical authors and bringing Latin words into their languages. In England, this is called "aureate diction" and is considered evidence of great learnedness. Furthermore, as science develops, Europeans find it useful to have a universal Latinate terminology to facilitate international research. up till 1900 — Almost everyone who goes to college has to learn Latin, and most humanities majors have to study Greek as well. Many of the Latin roots borrowed during the aureate diction period have come to seem native and can be used in forming new words. mid 1960s — The Catholic Church decides that Latin is no longer the obligatory language of Catholic liturgies. Meanwhile, what with free love and everything, most young people of the 60s figure they have better things to do than learn Latin. Today — Nobody speaks Latin well, and few people can write it, but lots can read it. Many of them are tenured professors, so they'd be hard to get rid of even if we wanted to.
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Saturday, April 12, 2008
Lalu, Antony slam pay panel's 'pro-IAS' report-India-The Times of India
Lalu, Antony slam pay panel's 'pro-IAS' report-India-The Times of India
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Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Muslims suss rpaCatholics: Will interfaith dialogue follow? | redblueamerica.com
Muslims surpass Catholics: Will interfaith dialogue follow? | redblueamerica.com
Muslims surpass Catholics: Will interfaith dialogue follow?
Demographic changes are reshaping the world's religions. The Vatican on Sunday reported that Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world's largest religion.
"For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us," Monsignor Vittorio Formenti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. Formenti compiles the Vatican's yearbook. He said that Catholics accounted for 17.4 percent of the world population -- a stable percentage -- while Muslims were at 19.2 percent. (Christianity as a whole, however, remains the dominant world religion.)
"It is true that while Muslim families, as is well known, continue to make a lot of children, Christian ones on the contrary tend to have fewer and fewer," the monsignor said.
The news comes as Catholics and Muslims prepare to launch an unprecedented interfaith dialogue. Should the shifting population change the course of dialogue? Do Christians have anything to worry about? How does the rising Muslim population change the way Americans think about Islam and the war on terrorism? Does the changing face of world religion give new impetus to efforts to promote religious tolerance and peace?
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