Making a Climate of a Difference

The profound privilege of continuing with the blog is because of each of you who visits the site and reads it regularly. I truly appreciate you all for that and especially those who take the time out to comment on it. Similarly, climate change related negotiations exist because majority of us believe that continued greenhouse gases emission is not good. ‘This should not happen’ and so we must take action to contribute in any way we can, even if it means to read a blog or responding to one–all in the attempt to generating awareness on the topic.
This fortnight–7 December to 18 December 2009–is dedicated to negotiations on climate change and is an outcome of this collective belief. The Conference of Parties (COP), with 192 member countries, formed in 1992, is attending this conference. This is the 15th meeting and is taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) created the Kyoto protocol on 11 Dec 1997. It is a systematic plan for voluntary reduction in carbon emissions by each of the nations, and now expires in 2012.
While a majority of us believe ‘this should not be’, there is no consensus on the actions that need to be taken. There is mistrust and self doubt among the members about the way out.
For economists, carbon has emerged as a trading commodity with experts complaining that the current price of $13 a tonne is too low for encouraging clean technologies such as wind and solar. Among development professionals, discussion are on for technology transfer from the rich to poor countries. 1% of GNP transfer to the developing countries amounts to $400 billion annually, by 2020, is often quoted as reasonable. Briton suggested $100 billion and the EU suggested Euro 100 billion as transfer funds for the same.
Righteous argument of the poor countries towards the rich holds little water with China holding second place with 45,301 million tones of carbon emission between 1997 and 2007 and India being 5th with 11,870 tonne.
Among political scientists, the debate is still on whether climate change a real issue and a concern for the future or just another way to promote European superiority over the US by promoting financial transfers through WB and IMF. Obviously politics and climate change make uneasy bedfellows…
And even when we have evidences like late bloom in Kerala or swallows and snow disappearing in Siliguri or sea moving inland in Valsad Gujarat or grizzlies mating polar bears in the Arctic Circles, etc. it is still being debated as to whether these are conclusive signs of climate change.
Whatever be the case, one thing is clear, we are all committed to making a difference in combating climate change. The possibility of being able to control our actions to alter the future and to control nature still excites us. We are continuing to take action in the best way we can. We do not compromise on improving our quality of life and we constantly setup goals for Human Development through HDI. That is what makes us all unique…
Toxics Link’s Environment & Health Public Lecture Series
Environmental degradation; habitat destruction; pollution; water scarcity; biodiversity loss; depleting forest cover; dam construction and its social implications; social unrest – are few of the issues demanding immediate attention in the North Eastern (seven sisters +1) states of India. Now, with the threat of climate change looming large, the only option is to come together for sustainable development of the region, before time runs out and moshttp://delhigreens.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=2283t, if not, all is lost.


Context is decisive. It all depends on how you look at an issue, that provides the solutions that it throws up. Sharing with you one anecdotal example in the context of malnutrition among children below five years of age in a South East Asian country.

