Current Topics - India's Environmental Challenge
This page looks at a subject each month, related to events in India and of interest to the authors. We're open to suggestions but if you're after "Shamita Shetty goes Commando" then there are plenty of sites to choose from!
Archive |
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| Current | A Step towards Justice for All? |
| Jul 07 | A Question of Decency |
| Jun 07 | India's Environmental Challenges |
| May 07 | Deleted |
| Apr 07 | Three Lives Lalu Prasad Yadav Manu Sharma Arundhati Roy |
This month we look at the environmental challenges in India as George Bush performs a U-turn on policy and tries to pretend that Al Gore won back in 2000.
India's Environmental Challenge
Both Indian and China ratified the Kyoto protocol, unlike the USA and Australia but India has stated that it would not agree to any commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions. It has, however, promoted greater collaboration on clean technologies.
Since the hole in the ozone layer was confirmed in the 1980's and the long hot summers of 1989 and 1990 evidence of global warming has increased. Whilst there is debate amongst experts over the warming being part of a natural cycle or a man made phenomenon, the effects are being felt by India. Flooding in 2000 in West Bengal, cyclones and receding Himalayan galciers mean lots of water all of a sudden hand in hand with the threat of reduced melt water to keep the Ganga, Yamuna, Beas and others flowing. Pollution from industry and diesel engines also settles on the snow capped peaks and the darker soot absorbs more heat than the highly reflected pristine snow and ice. This keep the water flow from the passes high but adds to erosion in a region where it is already high with roads regularly washed away. Melt water is also required to bring silt down stream and maintain the fertility of the Ganga Delta. Additionally there are fears that China has the ability to place barrages across main rivers, close to the watershed in Chinese territory.
Water management will be key in the future, it highlights the issues of pollutionin India and is not something that is well managed. Not only is water not stored in insufficient quantities from the monsoon but what water there is is highly polluted and aquifers are being drained by private bore-holes in many cities. Industrial waste is a major factor in polluting waterways; anyone driving to Noida from Delhi can hardly have missed the stench coming from the dredging of the Yamuna - but at least none of the rivers have caught fire as happened in Cleveland in the 1950's. China also pollutes it's rivers but has invested and has been bubbling oxygen into rivers to promote breakdown of orgainc matter and skims rivers for surface detritus. India is nowhere near this, the average nalla (drainage ditch) in any city will be a stagnant, stinking mosquito nursery that locals will dispose of almost anything into.
Malls that have spent much on a marble interior will have rubbish piles outside and cities such as Jaisailmir are marred by streaks of garbage running doiwn the hill and visible from most approaches to the city. India does recycle a lot - but not consciously. Waste is sorted by those of all ages at the bottom of the social ladder, by hand, from street and main dumps. Wood, plastic, paper, textiles and metal is collected and sold on whilst the remaining rotting waste supports a menagerie of cows, pigs, dogs and vermin. So much is in fact recycled that there is little combustible material that could be used for electricity generation. The city dumps are not well placed and the waterways suffer further.
Car ownership has exploded in the last ten years and emmissions are high. Engines are more modern and some metropolitan areas have switched to LPG for buses and taxis, which has helped the air quality, but traffic volumes will grow to negate the benefits. It is all part of the boom in India. The rapidly growing population is rapidly gaining buying power and consuming accordingly. It is hardly surprising that the government has already said it would reject any G8 climate change measures as stricter limits would slow its booming economy. This is indeed the similar to the US attitude until recently.
Price Waterhouse estimated, in 2006, that climate change measures could cost $1 Trillion. India, China and others blame developed nations for the current state of the global climate, so they should pay. This is perhaps morally correct but should Asia continue to fell rain forests and allow unfettered pollution just because others have in the past. The answer is no but there should be assistance. China has the FDI inflows and balance of trade to put water and waste treatment in place as new cities are developed and India has to learn to invest more sensibly in infrastructure that is sustainable.
India needs more power and will eventually get round to producing more electricity. Nuclear power will play a part and wind power attracts tax breaks and is a growth industry. Key global players in Australia, Germany and Holland are looking East for future markets. Hydro-electric has huge potential in Northern India but damning rivers is often unpopular. The Three Rivers project in China and Narmada in India are prime examples. Little is made of the Hoover damn or others that are famous landmarks and were lauded as civil engineering genius.
Whether global warming is true or not, the climate has changed over time and continues to do so:
- Warmer climates in Europe
- Permafrost melting in Siberia and glaciers shrinking on Greenland
- Severe weather in North America
- Drought in Australia in El Nino years. El Nino may only be 5,000 years old - a mere blip in geological time
- Conversely, Andean glaciers are schizophrenic, shrinking rapidly in some areas and expanding in others
- Kashmir had record snowfalls in Febrauary and Mumbai record low temperatures
The effects of global warming are unclear and may well be very different region by region. All nations must understand the environment better to address any changes and preserve biodiversity. Everyone will have to contribute with smaller local changes. India has some huge social changes ahead to foster any sort of environmental awareness and multi-national players in India must lead the way by setting bench marks; not just polluting like everyone else. This includes refraining from activities such as painting advertisements on boulders in areas of natural beauty - just like they wouldn't in Yellowstone (US) or the Lake District (UK).
Some honesty and openess in research, reserach results and methods of combating issues is required. A recent oil company survey sees George Bush's comments as an opportunity and a UK report sees the environment as a growth area for future business. Developing nations will not pull in the reigns and developed nations will not give away knowledge. It all requires honesty and trust - unlikley with politicians and their personal interests in the driving seat!
For more information on the environment try:
Climate and Life Protection Portal (www.CLIPP.Org)
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