Too little too late

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Too little too late

US President Barack Obama has announced that he would be attending the Global Meet at Copenhagen on global warming. He has finally made up his mind to throw the lot of the United States with those who advocate green house emissions must be cut.

CJ: Chitranjan Sawant

Thu, Nov 26, 2009 11:33:04 IST

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Global Warming :

PRESIDENT OBAMA has finally made up his mind to throw the lot of the United States with those who advocate greenhouse emissions must be cut. The earlier it is done by all concerned, the better it would be.

Too little too late - that is the appropriate title for the American effort in this direction. The President of the United States has announced that he would be attending the Global Meet at Copenhagen on global warming. It is definitely a piece of good news. The most powerful man on earth is going to contribute his mite to the most vexing problem on earth today.

Indeed, without pressing the panic button, it may be safely said that the very safety of mother earth is in doubt today. Earth is endangered. What a shame! Mother earth that shelters all of us and gives us sustenance is endangered by acts and omissions of her own children. Remember, if the earth perishes, we all will perish. Earth and all living beings - humans, animals, vegetation and animate/ inanimate objects on earth have to swim or sink with the earth. The decision is ours and the earlier we, human beings, make this decision the better it would be for planet earth and all that belongs to earth.

Bhumi mata putro aham prithivyah- is a Veda mantra. I may mention that the aryas (means noble people and must not be mixed up with Hitler's concept of aryans) of India, that is Bharat believe that our father, God Almighty had revealed the Vedas in the hearts of rishis for the guidance of humanity at the commencement of human creation. The Veda mantras are for the guidance and betterment of entire mankind, irrespective of caste, creed, race or religion that an individual belongs to. Right now we are dwelling on the Veda mantra quoted above. The mantra means that the earth is our mother and we human beings are sons and daughters of mother earth.

The problem arises when sons and daughters torment their mother. Right now this is just the problem with planet earth. The greenhouse emissions are beyond control. It causes global warming. The global warming is making the ice cap on the North Pole and the South Pole melt. Consequently, the level of seas and oceans all over the globe is rising at an alarming rate. If the rise in water level continues at this fast rate, the day is not far off when many low lying countries and coastal areas will disappear from the face of mother earth. Maldives, Mumbai, Chennai, parts of London and what have you are on the endangered list. Isn't it our duty, we the sons and daughters of mother earth, to run to the rescue of our mother? Indeed it is, but who is bothered?

Kyoto Conference had laid down a standard and given a clarion call to the comity of nations to heed the warning while make and mend could be effective. No one bothered. The developed nations do not wish to cut the greenhouse gas emissions as it would slow down their industrial growth. Others may beat the Numero Uno and replace it from the high pedestal. The developing nations do not wish to slow down their industrial growth as that would mean slowing down eradication of poverty. Thus, there is a race on for industrial growth and that means more greenhouse gas emissions, more global warming, more reduction of land for agricultural inputs, less production of grains and an increase in hunger. The human hunger means an additional social tension and disputes among neighbouring nations leading to regional conflicts. Thus, not cutting down greenhouse gas emissions in the world by both the developed and the developing nations is fraught with the danger of a global conflict. Thus, the global warming is closely related to a global conflict and serious attention must be paid to address this problem.

China is one of the biggest culprits causing global warming. China is emerging as an economic giant. Its industrial growth is phenomenal. The consumption of energy is rising at an alarming rate and so is production of energy. Unfortunately, production of energy in the People's Republic of China is coal based. Coal causes maximum emissions and causes global warming. The ecology specialists are of the opinion that the greenhouse gas emissions of China and resultant pollution and warming is rising at an alarming rate. China is not taking the problem seriously and has not taken effective measures to cut down greenhouse gas emissions.

In view of the dismal global situation in the field of global warming, the declaration of President Obama of the United States that America will offer at the Copenhagen Global Meet to cut the grenhouse emissions in the range of 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020. Notwithstanding the offer falling in the category of ‘too little and too late’, the world should take it at its face value. Something is better than nothing. Looking at the positive side of the American offer, one may hope that encouraged by this Obama offer, Hu Jintao, President of China may also unfold a new plan to ameliorate the distress caused by coal based energy.

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