A Green Smoking Revolution!

Courtesy: The Independent Observer

Environmental activist turned Presidential candidate, Peter Sinkamba plans to put an end to Copper mining in Zambia, by legalizing the cultivation and export of Marijuana.

For years, Zambia - the landlocked nation in Southern Africa, has made its fortunes by mining and exporting Copper. The red metal has been the backbone of the Zambian economy, contributing to nearly 70% of the total export market last year.

Contrary to populist claims of the copper contributing towards economic growth of the locals, a majority of the 14 million citizens live on less than $1 a day. Supporting this argument is the fact that many locals suffer from serious health complications due to open pit copper mining and toxic sulphur dioxide emissions from refineries. Additionally the paltry salaries paid to the mine workers, seems to be benefiting only the large mine owners. For years there have been calls to bring about a change, but to no avail.

But when voters go to polls in January next year to elect a new President, one candidate plans to send the traditional Copper mining up in smokes! Peter Sinkamba, Zambia’s leading environmental activist renowned for his long drawn battles against Copper mining, is planning to run on an unlikely, controversial platform. His Green Party’s main electoral agenda is the legalization of medical Marijuana and encouraging farmers grow it for export purposes.

Sinkamba believes that the export potential of medical Marijuana has the power to diminish the impact of Copper on the Nation’s economy. He surmises that Zambia could tap up to 10% of the world’s Marijuana market, estimated to be worth $140 billion by the UN in 2005, making it more lucrative than Copper mining. Supporting these claims, his Green Party released a shadow budget earlier this year, claiming that such a venture would boost the GDP by 68% by 2021!

Speaking to reporters, Sinkamba said “It (Marijuana) is cultivated massively across the country (for the black market).. So what we are saying is, look, let’s come out and legalize it”. He went  on to add “When we look at the trends, the world is going in the direction of legalizing Marijuana. But we do not want to be the last ones, but instead the first ones to do it!”.

This campaign has surely captivated the minds of the (largely unemployed) youth, who are often seen greeting Sinkamba with chants of ‘Legalize!’. Sinkamba seems poised give a tough fight for the Presidential seat, but there are apprehensions about his massive plans in this conservative nation.

To me, without getting in any legality and considering Marijuana to be just another crop, the question that remains is how is it going to tackle poverty and unemployment?

For long farmers and farming communities in the 3rd world have been looted of economic benefits due to lack to access to fair markets and education. Zambia’s problems of high unemployment, miserable poverty and illiteracy could be solved as a part of the Green Party’s proposal. By inviting NGOs and NPOs specializing in the fields of agriculture and education, to monitor the farming community in their efforts, the Zambian government can truly work towards real empowerment of its people. In this modern era of technology, tablet based education is being spoken of, and the government should move in this direction. There are hundreds of technology companies willing to support such efforts. And additionally such a system does not necessitate the construction of school buildings and related infrastructure, saving millions of dollars in return.

Coming back to agriculture, while growing Marijuana as a cash crop, agroforestry techniques could be implemented to grow food, fodder and medicines alongside the main crop. Diversifying crops through agroforestry has proven to be a stable agricultural model, and Zambian farmers could benefit a great deal from it. Moreover, the tablets supplied to children for educational purposes could double up as a tool for farmers to get information about markets, advancements in agriculture and general education. The ‘pay per tree’ model advocated by Tree Credits, could also be incorporated as a mode of providing additional income to farmers for their environmental services.

For my Zambian friends, change seems to be right around the corner. I hope that Peter Sinkamba makes this Green Revolution a non-political one where there is real empowerment of the farmers and farming community, and real efforts towards educating every citizen.

Fingers crossed,

RF

Ready to play the GOOD GAME?

Last November, the IPCC established that human-induced climate change is fast attaining irreversibility – ocean warming, sea level rise and temperature rise.

Introspect on the above statement for a minute.

What does it convey?

Nature, in its pristine form has always adopted a self-sustaining mutually co-existing mechanism, which undoubtedly, is a remarkable success, for us to take note of and understand.

To understand nature, is to think beyond the present system, which is anti-self-sustenance and anti-coexistence. And for us, who have been born, brought-up and moulded into the system, thinking outside its boundaries is many a time impossible, leave alone understanding aspects beyond its regime. Therefore, fundamentally, most of us do not attempt to, nor wish to, understand the basic principle of Nature.

Humans - the most enterprising species of planet Earth, have for long taken Nature for granted and have evolved a system completely against that followed by Nature. Therefore, we aren’t bothered about our neighbour’s well water being polluted, or give a damn about the trees being felled in our cities in the guise of development, nor raise eyebrows towards atrocities committed against our fellow beings…. this list goes on. Today we have become machines, who do not understand self-sustenance; and as against coexistence, are mono-existent.  We simply want to win the race, score the highest, accumulate the maximum, become the richest and above all, earn stature and status. But friends, Nature just doesn’t work that way! Hence the mess!

The only possible solution to the sufferings that we and more importantly our children are going to endure is that proposed by Jesus, Buddha and of late Karl Marx, the same system adapted by the Jews in their Kibbutz - the system of equality and equitability. But, with big corporations and financial powerhouses ‘controlling’ those controlling the system, any proposal towards a change would be quelled and binned without even considering it.

While it is clear that the present system doesn’t offer even a single serious solution towards mitigating and surviving climate change, and because it will not allow any change in its regime, the only possible way out for ordinary folks like you and me, is a solution within the system, that in no way will adversely hurt the system and incur its wrath.

The solution is simply christened the ‘Good Game’

Is the world full of evil? Definitely no!

Human beings, however one with the system, are ‘good’ individually. Therefore, we find around us philanthropy and aid programmes, which work in their individual capacities to prevent the system from destroying the world. But even after nearly half a century of serious anti-poverty campaigns, why do we find, a majority of the world’s people, poor? And even though we until now have consistently produced enough food to feed 2 Earths, we are failing miserably to feed the people of just 1 Earth! This observation raises a serious question – what is the sum total of all the work done against poverty and against climate change? What are the results?

The work – mammoth but the results – paltry. Why so?

I could think of 2 possible answers – (1) Lack of coordination between various organizations working towards different causes, or at times the same cause, resulting is wastage of resources from multiple players aiming to achieve the same end result at the same location; and (2) Lack of participation by, and the lack of opportunities to, ordinary people to be a part of such ‘good’ activities.

Therefore, in order to bring about coordination and understanding between various ‘good’ organisations, to prevent wastage of the limited available resources towards ‘good’ causes, and to involve even ordinary folk into such ‘good’ work, we propose the ‘Good Game’ – a live, real internet based gamified platform, wherein people from across the globe help each other selflessly in their own capacities, all while working to build an equal and equitable society. To be continued….

How green is your city?

The last hundred years have been the most astonishing for the human civilization. We exponentially moved from being simple folk to sophisticated people. Technology has advanced to such an extent that we need to go out of our homes – rather sit in a room and manage everything from business to laundry.

These hundred years saw the biggest mass exodus of people from rural areas into cities. The city provided them with a vision of a successful future – to be rich and famous. Industries and business established themselves around them, housing blocks sprung up like trees in a forest, cars and busses flooded their roads – this was any city, and where money flowed like water.

Hundred years later, big cities still attract people. Industries still building more plants, everyday hundreds of cars add to the already congested roads – however bad, the city life still charms many.

Technological advancements have made us conscious about our lives. Health is an important concern that we carry. Hygienic food, clean water and unsullied air are luxuries we yearn about – but we are deprived of all three at times!

So do you live in a healthy city? Is your city green?

Introspect on the following points and find out!

• A public park in each residential area:

A public park is an area that is full of greenery and has facilities for recreational activities for residents of all ages. The biggest ‘green’ advantage of a park in an area is that it helps contain the high pollution levels and provides cleaner air, and cooler temperatures to its residents.

Now consider your city – does it have a park in every area?

If yes, give it one point!

• Factories must be away from residential areas:

 Factories are an important source of localized pollution – both air and water. By establishing industrial areas away from residential zones, localized concentration of effluents can be prevented. This in turn would aid in ensuring good health amongst the citizens.

Is the industrial area of your city away from the residential areas?

If yes, give it another point!

• Bus terminals should be away from the city, but not far away:

If the bus terminals are inside the city, they increase traffic congestion and result in greater vehicular emissions – more pollution! It also increase noise pollution through constant hoot of these giant vehicles.

On the other hand if the bus terminals are located far away from residential areas, then more fuel would be burnt to reach them.

Now this one’s a tough one.

Decide carefully whether to give your city another point or not.

• A good public transport system:

Having a well-connected and well-established public transport system reduces vehicular pollution and traffic congestion (and its associated problems), as people tend leave their personal vehicles at home.

This one’s easy to judge.

So go ahead and continue the count.

• No car zone in trade hub:

A commercial zone / trade hub is generally the busiest most populated part of the city during business hours. Most traders or customers tend to bring their personal cars to work / finish their shopping. Parking becomes a big problem, and many a time most of the road is taken up by parked vehicles. This increases traffic jams and as a result increases vehicular emissions resulting in greater localized pollution.

Is the trade hub in your city car free?

If yes, your city has won another point!

• Strict building construction norms:

Building construction norms must be environmentally friendly and strictly implemented. For examples, all buildings must have their own sufficient parking spaces; have efficient energy consumption systems; good ventilation etc. Unsustainable construction should be banned.

Go ahead, and judge your city. Does it get another point?

• Ample space for walking:

A green city must have adequate foot path, walkways, skywalk etc. to aid people commute locally by foot. These pathways must be clean and well maintained. No parking or vending should be allowed on them.

Now, this one’s simple.

Did your city just gain an important point?

• Separate lane for bikers:

This is applicable only for developing countries where motorcycles and bicycles are a widely used mode of transport. Having a separate lane for bikers would help increase safety standards on the road. It also helps decrease traffic congestion.

So are bikers safe in your city?

If yes, add another point to the tally.

• Effective garbage collection and disposal system:

Now this is a very important system. An effective garbage collection and disposal mechanisms has many advantages particularly with respect to health. Accumulated heaps of garbage are excellent breeding grounds for bacteria, viruses and rodents – all of which cause diseases.

Do you have a good garbage handling system?

If yes, this one’s a big plus point. Add one to the tally again.

• Efficient sewage water treatment plant:

 An efficient sewage treatment plant has many advantages – from reducing fresh water demand to preventing soil / water body pollution. An excellent drainage system, without any leaks is an integral part of this mechanism.

A little hard to judge, but then go ahead.

Now you have thought about it, judged your city and assigned it points for various parameters. It’s time to pronounce the judgment.

Enter your city’s name and the points out of ten against it in the comments section below. (For example: XYZ city – 5/10)

Let’s compare our cities and may this exercise help us plan and improve ours’.

8 ways to reduce your carbon footprint

Ever calculated your carbon footprint?

Is it too large?

Confused how to reduce it?

Well, below are 10 ways of reducing your carbon emissions while living a luxurious and a comfortable life!

Buy old / vintage:

It may be an old jacket or a set of old chairs, buying vintage is always nature friendly as it eliminates the carbon emissions that go with the production of a new similar item. Please note: Avoid buying old electronic goods though, as they end up consuming more electricity – which means more emissions.

Buy locally grown / sourced food:

Buying locally grown vegetables helps the local farmer grow better and may even improve the local economy. Sourcing food a location involves transportation. The commercial transportation industry is one the largest polluters in the world. Yes, by eating locally we would harm their business, but look at the bright side – You are indirectly helping the world go green!

Have a green wedding!

Am I going a bit too far?

Did you know an average wedding creates 16 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions?

Relax, I am not advising you to go for Tofurkey canapés or vegan wedding shoes! Instead register for energy certified gifts, or make your invitation card from old recycled wool or cotton. You might end up saving a lot as well!

Simple living

Are you living alone in a six bedroom mansion in a suburban area? Do you drive all the way to an office that’s inside the city?  Consider simplifying your life.

Shit to a smaller house near your office (might end up being expensive) and use public transport. Large houses use far more carbon to light it up / keep it warm than smaller condos. Using the public transport has widely known benefits that I need not elaborate on.

Wear a Cashmere sweater

Did you know 12% the world’s sulfur dioxide emissions and 1 billion metric tons of carbon emissions come from home heating systems?

This winter, buy a cashmere sweater and turn down the heating a bit. Say you keep the thermostat at 70 degrees, make it 65. This way you reduce your carbon emissions and end up reducing your heating bill by 10%

Buy carbon offsets

Well, this one’s only for those super rich folks who can afford a private / chartered jet!

Yes, all your rich folks, please buy carbon offsets before making those trips on luxurious trips. The money you pay for buying carbon offsets go into planting trees, developing greener solutions, starting clean energy harnessing stations etc. In this way you are not guilty of all the bad gasses that shoot out of your jet’s engines!

Drive an electric / hybrid

Now, I still vouch for public transportation – it’s the greenest.

But if you still have to use a car everyday – buy a hybrid or even better an electric.

And please – CAR POOL!

Switch off the lights

Its human nature to preserve what is ours and show lacksidal interest in what is not ours. We are always careful to switch off the lights in our homes – because we pay the bills.

But what are we that conscious about the lights at our office or at public places.

‘Switch off as you go’ should be our motto. It’s not about paying bills, but about reducing the carbon emissions that go into producing the electricity that lights up these buildings.

Ready to make a difference?

All set to go green?

All the best! 

Plundering the polar ice caps - a blunder in making!

Oil in the Antarctic!

Diamonds in the Arctic!

The whole world (read the business community) leaped in joy. The excitement was palpable. The search for a cheaper alternate energy source suddenly seemed not necessary. The OIL magazine – an energy industry quarterly dedicated its whole March 2013 issue to celebrate the great discovery.  Gianni di Giovanni its editor in chief remarked that the new frontier in energy procurement runs along the Arctic Circle.

Russia officially became the first country to start drilling the ice caps. And it went a step further by demonstrating its stern commitment to its efforts by labelling and convicting Greenpeace activists with piracy. And with Russia’s bold move came similar responses from other nations, who too suddenly jumped the bandwagon to claim their share of the pie. Many nations since then have even formulated a military strategy for the poles.

It’s an accepted fact that the industrial revolution has made us energy hungry. Fossil fuels are the cheapest, most economical source of this energy – another undeniable fact. The last decade has been particularly tricky with the need to find a balance between sourcing cheap energy and rejuvenating the badly damaged ecology. The various conferences and treaties signed since the Kyoto protocol seemed to be the right step forward. But then a few months back, the Russian move suddenly made all these treaties mere words writing on a worthless piece of paper.

Drilling in the remote and harsh but pristine environment of the poles poses two distinct risks:

• Risks to human life working at the rigs
• Environmental risks

The year 2012 was supposed to be a big year for Royal Dutch Shell. The company announced its plans to drill for oil off the coast of Alaska. The coup de grace came on New Year’s even when their rig ran aground near Kodiak. This blunder required the efforts of around 500 personnel and the coast guard working day in and out in the harsh climate to secure the rig. Soon Shell struggled to meet most of the US government’s safety requirements. And in 2013 – they abandoned the project. An independent audit later confirmed that the company did not have the equipment nor the capability to drill in such harsh climatic conditions.

The environmental risks posed by polar drilling are – (1) releasing trapped methane from the caps (2) oil spills and (3) tampering with the pristine ecology.

It is estimated that around 1700 billion tons of methane is trapped in the polar ice caps. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and has the capacity to accelerate global warming at an exponential rate. This factor is never accounted for in the calculations that lead the big energy houses and governments to initiate the idea of polar drilling. In the event of a methane leak from the poles, the effects of climate change such as sea level rise, unpredictable climate etc. would be experienced at a much larger scale than otherwise predicted.

The next major concern from polar drilling is an oil spill. We have already seen the impacts of oil spills on marine lives and coastal communities. Today we do have technology that can be used to mitigate the effects of such spills. But as Shell’s blunder rightly pointed out – we lack the expertise and the technology to counter such an event at the poles. It would simply be catastrophic.

And finally our biggest concern is destroying the last remaining pristine ecology on earth. We in our quest for energy, power and money have plundered the entire world, messed with the ecology and experimented with the balance of nature. Through all these years of mismanagement and stupidity we have learnt the lesson and hence there now exists the need to go green. But the whole drama surrounding the oil exploration exercises at the poles suggests that we as human beings cannot change our originality, but simply put a cloak of pretentiousness.

And now we hear there is abundant coal and diamond reserves as well!

Wake up Earthizen!

Wake up Mangalore... or be damned! - Book launch

Royston Fernandes, author of “Shall We Save the Earth” unveiled his second book on climate change - adaptation and mitigation. The book is written exclusively for the people of Mangalore with a global perspective. Royston speaks of the struggles that ordinary Mangaloreans would endure due to climate change in the next few years.

 

The book was released by Ms. Vidya Dinkar an eminent environmentalist and social activist who reminded the gathering about the irony of the situation wherein on one end of Mangalore a book that speaks of conservation and preservation is unveiled at the other end the government representatives are inaugurating a petrochemical project that would gradually turn Mangalore into a petrochemical export hub. This would not only destroy the surrounding ecology but also leave the thriving ‘Mogaveera’ community of Mangalore who are predominantly fishermen, into a perilous situation.

Mr. Eric Ozario – social and cultural activist from Mangalore was also present at the event as a patron. He remembered Nelson Mandela and quoted Malcom Muggeridge saying “Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream” to encourage and inspire Royston on his journey which he described as a “way of the cross.”

The book was unveiled in an unusual manner. The guests were treated to a sight of a jar (buyao/bharani) on the podium. The event’s compere Mr. Eric Ozario explained that the jar was a symbol of preservation as it is quite common for Mangaloreans to prepare for the rainy season with jars filled with pickle stashed away in the attic. He said since the book speaks about preservation this is perhaps the most fitting welcome it deserves. Ms. Vidya Dinkar then unveiled the book and presented it to the audience.

The book has been published by Notionpress Chennai and is available for sale online at Flipkart, Bookadda, Amazon and on the publisher website. All proceeds from the book would be used to fund activities aimed at educating the common man about climate change.

Written by – J.Marian.D’Souza

Tree Credits - an idea that can save the world!

In my previous article, I put forth before you ‘Scenario 2030’ – a target date for us to adhere to. We discussed how food shortages would plague our land and decided to act immediately on this.  In another one of my article ‘What if you were paid money for every tree you plant?’ – I introduced a new concept of paying royalties to individuals who would plant and nurture trees. This was more on the lines of our obligation to save mother earth.

A lot of interested earthizens came back to me after reading these articles. A few explained their inability to find adequate land around their apartment complexes to plant a tree. A few more praised the novel idea of encouraging plantations through the payment of royalties. In this article, I will combine both these concepts into one single idea – ‘Tree Credits’.

Climate change has reached an inflection point today. It cannot be reversed, but can be reduced. The primary reason for global warming (which is causing climate change) is greenhouse gas emissions mainly from electricity generation, industries and automobile emissions. The main carbon sink to reduce the percentage of carbon di oxide (the main greenhouse gas) are the forests of the earth. Unfortunately this strategic tree cover is decreasing by the day.

The basic idea and the driving force behind ‘Tree Credits’ is to create more food, employment and simultaneously increase the green cover of the earth. This idea was conceptualized in 2009 by Ferdinand Swart, a Dutch designer and environmentalist. His intention was to extend a smaller more practical version of carbon credits to every Earthizen. Ferdinand even initiated a pilot project in India in the year 2011 in association with PSA, an NGO based out of Trichi.

Tree Credits is a unique idea that gives every Earthizen a chance to give back to nature – may be through direct planting of trees or may be through funding the project. It offers us all a great opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint and help resuscitate our ailing mother earth. Before going into the specific details of this idea, let me first brief present before you the advantages of this concept.

• ·         Increase local food production – by practicing agroforestry.
• ·         Increase local source of fodder.
• ·         Improve soil fertility -decrease reliability on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• ·         Create employment opportunities – particularly amongst rural women.
• ·         Create an additional source of income in the form of royalties.
• ·        Create a good investment which can be used as a guarantee against micro-finance loans.
• ·         Increase density of green cover and thus avail the associated benefits.

The ultimate goal of Tree Credits is to double the tree cover and exponentially increase food production throughout the world (taking 2015 as the base year for estimation) by 2050.

My next article would detail the implementation plan of the tree credit idea. But, before we go ahead and do that – I would like to assess your support for the same. If you would in the near future come forward to participate (through monetary support or volunteering) please do leave a comment below.

The next big idea to change the world is here!

Scenario 2030 - investing in a safe future.

The year 2030 – let’s call it the target year.

The target – to adequately adapt to a changing climate and a changing landscape.

Why 2030?

By then the world’s sea levels are expected to rise by about 1.37 meters. Today around 100 million people around the world live within 1 meter of the sea levels. This is number will only increase in the next couple of years.

The rising seas will pose a variety of problems both at the micro as well as the macro level.  Resettlement of the displaced population, ensuring and maintaining adequate security, law and order, disaster control etc. would challenge every government on the face of the earth. But the one problem that would most likely suffocate these governments into giving up is food security. You can read more about this in my book ‘Wake up Mangalore… or be damned!’

I was raised in a small coastal city surrounded by lush green paddy fields and coconut plantations. But today, I can hardly see this greenery.  This is the case in most countries – wherein the lucrative real estate rates are persuading farmers into selling their fertile agricultural land. The advent of technology however has kept the demand and supply gap more or less within controllable limits. But with an unpredictable weather looming large, soil patterns constantly changing and water availability fast decreasing – keeping this gap small is a challenge.

But we need not panic, as we have plenty of solutions at hand. The only thing that needs to change is our proactiveness in implementing them.

One such solution is agroforestry.

Agroforestry can be defined as the integration of crops and livestock systems with trees. If implemented scientifically it has the potential to allow the farmer to increase the efficiency of land use, boost yields and also help in increasing the ever decreasing carbon sink.

For a farmer – agroforestry has tremendous benefits. On farm trees (the right kind) help replenish nutrient deficient soil. This eliminates the necessity to use chemical fertilizers. These trees may also bear fruit that can be used locally and sold – adding to the farmer’s revenue. These trees may also provide fodder for the livestock reducing fodder costs. In total it is a win-win situation for a farmer.

Sadly, I have no agricultural land except for a small back yard. What much can I do?

Don’t get disheartened and give up! There is a lot we can do!

To begin with, plant a few indigenous fruit trees in your yard. Consider this as an investment you are making for your children. You could also invest in agroforestry schemes and contribute to NGOs undertaking such missions. Remember the biggest challenge our children will face is finding adequate quantity of nutritious food. And we have a golden opportunity here. Let’s not let this one pass!

Let’s begin today….

The Fifth Assesment report of the IPCC is here

What if you get paid for every tree you plant?

At a time when global warming seems irreversible; at a time when an ever changing climate threatens the well-being of the most intelligent species on this planet; at a time when we increasingly notice the callous attitude of our leaders towards this issue (as in Warsaw) and at a time when the future looks grim and options few – we are confronted with a question: “What can we do?”

Plant a tree!

In India year after year we celebrate a unique festival called Vanamahotsava. Famously acclaimed as the festival of life – the intent behind it is to encourage natural conservation amongst the next generation. Schools all over the country celebrate this by planting saplings, donating saplings to students, holding awareness campaigns and drives, taking up causes etc. Indeed a remarkable imitative in its inception. Similar festivals and events are organized by various charities and NGOs around the world. TV channels, newspapers and websites cover these events; foundations and governments award prizes in recognition to the leaders and a lot of public support rallies behind them. A novel cause indeed.

Statistics indicate that the tree cover on this earth is exponentially decreasing. A simple conclusion from the previous statement – the rate of tree felling is much higher compared to the rate of replanting. Every country has legislation regarding felling of trees and afforestation. Most of these are sadly not implemented. Lack of interest? Lack of motivation? Lack of fear? After all they are trees – why should I care? Even if I give a damn, what do I get in return?

The rate of deforestation is only going to move up the vertical spiral in the years to come. Can it be stopped? I guess not. But can we undo the damage? Of course we can!

The Vanamahotsava, NGO and foundations planting trees, the afforestation programs on a small scale are all wonderful initiatives that unfortunately aren't enough.  So here’s the plan – we take this movement to a whole new level. We take it to every village, town and city on the face of this earth. But wait a minute – what will motivate people to sign up, especially in villages (most of which are ridden with poverty and illiteracy)?

What if I say – we will pay you royalty for every sapling you plant right from day one?

To be continued…………

Weather - breaking all records since 2012!

In the last one month we have witnessed a total of three extremely disturbing events – (1) typhoon Haiyan that wreaked havoc through the Philippines, (2) The sudden flooding of Riyadh and (3) the tornado that struck Illinois.

As I sat staring at the partially filled lake outside my balcony, I began to wonder as to how all this is connected. All the three places were of special significance to me as my cousin brother lives with his wife in Illinois, another cousin sister lives with her family in Manila and in Riyadh I have a host of family and friends. Typhoons aren't a new phenomenon in the Philippines this time of the year – but a typhoon of this magnitude scares me! A cloud burst in Riyadh makes me laugh – I couldn't believe it the very first time I read it (and thought it was faking news!). Tornadoes aren't new to Illinois – but this one was remarkably different.

The best way to understand the behavior of weather systems around the world is to look at the record breaking temperatures that were seen this year alone. First let’s examine the extreme lows that temperatures have hit!

1. An extreme cold weather alert was issued in Toronto, Canada on February 16 and 17.
2. The US witnessed an unusual cold wave that brought the Arctic cold front to their door steps with temperatures falling rapids and winds gushing at around 56 to 80 kmph! (35 to 50mph)
3. In the Czech Republic the falling temperatures delayed the arrival of migratory birds that usually spend their summers here. In Pribram the temperature of -9.4 Celsius observed on March 24^th broke the 1883 record by being 1.8 degrees lower!
4. In Finland, this year’s usually warm March was replaced by an extremely cold month. It was also the coldest March in history!
5. Northern France was hit by heavy snow beginning on March 11, with Meteo France warning of "dangerous weather of an exceptional intensity"
6. On March 22^nd Budapest came to a standstill when it recorded the heaviest snow in about 400 years! At other locations Hungary deployed tanks to rescue stranded tourists and citizens.
7. Spain witnessed heavy snowing in the month of April!
8. In Ukraine, the Kiev State Administration declared a state of emergency in the city on March 23 due to the deterioration of weather conditions causes by heavy snowfall, blizzards and snow-banks.
9. Last month the United Kingdom braced the worst storm in years, with most of the country coming to a standstill.
10. In China, the average January temperature became the lowest recorded in the last 28 years. About a thousand ships were stuck in ice in Laizhou Bay, while 10,500 square miles of ice reportedly covered the surface of the Bohai Sea. China also reported 180,000 cattle deaths due to extreme temperatures by January 10^th.
11. New Delhi recorded the lowest January temperatures in 44 years, while in the state of Uttar Pradesh schools remained closed till January 12^th.
12. Seoul the capital of South Korea recorded -16.5 degree Celsius on January 3^rd, the lowest in 27 years.

Now let’s examine the record highs that temperatures have reached!

1. In June this year a heat wave struck South Western United States with Southern California experiencing a record high 50°C. This temperature is the highest ever recorded on Earth in the month of June!
2. In July, Portugal experienced a week long heat wave with average temperatures touching 40°C and the peak temperature at 45°C.
3. The UK recorded its highest ever temperature of 34.1°C on August 1^st. Scientists and doctors claim that the record high temperatures over a period of weeks could have led at least 650 premature deaths!
4. Shanghai recorded the highest temperatures in 140 years at 40°C
5. Australia recorded the longest heat wave in history lasting a whopping 90 days!

The World’s weather pattern seems to be fast changing. These changing weather systems will have a tremendous influence on our lives - the agriculture on which we depend and the infrastructure that supports us.  Are we prepared to brace these fast changes around us?

As you are reading this, two heartbreaking events occurred at two different corners of the world. The government of Bangladesh (the country to be most vulnerable to climate change) unveiled its new plan of building 8 new coal powered power plants. The second blunder we witnessed was the banning of peaceful protests against oil drilling by the United States!

Shocked?

You better be!