[Reader-list] Climate Change & India (Reader-list)

[Nagraj Adve]

Dear Patrice,
I've taken the liberty of putting my response on reader-list
particularly since you suggested these issues have relevance for the
list.
I was struck by the difference in their response from what might be
the response of urban elites, who not only believe that we do have the
power to alter nature, we proceed to do so: the Indian govt is
carrying out tests in the southern oceans on iron fertilization, the
Chinese I hear tries to catalyse the rains, etc. There's also a flawed
faith in technology in solving the problem of global warming.
Re climate change being a concern in India, it would be fair to say
that a lot of rural folks might not relate changes that are happening
to global warming, but they are extremely alive to changes in rainfall
patterns etc, since their lives and livelihoods (of perhaps 650
million) are dependent on agriculture, horticulture, etc. Most people/
small farmers/ activists we have talked to over the last 3 years or so
say that they first observed changes in rainfall about 10-15 years ago
but the changes have speeded up/ gotten more intense in recent years
and is getting worse. But you are right in saying that there are more
immediate issues facing those engaged in agriculture. Unions and
organizations need to play a role here, I think they - all of us
really - are way behind the curve.
There's also the crucial issue about how climate change is beginning
to affect food security. In GuJarat, we got a sense of less
atmospheric moisture due to warmer winters affecting those who don't
have access to water, and these tend to be expectedly poorer
households. But it's also the poor in urban areas, a point we had made
in meetings two years ago. Though speculation in food and hoarding
have a heavy role to play in food prices in recent months, there's
stuff coming out about how crazy weather is affecting yields and hence
prices. And since food markets too have become so interconnected in a
globalized world, the poor can get affected by something quite far
away.
Naga
PS: If you (or anyone else on this list) is interested, I can email
you the report on trip to GuJarat once it is finalized.)

On 23 January 2011 14:08, Patrice Riemens <patrice at xs4all.nl> wrote:
> Dear Nagraj,
>
> Interesting take "in Gujarat most people were sceptical that humans had
> the power to alter nature". Climate change is probably much less a concern
> in India where there are much more immediate ones than in the 'West' ...
> while adressing those immediate concern is exactly what accelerates
> climate change... Pls continue to address the Reader list from time to
> time with these issues.
>