In a monumental move that undid years of inaction, antagonism and disbelief on climate change in the United States, President-elect Barak Obama addressed the global governers conference on climate change being held in California this week in a speech that showed real signs of hope of a nation stepping forward and showing the leadership has expected of it for so long.  Obama spoke of many things including using this global challenge of climate change and energy security to move the nation in a new direction–one that will rebuild the economy and create 5 million new jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Extending a hand to those companies and US governers that were willing to invest in clean tech energy he has shown that the new Oval office will make this a focal point in its strategy.  Further more Obama made a commitment to reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and a further 80% by 2050 which is mandated by the Kyoto Protocol.  Of significance to India is Obama’s final and concluding statement:  “And any nation that’s willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America.”

Perhaps this is the sign that countries like India, China, and other rapidly industrializing economies need as a confidence building measure to begin to break the gridlock!

Haze in Delhi

The government has been claiming that Delhi’s pollution levels have fallen drastically over the past few years but a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) paints a hazy picture for the Capital. The report warns of atmospheric brown clouds that have resulted from the burning of fossil fuels, biomass and include particles like black carbon and soot. According to CSE, there are several other cities smaller than Delhi where pollution levels are much higher. Delhi does have a problem with high levels of NO2 and RSPM but data shows that levels of other pollutants have come down. The brown cloud phenomenon over Asia in general is not surprising as it is a developing area.

Visit the following link to find out more
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Indian_experts_sceptical_a…

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The towering statues are all that remain of this lost civilization

As I flew from Delhi to Goa last week, I couldn’t help thinking about the relevance of an island mentality to the way that we live today. The irony of my predicament did not evade me as I swooped across India’s States like a gigantic bird of prey. I had just finished a small plastic juice bottle, which I was wondering what to do with, and as I stowed it carefully in my bag to dispose of later, I caught myself thinking, ‘I’d better not take this onto the island, there’s nowhere to throw it away’.

And it’s true. On Divar - the small island in Goa where my family home is - we dispose of all of our waste on compound, having to burn plastics when they accumulate. There’s no rubbish man or truck, and there never has been. In times gone by, everything was recycled, soft drinks and milk came in bottles, groceries were wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper, and we even had a pig, Pikush, who ate all of our vegetable and toilet waste - a remnant of Portuguese colonialism. Nowadays, with cheap and mainstream plastics, ‘disposable’ yet non-biodegradable packaging, higher levels of product consumption and far shorter product lifetimes, not to mention a burgeoning population, unsustainability is the word of the day.

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The Indian Youth Climate Network is conducting an amazing online survey to understand the awareness on climate change amongst the youth of this great nation. This survey is on behalf of every Indian who wishes for a better future and hopes to make a small difference around him/her.

THIS IS THE FIRST 2 MINUTE STEP : Cilck Here to Fill The Survey Form

Your contribution will be presented at an international UN conference this December in Poland where India will have its first youth delegation. Every voice counts and two minutes of your time now can make a huge difference. Take the survey and be counted.

It gives us immense pleasure to introduce iClimate - the IYCN Social Networking website which is a next step in uniting the youth in India for a clean, bright future.

Link: http://iclimate.ning.com (Or http://iclimate.iycn.in)

All of you are invited to join iClimate and we hope you will find this social network useful in sharing your ideas, plans, activities and your vision for the future.

Hoping to meet you all there!