CLIMATE CHANGE EXTREMISMS – I

							                     CLIMATE CHANGE EXTREMISMS – I




I have been in the area of environment, weather and climate ever since 1970‟s,
as the space research was unfolding new methods of measuring frequently
conditions of clouds, measuring atmospheric moisture, pressure and other
parameters as well as study of earth‟s natural resources. I have been an early
pioneer of remote sensing in India. Satellites showed the large scale degradation
of forests, soils, water bodies etc. Also satellites measured atmospheric
parameters world over and very frequently. Therefore I am deeply aware of the
need to protect our environment. At one point of time I was an expert in all forms
of environmentally sound technologies (EST).


In this process of experience, learning and actions, I also came to understand the
distortions introduced by commercial and political interests. During the 1970‟s
there was a “scientific” scare created about earth cooling down; behind it was the
emergence of CFC‟s whose commercial production was being mastered by two
Western companies. It was touted as the wonder chemical to keep the earth
warm and to prevent it from cooling down to “ice ages”.


Research & Development in other chemicals continued. During the mid-eighties
CFC was the villain : it was one of the terrible green house gases ! Such a
sudden change of “mind” is also partly because of new findings from space
research. So in the Montreal protocol amongst several “banned” chemicals CFC
was one. For gases for which substitutes were not found e.g. Chlorine based
compact fire extinguishers etc there were exemptions; so also for the pharma
grade CFC „s used for inhalers (mainly for the asthmatics).
Now that two companies have come up with alternatives for pharma grade
CFC‟s, USA‟s Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has banned use of CFC‟s in
such inhalers the last date being December 2008.


So what ?


The price of asthma inhalers will go up three times ! So what ? Many who suffer
from asthma and have to use inhalers regularly are poor. If they cut down their
doses, they will suffer through less of oxygen. Such a reduction of oxygen intake
will affect pregnant mothers. About 20% of asthma patients in USA are not
covered by insurance either !


Well, should not these asthma patients sacrifice a bit for helping against the
global warming. Yes, but the total of all emissions from the asthma inhalers is
less than 0.1% of the global emissions from other such sources !!


So who is cheating ?


The commercial interests of those who have produced the new expeller chemical
are the winners ! Who bothers about the poor asthma patients ?


Those who want to read and learn more about what I have said here, may read
Scientific American India August 2008 p.12 – 13. The article appears in the
Newsscan Health Policy section. “Change in the Air” (see www.sciam.co.in).


I am sure that our own environmental activists (extremists) will soon jump into the
fray soon: a new topic for the faithful followers !. Media will create a scare ! In
India the inhalers which are now just affordable for the lower middle class, will
become very costly – note also that current patent laws won‟t allow copying as
was done before !!
Many such climate change extremisms are taking place in India, thus ruling out
affordable products for the poor and lower middle class.


I see the following simple priorities of environment crucial before we jump into
esoteric items like carbon foot prints :


   1. Are we providing clean (microbially, chemical wise, sanitation-wise and
       look wise)habitat to all Indians and such clean surroundings around them?


   2. Are we providing reasonably clean food and water for all Indians? (I am
       not even looking for USA‟s or European standards of phytosanitary
       conditions and standards for water & food – that will shoot up costs thus
       making it out of reach for most Indians.)


   3. Are we providing minimum health (preventive, sanitation related, and
       curative) care to all people ?


   4. After these are provided with first priority, we should address the pollution
       in cities and factories etc – most of which are due to use of very old
       technologies. One has to see how the coal mines and coal based electric
       power plants operate in UK now. At the time of Industrial Revolution they
       were dirtiest, in every sence of the term, making persons like Marx revolt
       against such conditions of the workers. In Germany now most chimneys
       are smokeless! There are many clean coal technologies emerging over
       past three decades.


       Despite   several    pleas   during   the   past   two   decades   by many
       knowledgeable Indian technologists in Govt. laboratories, and industries,
       the monopoly coal institutions of Govt. of India did not respond. Even now
       they won‟t bother until some foreign company comes in !! Here the
       problem is not with use of coal but use of wrong technologies. India
       cannot avoid coal for a long time – but let it be used in a clean way.
       Biofuel alternatives, as a fad from the West, would only lead to food
       shortages for the poor !


   5. After these are done India can get into esoteric aspects of global warming
       etc. They are important too, but not at the cost of the first three items listed
       above.


You will see a few more articles in this website in coming months.


Main plea to the readers is not to be carried away from Climate Change
Extremisms. Let us look at the plight Indian people and their right to have some
decent living. Let us not be carried away by the facts of a few million “western”
elites amongst us !!.


                                                                          17/10/2008