Climate Talk - Jairam Rameshji Why Should We be on the Defensive?

Dear Jairam Rameshji, as an ordinary citizen I am a wee bit flummoxed by the goings on. Why should we be on the defensive?

If each person on the planet has the right to the same carbon footprint, the scale and speed of emissions cuts required by developed nations is far greater than the commitments governments are currently willing to make

If the world is to have a 2-in-3 chance of staying within the 2 °C rise between now and 2050 no more than 750 billion tonnes of carbon can be released between these two dates. If this calculated emission is distributed according to population levels, many developed nations would face almost immediate carbon bankruptcy.

At current rates and with 4.6 per cent of global population, the US would receive a 35 billion tonne allowance between now and 2050. US  would use it up in around six years. The European Union's budget would run out in 12 years and China's in 24.  India and Brazil's allowances would last 88 and 46 years respectively at current rates.

Industrialized countries are duty bound to carry out rapid and comprehensive decarbonisation if there is any credibility in their utterances. So take up the cudgel Rameshji instead of going on the defensive.

Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) Authorities Arraigned

Environmentalists have come down heavily on the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) Authorities for their failure to find out the causes for the deaths of 13 tigers and six leopards in the last three years. Four of the tigers were found dead in CTR in less than two months.

CTR director R K Mishra is reported to have said that Bareilly-based Indian Veterinary Research Institute, to which viscera of all dead animals were sent for forensic examination has not sent reports of a single viscera examination, despite reminders. IVRI put the blame squarely on the forest department. According to them the viscera were too decomposed for any meaningful examination.

It is high time an end is put to the blame game. Need of the hour is introspection and tightening of the rein.

New Mangrove Pictures from Uthaman

Uthaman has posted some more mangrove pictures on http://tahrcountry.blogspot.com that makes you feel sad. In the name of development mangroves are mercilessly being hacked down. Have a look at it here

Mangrove Regeneration - New Blog Post from K.V Uthaman

K.V Uthaman has posted an excellent guest blog post on Mangrove regeneration on my other blog http://tahrcountry.blogspot.com
Have a look at it Here

Uthaman has promised me some more pictures.

Best Wishes

2010 is the international year of biodiversity. Best wishes for your conservation mission during the year 2010.