Cool Earth!

So the countdown for G8 summit has begun and we have less than 24 hours before the meeting of world's richest nation starts. I am proud to see India participating (it also did participate in the G8 summit held in London) in the Italy L'Aquila G8. This shows how seriously world has started taking note of India as an emerging economy and a strong country who can make / support decisions that affect the world. The top agenda for this G8 will be climate change, food security and most obvious...global financial crisis.

Climate change is becoming a serious issue now...even the G8 have started discussing it. It's high time everyone realizes that we are living on a planet which is alive and knows how to balance it's eco-system. For years, humans have been responsible for messing with the nature (by increasing pollution, cutting down trees, using chemicals etc.) and testing earth's patience. We have not for once looked back in time and reviewed earth's history. She is far more capable of destroying everything than us humans and is notorious for starting everything from scratch. It's about time now that she looses her patience over the continued destruction and start doing something about it...eliminate the cause for this destruction...destroy the human race. And while doing this, she may also destroy every living organism on her surface. Our greed is going to take it's toll...

Everyone is looking forward to the decisions that will be made in G8...the targets that will be set for each country and eventually for the world. It's on the agenda that the target will be 50% reduction in green house gases by every country with rich nations contributing to 80% reduction by 2050....if we wish to live any further.

I will direct this post particularly from view point of India. India is in the process of becoming one of the biggest economies and is in full swing of development. This G8 will be of special importance and the targets will decide our way to go. It is certain (considering the available resources of development that the world has got) that no fast paced development can happen without some footprint on the eco-system. India being in the midst of it's development stage is going to increase it's carbon foot print over the period of years. It is in the interest of India not to agree to targets set of the rich countries for 2050 or it will be a severe blow for economic development.

But we have to be conscious about the fact that we do not have much time left on Earth if we continue at this pace. We cannot buy economic development on the cost of our children's lives. And we must come forth with a realistic target which should be achievable by 2050 as well as it should sustain economic development. India should ensure that all other countries support this in G8 and are willing to take some burden on themselves. Countries who have developed have already destroyed the eco-system and they can simply get away from it.

This link shows list of countries by 2004 emissions and top three contributors with biggest carbon footprint are USA(22.2%), China(18.4%) and European Union(14.7%). India contributes 4.9%. It is high time that the top three countries realizes that they have had their take on eco-system and now it's time to stop. Fixing a mere target is of now use unless it is achievable (reduction of 80% greenhouse gases by 2050 seems unrealistic).

India should bargain its way in G8 and ensure a reasonable and achievable target is fixed for herself. Govt. should take the set targets on priority and run a mass campaign to educate each and every individual to contribute towards achieving the set target. Every small effort count and Earth is going to only thank us for our efforts. Plus we will have some more years to live on this beautiful planet.

Let's contribute to make Earth 'Cool'.