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