Extreme weather events like, droughts and floods, are now everyday news items all over the world. Everyone agrees that to avoid destroying living conditions in this planet while pursuing material development, is one of the most critical problems of our time. This dilemma has brought the issue of climate change to the centre of international negotiations. Despite various rounds of negotiations on the Convention on Climate Change, however, there is no agreement on managing this problem of human survival. As long as the negotiations on climate change do not address the questions of science and equity, the possibility of any positive outcome is bleak. 

Science of Climate Change

    The balance of gases in the atmosphere makes life on this planet possible. The atmosphere absorbs long wave radiations released by the sun and redirects it to the earth. This process maintains the average temperature on earth around 15 degrees Celsius. Human beings are modifying this atmospheric balance by burning fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas, and deforestation for development. This process of development is increasing the concentration of Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide in the atmosphere. The changing composition of the atmosphere is increasing the overall temperature of the earth, which is causing global warming.

  In the last century, the average temperature of the earth increased by 0.6 degrees Celsius. On the basis of scientific study, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted that, if the trend continues, then, by the end of this century the temperature rise will range from 0.8 to 5.8 degrees Celsius. According to this study, about three and a half million people will suffer from water shortage, three million from malaria, one hundred million from hunger and three million from floods and droughts. There will be a spread of deserts and a rise in the sea level due to melting icebergs. 

Politics of Climate Change

  In 1988, the first major conference on climate was organised by the Government of Canada in Toronto. Consequently, an International Framework on Climate Change was launched in December 1990. Its fundamental objectives are: to protect climate so that food security and sustainable development can be achieved and to control man made interference in the atmosphere. Since the adoption of the Convention, negotiations between the parties is on to agree on its implementation. The Kyoto Protocol, setting emission targets for the developed countries, is one of the outcomes of such negotiations. 

  Today, the Parties to the Convention are at the eighth Conference on climate change.  The problems confronting the plan of action remain the same. The failure of the international community to set the direction for the course of action lies in the politics of North versus South. 75 per cent of the total emissions are due to the industrialised North. They do not want to lose their monopoly over the non-renewable energy sources, thus, in a way, over the process of development. That is the reason why developed countries like the US are not ready to accept any binding commitments on controlling emissions, such as the Kyoto Protocol. The oil, coal and auto companies have also lobbied hard to challenge the findings and statistics on Global Warming. On the other hand, the right to development is critical for the developing South. Hence, the policy questions of controlling emissions, development assistance, technology transfer and Clean Development Mechanism are crucial. This North-South controversy left operational details on controlling climate change unresolved. The issues like raising funds for coping with climate change and deciding the danger level of CO2 concentration have become very important. The tragedy is science and scientists have no place while making policy on climate change and the issue of equity is never addressed in these negotiations. 

Some Practical Measures

    The international community should immediately take some practical measures: 

• In spite of day-to-day experience of climatic change, knowledge and awareness about the reasons for these changes is not much. People should be informed about the gravity of the problem so that pressures can be built up on the respective governments for constructive action.

•  The discussion and consultation at national levels will bring precision into debates and positions at the international level. 

•  Industries are the major players in the emission process. Therefore, corporate accountability should be ensured in maintaining emission standards. 

•  The changing configuration of the atmosphere is all about science. Unless independent scientists are involved in the policy making process on climate change a realistic action plan will be unattainable. 

  If we continue to neglect the these practical measures for perceived national interests, we will soon get news of sinking coastal areas and emptying heartlands.