India Energy crisis and Global warming

In the recent days, I have been reading a lot about the electricity shortages in many Indian cities and villages. In the decade of “India shinning”, these news strike us as a dark contrast. The situation is getting worse every day, and we need to start planning for the future from right now.

Turning to the conventional energy sources to overcome the electricity shortage problem does not look like a wise option either. India is currently ranked fourth in the list of top CO2 emitting countries. The first 3 countries in this list are U.S., China and Russia. (Ref.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions)

The effects of the energy crisis, and the pollution are becoming evident in India. For last 3-4 years, we have been experiencing irregular monsoon. Remember the torrential rains in Mumbai and Maharashtra in July 2005? The shifting monsoon is especially bad for our farmers, who rely heavily on the rains for the crop yield. In one part of India people are fighting against the overflowing rivers, where as in another part, people are going miles for getting water. Recent flooding in Bihar due to the Kosi river overflow has been devastating. And as if this is not enough, there were delays in food distribution by the government authorities resulting in food riots. (Ref: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bihar_floods_Delay_in_relief_triggers_food_riots/articleshow/3431348.cms)

The nature’s warnings are not only limited to India. Similar warning signs are also evident on the other end of the globe, in U.S. Hurricane Gustav is on the verge of slamming into the U.S. coasts, heading for New Orleans again, which was the target of Katrina 3 years ago. Even the polar regions of the globe are showing bad signs. A report released by the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado has revealed that the Arctic ice is at its second-lowest level in history, and is melting because of the impact of global warming. (Ref: http://chattahbox.com/science/2008/09/01/arctic-ice-melts-away-due-to-impact-of-global-warming/)

Global warming is not a scientific term anymore, but it’s going to touch each and every one of us in some way of the other. It is time to wake up, and start fighting with this giant. We need to start saving energy, reducing the oil consumption. Most of these things are common sense things, but we need to start practicing these, and we need to start practicing it soon.