And now China has also woken up to climate change. A report by the Chinese Government titles - National Climate Change Report - goes on to assess the impact of climate change on chinese resources. The report projects more droughts, the spread of deserts and reducing water supplies.

Some excerpts from the BBC article (link below):

"By 2020, the average temperature in China will increase by between 1.1C and 2.1C, causing worsening droughts in northern China and extreme weather," the Chinese report states. Its projections suggest that production of rice, corn and wheat could fall by 10% by 2030, and by up to 37% during the second half of the century.
But the report, compiled by more than 10 government bodies including the ministries of foreign affairs and science and technology, stops short of recommending cuts in China's greenhouse gas output. The report says China should not risk slowing its economic growth by curbing greenhouse gas production.


China is not just producing reports, its also taking some measures (and seeing to it that they get widely publicised!). Through UNDP, China and Norway (the world leader in climate activism and measures) entered an MoU on developing technologies for a sustainable environment. Both the countries would now work on redistribution and more efficient utilization of water and harnessing alternate energy resources.

There was another report somewhere of GM Motors launching cars having fuel cell and hydrogen powered propulsion systems at the Shanghai Car Expo. Although the venture is commercially unviable because of the high costs of lithium powered batteries, GM envisages an increased use of such technologies in the coming years. GM also carried out a feasibility study of the Chinese urban market and hopes to launch such cars in China soon.

Again...what are we Indians doing? I cannot expect the animal obsessed Maneka Gandhi to do something about climate change, but can we expect one more modern Sunderlal Bahuguna? A political initiative is needed here. We have a Ministry for Environment and Forest at whose helm is an insignificant DMK MP called A.Raja (who?) and someone called Namonarain Meena (INC) as a Minister for State. These, I guess, would be people who are happy and satisfied because they have got cars with red beacons and a "Minister" tag worth all its glamor and power. Who the hell would want to care about climate then?

The only thing this Ministry is involved in doing is making assessment reports on how buildings should be constructed, redevelopment plans should be passed or dams and power stations be built. Why do you need guidelines for that when you can bloody grease the palms of the ministers and the bureaucrats and get your work done?