Even as you read this over 5 million people have been left homeless in the aftermath of floods in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The colossal loss for both states is being estimated at an unbelievable 32,000 crore rupees! At the same time India is reporting a shortfall of 20 million tonnes in its rice production this year due to droughts in some parts of the country.
Millions of people are being rendered homeless by the impacts of a changing climate
These enormous damages to life, property and food security due to the erratic weather will only get worse if we do not take a stand against Climate Change NOW!!!
This December world leaders will meet at Copenhagen, Denmark to make decisions that will change the future of this planet. We need agreement on a global plan that will save our future, and towards this, India should put on the table its plan to reduce its future emissions.
Some feel that climate change has been caused by the West, who are historically the largest contributor to green house gases in the atmosphere, and it should be their responsibility to solve the problem.
But what we are failing to see, is that, amid all this debate on justice and responsibilities, the planet, our only home, is at stake. The very existence of billions of people is being threatened!
It is up to India to take leadership and shame the so called "developed" world, and show them the way to take on this massive crisis that is staring us in the face - we must disinvest from climate-killing coal power plants and switch to renewable power like wind and solar energy.
This way we will be able to achieve equitable development for India in a way that is sustainable and doesn't hurt the planet.
Take action: write to Dr. Manmohan Singh to let him know that he must go to Copenhagen and push an ambitious, binding and equitable deal.
Stand up and be counted now. The stakes are too high for us not to act.
