Home or hotel?

That average global temperatures on the rise won’t suddenly stop despite any measures taken is pretty well known to those following the climate change issue. Now, Australian and US scientists in a study just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reaffirm that up to half of the planet would become uninhabitable by the 2300s with an average global temperature rise of 21.6 degrees Fahrenheit. No need to mention that most species on the planet will not survive with most regions turning into deserts. (Global average temperatures comprise the sum of increases and decreases in different regions.)

That’s another 8-10 generations down the line, so why should we bother? That could well be the unsaid comment by anyone reading this. True. It is only if we care about what we leave behind that we will do anything about it. Pretty much like the way many of us use a hotel service – on the day we leave, we are not really bothered about the mess we leave behind. This is not the attitude we observe at home.

So, do we treat the planet as our home or a hotel?

India has meanwhile announced plans to set up a climate adaptation fund to assist South Asian countries to adapt to the challenges of the changing climate. At the 16th South Asian Association on Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held recently at Thimphu, Bhutan with its theme ‘Towards a Green and Happy South Asia’, the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh spoke of the ‘India Endowment for Climate Change in South Asia’ fund as a ‘gift’ to the member nations. He also proposed to set up regional climate innovation centres in South Asia in order to stimulate research and development in clean and sustainable energy technologies.

That is the way ahead. The wealthy nations will have to lead the way and share the spoils for global good. Or else, nobody will be willing to change their polluting lifestyles.