Climate change: India faces rough ride

[dArKeR]

Global climate change is likely to result in severe droughts and floods in the world's biggest democracy, with major impacts on human health and food supplies, according to India's report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

And India is not alone, according to other reports available on the Science and Development Network. An earlier UN report from Namibia predicts "extreme" impacts on water, fish stocks and agriculture in Southern Africa, resulting in economic hardship, food security problems, social conflict, displacement and increased disease.

By drying up major river basins and altering rainfall patterns, global warming will significantly affect agriculture and forestry, threatening livelihoods and food security, says the latest report, released by India's new Environment Minister, A Raja.

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=118466

There is NO Democracy on Earth. Nothing but two or three candidates controlled and slave puppets to either corporations, weathly 'democratic' crime families, or secret intelligence organizations. No body academic believes this publised 'democracy' crap.


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Urge to drop democracy grows in Latin America






NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE , Ilave, Peru

On a morning in April, people in this normally placid spot in Peru's southeastern highlands burst into a Town Council meeting, grabbed their mayor, dragged him through the streets and lynched him. The killers, convinced the mayor was on the take and angry that he had neglected pledges to pave a highway and build a market for vendors, also badly beat four councilmen.

The beating death of the mayor may seem like an isolated incident in an isolated Peruvian town but it is in fact a specter haunting elected officials across Latin America. A kind of toxic impatience with democratic process has seeped into the region's political discourse, even a thirst for mob rule that has put leaders on notice.

In the last few years, six elected heads of state have been ousted in the face of violent unrest, something nearly unheard of in the previous decade. A widely noted UN survey of 19,000 Latin Americans in 18 countries in April produced a startling result: A majority would choose a dictator over an elected leader if that provided economic benefits.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/06/2...

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http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/photo/2004/06/28/2...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=650806

[physioex]

1. As far a democracy goes...

It can't work in poor countries. What is the point of democracy when you don't have food, shelter, and clothing. Then you need other infrastructure like roads, schools, communications, and hospitals. There is no need for democracy in a country like Afghanistan. I don't understand why the US insists that this is so necessary...

[Concordance]

2. India indeed...

This does not bode well for India. If there is one country that is so unprepared to deal with the climate changes that are almost certainly going to increase in intensity in the follow decades, it IS India. This is a country where poverty, disease, and crime flourish. Corruption is widespread at all levels of government. Internal strife between more than dozen major and dozens of minor political parties is tearing the country apart. Numerous idealogical and religious differences and "difficulties" among the population that speaks more than 20 different languages and sub-dialects is not helping either.

I mean look at the difference between China and India. Look at the way China handled SARS. Just think what would have happened if SARS epidemic erupted in rural India. Yup, not a pretty picture.

[Manix]

3. ..Welcome to DU!!

[Concordance]

4. Thank you.

Glad to be here.

[Aidoneus]

5. or think of Bangladesh

150 million people in a place about the size of Iowa, floods regularly even under the best of conditions.

[Concordance]

7. Even worse for India...

Even worse for India, when you think about it. The gigantic political tensions intermixed with monolithic ideologies which belong to the 18th century rather than 21st are not helpful. Also, think about the impact 20 years from now, when most of the American industry and commercial production base will be located either in India, China, Indonesia, or East Europe. (whatever is left of it by then) Think what effect an epidemic, massive flooding, or several years of harsh droughts would do to an obviously nearly-anarchic Indian society. And what effect would it have economically on United States. Exactly! China or Indonesia on other hand are way more stable, better structured, both culturally and economically to survive and deal with such circumstances.

India was a bad investment 20 years ago, is now, and will be 20 years from now.

[Aidoneus]

8. right..

the social, and thus political, after-effects themselves there would be massive. I was thinking just in physical terms, it being amplified in the compacted space.

[Concordance]

9. Bangladesh?

Bangladesh? Not as nearly problematic as India. Especially in economic terms for the rest of the planet. Especially for nations heavily investing into India. (US?) Bangladesh has neither the ethnic, religious, or political strife India has. Well, not nearly close to the amounts India does. Nor does it have India's enemies. China, and Pakistan come to mind. Relations between India and Russia have cooled since the end of cold war, which does not help matters in any way, considering Russia was a prime ally of India throughout the latter part of 20th century. India is very isolated at this moment. Also, 150 million is not even close to the billion large Indian population which is predicted to reach at least a generous 1.4 billion by 2025. Population problem is one of the most taboo subjects in Indian politics and politicians avoid it mentioning at all costs. (aside from few lone voices) Speaking of population problems, China has been working and planning on population management since 1970s. Chinese have made some great moves in that arena.

[Bhaisahab]

11. you're right..

...about the ills afflicting india, but trust me, we are innovative people who are realizing the futility of relying on corrupt governments to deliver us from pandemics and climate changes. these days, people here take their own initiatives, with assistance from NGOs, to prepare for the future. you can find some novel ideas in these pages

[Concordance]

6. The Monroe Doctrine...

After two hundred years of Monroe doctrine the south America has had enough? Wasn't a big part of Monroe Doctrine about transforming south America into a flourishing and economically rich continent? What happened? The streets of Sao Paolo speak differently. Heh. This is what Iraqis can look forward to. Two hundred years of inaction and half-assed plans.

[dArKeR]

10. Urge to drop democracy grows in Latin America

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/06/28/2003176910

I broke off the link. Actually I hadn't noticed that copy and paste links from the DU don't work.