by V. Kumar

Created on: April 06, 2008   Last Updated: August 13, 2008

Ironically, the worst culprits of global climate change are the larger countries, while the worst affected are the smallest ones who hardly have a say in determining their own fate!

While the world fights and fumes over the question of sharing responsibility and cost, and while the politicians display their usual grit in creating noise and blocking action, there are several initiatives being taken by the people, within and outside the governments in developing countries that try to improve things.

ONGOING EFFORTS BY LARGE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO PREVENT EMISSIONS

The larger countries contribute the maximum to the climate change, but they also have the best opportunities to prevent it. Many of them have taken initiatives to slow down green house gas emissions. Brazil has successfully developed a bio-fuel economy that has replaced gas with ethanol to a large extent. China, the greatest offender in terms of emission has been the first to introduce the concept of 'green GDP.'

While the GDP of China grew by around four times during the last two decades, its energy consumption has only doubled, thanks mainly to increasing energy efficiency. The concept of 'Green GDP' prevents its overzealous regional governments from sacrificing environment for the sake of economy. In India, some of the best results have come as a result of pro-active judiciary, which, with an iron hand, has enforced energy efficiency standards for vehicles in large cities and single-handedly enforced better technology that prevents carbon emissions. India has also made great strides in developing wind as a major source of renewable energy. Mexico, the first oil producing country to accept Kyoto Protocol, has shifted to natural gas as a cleaner energy. All these initiatives are helping but a lot more needs to be done.

PREPARATIONS BY SMALL COUNTRIES TO DEAL WITH IMPENDING IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

It is the smaller countries, typically with large coastal territories, and islands, that face the brunt of climate change, in the form of more frequent cyclones, heavy rainfalls and floods, submergence of their territories in rising sea water levels, and destruction of crops leading to famines and food shortages.

Even though we are far from prepared as yet, but thankfully, several beginnings have been made to make people and communities prepared for situations they are likely to face sooner or later. The major initiatives include soil conservation, crop rotation and diversification with introduction of new saline

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