Issue

There are few things in the modern world that are as widely destructive and ever growing as global warming (otherwise known as climate change). As a global, anthropogenic  issue, it is no great surprise that India is seeing climate change’s effects more and more. UN Climate Change Chief, Rajendra Pachauri, went on to explain that pollution levels in cities, like New Dehli, are even worse than originally anticipated. He went on to say, “Frankly I have to look at the numbers to be able to comment. All I can say it is getting progressively worse,” referencing that it is not just the large cities like New Delhi but also secondary cities like Ludhiana. The types of pollution includes air , soil, and water as well as many others. Air pollution has spiked beyond record high levels. This unprecedented rise in air pollutants is directly caused by the increased populations’ use of nonrenewable energy sources, largely coal and oil, and the emissions produced by said energy sources.

Moving Forward

This global problem cannot be solved by only one country or even one continent. It will take the general masses to come together to stop the madness that makes up our international leadership. The first steps must be taken by not only India, but also leading European and American countries to dramatically increase renewable energy research and development. We need to move away from coal and oil all together; there is no such thing as “clean” coal and India is seeing the results of believing the contrary. Climate change is a problem of the Industrialized World that needs both hemispheres to solve, but some entity needs to take the lead and with India being affected more and more it seems that they will have to if no one else will.

[Image Attribute: Flickr]