Global warming

Global Warming

Global warming and the consequential climate change is one of the prominent issues which I have mentioned in my story ‘Yathni’s Travel to Kailash’.

In the month of August in 2013, the then Prime Minister of India dedicated to the nation the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited’s second unit at Tiruchirapalli and Piping Plant in Thirumayam near Pudukottai. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Manmohan Singh said that in our country, more than 50 percent of power comes from coal-based generation, which is a major emitter of greenhouse gases. Praising Bharat Heavy Electricals for taking initiatives for the development of ultra super critical technology in line with our mission for deployment of clean coal technologies, he said that India is among the countries that would be most seriously impacted by the consequences of climate change and that we need to develop ways and means to reduce our carbon foot-print through technological innovation.

But, the more interesting news which I read at that time was the one that was published in various newspapers during that period about the studies conducted by the researchers from University of California, Berkeley. It was stated that the researchers analyzed 60 studies on climate change, ultimately concluding that Earth is expected to warm by 2 degrees Celsius by 2050 and that more human conflict is a likely outcome of increased climate change. It is said that the researchers explored the connection between weather and violence in various parts of the world from about 10,000 BCE to the present day to calculate the risk that violence would rise under hotter and wetter conditions. They say that the rise in temperatures and precipitation is likely to result in more personal violence and social upheaval.

Is the reason for human conflict solely due to climate change?

The study says that while climate is not the sole or primary cause of violence, it undeniably exacerbates existing social and interpersonal tension in all societies, regardless of wealth or stability.

I wonder as to whether instead of global warming affecting human behaviour, can human behaviour arrest global warming? Can we say that if positive traits of human behaviour like love, compassion, ahimsa, contentment etc are nurtured, we may not destroy forests and lakes, pollute rivers and abuse nature thereby preventing global warming?

Can it be the otherway round?