Global warming causes flash floods in Pakistan - People's Daily Online

Global warming causes flash floods in Pakistan - People's Daily Online: "The latest research showed that global warming caused by emission of greenhouse gases in industrial countries was to blame for flash floods which killed over 2,000 people in Pakistan in July and August 2010, environment analysts told Xinhua on Friday.

The worst flood in Pakistan's 63-year history made 20 million people homeless and devastated one-fifth area of the country.

According to sources, the government of Pakistan has planned to turn the tables on cash-rich industrial countries, mainly responsible for greenhouse gases emission, in the United Nations by presenting a linkage between global warming and devastating floods."

Reddy : Incentives for public transport - India News - IBNLive

Reddy : Incentives for public transport - India News - IBNLive: "Noting that the paradox of the urban mobility issue was that everybody agreed in principle but very few implemented it in practice, Reddy said those who drive public policy in India as well as car owners must learn to travel in public transport.
'There is a need for encouraging public transport in Indian cities and states,' he said.
While efforts have been made to make public transport comfortable and enticing, creative imagination needs to be unleashed for popularising public transport and that more Indian states should do this in a more organised manner, he said."

Lokayat: Cars vs. Buses: Do we have a choice any longer?

Lokayat: Cars vs. Buses: Do we have a choice any longer?: "Nature will not give us another chance. There is no choice left for Humanity, but to stop burning of fossil fuels, NOW! among other measures, this demands big investments from the governments of the world in improving the public transport and imposing restrictions on use of private vehicles. Considering the urgency of the problem of global warming, if we don’t take these measures today, tomorrow will be too late."

Car-culture in developed world causes pain in less-developed

World temperature and natural disasters in LDCs, 1960-2009

UNCTAD.ORG >> Press releases >> Study urges scaled-up, improved financing for climate change adaptation in least developed countries: "The report finds that there has been an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in LDCs, with five times as many such incidents occurring from 2000 to 2010 as during the 1970s. During the period 2000-2010, LDCs recorded economic losses totalling $14.1 billion. Within the LDC Group, Bangladesh and Myanmar suffered the greatest economic losses ($5.8 billion and $4.5 billion respectively). Overall, LDCs and small island developing States (SIDS) are among the most susceptible in the world to natural disasters, as a result of which they suffer significant shocks to their economies."

Looking Ahead: Climate Change Likely to Harm Indian Economy by 2030 | Anjali Jaiswal's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

Looking Ahead: Climate Change Likely to Harm Indian Economy by 2030 | Anjali Jaiswal's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC: "While in the U.S. some political leaders unbelievably debate whether climate change is happening, India is looking ahead to how climate change will impact its rapidly growing economy.  India recently released the first-ever scientific study that assessed the impacts of climate change by 2030 on agriculture, health, water and forests and underscores India’s vulnerability to climate change – including extreme drought and monsoons, rapid sea level rise, and fluctuating rice and corn yields. "

-- Press Releases November 2010 - India Steers Full Speed towards Low Carbon Transport - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) --

-- Press Releases November 2010 - India Steers Full Speed towards Low Carbon Transport - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) --: "Launched in New Delhi, Thursday, a new 2.49 million Euros three-year project - funded by the German International Climate Initiative and supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - will support the Indian Government's efforts to align transport growth with the country's climate change agenda and national development plan."

: Bangladesh, India most at risk from climate change

: Bangladesh, India most at risk from climate change: "Bangladesh and India are the countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to an index on Wednesday that rates the Nordic region least at risk."

TH!NK ABOUT IT - CLIMATE CHANGE - blogging competition

TH!NK ABOUT IT - CLIMATE CHANGE - blogging competition: "The human population has doubled twice in last hundred years. One way of saying that is: in only last 100 years there were 4 times as many humans as compared to the total number of human beings till the beginning of 20th century. If that’s scary, Energy consumption by us is doubling 4 times faster than population growth. Number of automobiles is doubling ten times faster than population growth. I find this aspect of growth somewhat ‘demonic’. Our growth, in many ways, is runaway."

Is Public Transport a drain on cities?

Public Transport activists are often told by the local city administration/government that Public Transport is a big problem as it is a drain on the coffers of the city. "Public Transport loses money and the city can't afford to subsidize it beyond a certain extent.

A big lie, because profit and loss from public transport (transit) can't be worked out from fare (ticket ) collection alone. One must quantify the invisible benefits to the city from a well functioning public transport system. Add up the cost of air, soil and noise pollution on the city and health of its citizens, add up the cost of medication to treat respiratory diseases, hypertension, heart disease and even cancers directly or indirectly connected to automobile effluents. Add up the cost of never-ending road construction, flyovers, underpasses, accidents and stress of driving in congestion primarily caused by personal automobiles. Add to this the cost of building parking lots and other infrastructure for the automobile and you'll begin to see the real cost of automobile dominated city planning.

You will then see how much Public Transport users subsidize the city because public transport vehicles cause far less pollution, contribute far less to road congestion and accidents when compared to personal auto vehicles. If more people use public transit the city will be a much better place to live in.

But people won't get out of their personal auto vehicles unless public transit is economical and unless the city puts in place severe constraints (like expensive parking levies, congestion charging and creation of car-free areas). Free Public Transport can thus become an important step to move in this direction.

Sujit Patwardhan
Pune, India
www.parisar.org

Parisar

Parisar: "Parisar organised a national level round-table “The City and the Metro”, held at Yashada, Pune, on 20th and 21st July 2010. Many cities in India are going in for Metro Rail systems in an attempt to address their transportation problems. Such systems are already in operation in Kolkata and Delhi with other cities in the process of building a metro system. In total, India is expected to invest Rs. 2 lakh crores (40 billion dollars) in Metro rail systems over the next 10 years. Presently a public debate is taking place in the city across a variety of issues about the proposed Metro Rail System being considered for Pune."

Arctic ice is NOT recovering - it is diminishing.

In Pictures: Glaciers Melt Away in Everest Region of Nepal

In Pictures: Glaciers Melt Away in Everest Region of Nepal

India Current Affairs � Blog Archive � WHO SHOULD PAY FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT – Prof. K. Nageshwar1

India Current Affairs � Blog Archive � WHO SHOULD PAY FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT – Prof. K. Nageshwar1: "The public transport ��has several advantages apart from providing citizens cheaper, reliable and safe transport. A good city is expected to provide public transport catering to at least 70 percent of its population. Greater use of public transport reduces emission of polluting gases thereby contributing to the fight against global warming. �Public transport buses occupy lesser per capita space on roads, lesser per capita emissions. Thus efficient public transport is a solution for traffic problems, road congestion. Thus, public transport should not be viewed as mere commercial proposition. The concept of profit and loss will not apply for the RTC. In the modern society, transport is a basic right of every citizen. In fact many parts of the world, there are even free public transport models. In these models, passengers need not pay for traveling in buses. The funds required will be mobilized by other means. Even in many advanced capitalist countries which believe only in private sector, citizens are provided cheaper and affordable, efficient public transport."

As humans fight over oil and gas - climate disruption gets worse

Number of homeless rising as floods kill at least 800 in Pakistan: "PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Rescue workers and troops in northwest Pakistan struggled on Saturday to reach thousands of people affected by the country’s worst floods in living memory, as the death toll rose to 800.

The United Nations said almost a million people had been affected by the flooding, and at least 45 bridges destroyed around worst-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province."

More efficient mobility is possible in India - Anant

A lot more efficient mobility is possible by devoting tax funds for free or nearly-free public transit. Several other externalities such as higher pollution, crashes and lost public space could be avoided. Sadly, that is not even an idea in India. Car makers have descended on our country and unleashed an onslaught that promises freedom from rickety public transport options that were designed just after World War II. Car companies have even successfully got cities like Chennai to rip up footpaths in favour of more space for vehicles.

In India's case, all taxpayers are subsidising the rise of cars by sacrificing walking space, opening flyovers, highways and parking spaces, and absorbing the public health costs of accidents mostly out of pocket. Hardly any revenue is being channelled into public transit expansion. -- Anant - commenting on Solar Funds and Auto Subsidy

We agree, mostly. Except two things.

First, it IS an idea in India. Not widespread, but our experience is that with a little advocacy, the idea of free public transport catches on fast. So do not be pessimistic on this item.

Second, there is a huge difference between FREE public transport and Low-Fare public transport. Go HERE to read more by our friend from Sweden on this subject.

Fossil-fuel industry influence gridlocks U.S. Congress

...If you want to understand opposition to climate action, follow the money. The economy as a whole wouldn’t be significantly hurt if we put a price on carbon, but certain industries — above all, the coal and oil industries — would. And those industries have mounted a huge disinformation campaign to protect their bottom lines.

Look at the scientists who question the consensus on climate change; look at the organizations pushing fake scandals; look at the think tanks claiming that any effort to limit emissions would cripple the economy. Again and again, you’ll find that they’re on the receiving end of a pipeline of funding that starts with big energy companies, like Exxon Mobil, which has spent tens of millions of dollars promoting climate-change denial, or Koch Industries, which has been sponsoring anti-environmental organizations for two decades.

Or look at the politicians who have been most vociferously opposed to climate action. Where do they get much of their campaign money? You already know the answer.... NYTimes

Himalayan Glaciers Melting Faster Than Anywhere Else in World; Impact Could Devastate Over 1 Billion People

Himalayan Glaciers Melting Faster Than Anywhere Else in World; Impact Could Devastate Over 1 Billion People: "Himalayan Glaciers Melting Faster Than Anywhere Else in World; Impact Could Devastate Over 1 Billion People
We look at the impact of climate change in the Himalayas region in Asia, where scientists are warning glaciers are receding faster than anywhere else in the world, with the potential to devastate over a billion people. The Himalayan glaciers have been described as the water towers of Asia, as they provide a key source of water to ten major Asian river systems. We speak to the prominent Indian scientist and glaciologist Syed Iqbal Hasnain."

South Asia needs walkability and safety

Air Quality, Climate Change, and Transport: When roads are claiming lives of people: "Walkability is the overall support for the pedestrian environment. This has grown increasingly important as the world urbanizes and motorized modes of transport restrain travel on foot. There are many aspects in the pedestrian environment that contribute to the overall concept of a walkable community. This concern encompasses virtually every aspect of the pedestrian experience. In Kathmandu, walkability is a largely unmeasured and grossly underappreciated component of the urban transportation system.�"

The footprint of the private auto is too big

If slide show is not working click here

Imagine a car-free world!

You don’t need to do that anymore. Welcome to Fazilka, a small 162 year old town on the India-Pakistan border....has removed one source of congestion: cars. Yes, that sounds crazy and shocking but it’s true.

Let’s think about the problem of transport for a while. On one hand is the attraction of convenience. Who wouldn’t want to travel in a luxury car driven by a chauffer who takes you wherever you want to go! Yes, traffic is increasing everyday, particularly in metropolitans, and it’s takes forever to get from anywhere to anywhere but people seem okay with adjusting to that. On the other hand, walking on the pedestals is a nightmare and is not considered as a good option by anyone. Come summer and the scorching heat makes things worse. This has trapped our roads and us into a vicious circle of increasing pollution, congestion and traffic and seems to have no solution.... Acara Institute More on Carbusters

Bangalore - make every day BUS DAY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2010

what is a bus day ? when and who started it?

should BUS Day celebrated only on FEB 4th or every day, a event that was started by BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Cooperation) to encourage people to use public transport and to reduce traffic but unfortunately it failed to get much media attention and did not reach the people making it partially successful event.

though i came to know about it from friend blog and and forwarded emails on feb 3rd but when i googled up i could not find much about this experimental and innovative event promoted by BMTC i think BMTC should have done some home work in promoting this event by joining hands with MNC's and other organizations in spreading the word.

we can see many people on Bangalore roads ride on the luxury cars all alone with AC's on and long distance to office and not even care to turn off the engine at traffic signals some times i think why government should not pass a rule that people should take car or two wheelers only if they are more than one person to commute else pay fine or some kind of tax this i will not only helps in motivating people to take public transport but also helps in reducing traffic on city roads.

while BMTC is motivating people to take bus to commute ever day to reduce traffic on the city roads it should also try to fix the illogical bus stop locations and educate the bus drivers the way they drive and stop the buses in bus stops parallely blocking the entire traffic and also think of placing the bus stops at correct locations instead of near signals, narrow roads, or street ends which makes driving a bad experience for other vehicles

and between this is a nice initiative by BMTC and i think it should not be limited to Bangalore let all the city transport cooperation of india and around the world promote this event next time and if you are a blogger reading this please write about it and if you are regular reader do spread the word.
POSTED BY MANJUNATH AT 11:35 PM

Think BIG -- Ideal city has free public transportation

By living in high density high-rises, we free up space within the city for lush greenery and roads for movement of goods and people. There are no traffic problems because of two factors. First, we have a compact and efficient city. The maximum commute is only 10 kilometers and that too on wide un-congested streets. You can use your bicycle if you don’t wish to take the excellent light-rail free public transportation system. Of course, some people own cars but most don’t because cars cost about five times what they used to cost. They figured out that internalizing the costs of the negative externalities of private cars gives socially optimal results. AtanuDey

Antarctic glacier has passed its tipping point

The game changer that many feared is now unfolding in Antarctica. The Pine Island Glacier (PIG) is poised to suffer catastrophic collapse according to a new study by Richard Katz of the University of Oxford. The largest of the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), PIG has long been the focus of worried scientific attention....

But now with this study, it seems Mr. Katz has identified PIG's tipping point, and unfortunately, it seems, we've past it. DailyKos