Fare-Free India

Bangalore provides teaser to Chennai Metro Station access problems | Straphangers United

2012-01-06T06:57:00.000+05:30

Bangalore provides teaser to Chennai Metro Station access problems | Straphangers United: "This is the situation we predict for Chennai too, when the ambitious multi-billion dollar Metro Rail begins operations. Indian cities are keen to spend a lot of money on massive facilities, without factoring-in the needs of the people who will use them."

'via Blog this'

Is Public Transport a drain on cities?

2011-11-16T07:43:00.001+05:30

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

2018 Commonwealth Games with be the [free] Public Transport Games

2011-11-07T20:02:00.000+05:30

November 6 - The Hambantota 2018 bid team have revealed that 100 per cent of spectators attending a potential Commonwealth Games in the Sri Lankan city will arrive at the competition venues by public transport, which would be made free for all ticket holders
http://www.insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2018/14720-one-hundred-per-cent-of-hambantota-promise-2018-be-qpublic-transport-gamesqspectators-to-arrive-at-venues-by-free-public-transport-for-ticket-holders-reveal-hambantota-2018-bid-team

gulfnews : Free Public Transport Day in Dubai hailed a success

2011-11-04T13:44:00.001+05:30

Commuters opt for public buses at Satwa bus station. There was a huge increase in passengers on Public Transport Day in Dubai on Tuesday.

gulfnews : Free Public Transport Day in Dubai hailed a success: "Dubai: Free Public Transport Day marked on Tuesday saw a 34 per cent increase in the number of passengers as 693,221 people used public transport compared to 515,828 on the same day last year, a senior RTA official has revealed.
The figure is the highest number of people ever to use public transport in a single day in Dubai.
Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said the numbers using Dubai Metro, public buses and water buses on Free Public Transport Day fulfilled the purpose of the initiative and hailed it as a success."

'via Blog this'

Arab Emirates investing big in public #transit

2011-10-01T13:48:00.000+05:30

Sharjah Transport on a makeover trip: "SHARJAH - Sharjah Transport has embarked on an ambitious plan to improve its public transport services, including introducing electronic tracking system, building shaded bus stops and starting or rationalising bus routes."

'via Blog this'

Two million sick from Pakistan floods -- Earth Changes -- Sott.net

2011-09-23T05:20:00.000+05:30

Two million sick from Pakistan floods -- Earth Changes -- Sott.net: "Two million Pakistanis have fallen ill from diseases since monsoon rains left the southern region under several feet of water, the country's disaster authority said Thursday. "

'via Blog this'

New Study: Indian Cities Score Low in Walkability Ratings | TheCityFix

2011-09-21T12:54:00.001+05:30

Lack of pedestrian facilities in Indian cities lead to low walkability scores and points to the urgency with which policies must address this neglect. Photo by Satish Krishnamurthy.

New Study: Indian Cities Score Low in Walkability Ratings | TheCityFix: "“Indian cities were built for walking and cycling. However, rapid motorization combined with limited attention to pedestrian facilities has inadvertently resulted in a decrease in the overall mode share for non-motorized transport. Strategies must be incorporated in order for people to reclaim the urban environment overrun by motor vehicles. Policies and investments provide an impetus to transform Indian cities, encourage pedestrianization and allow people to enjoy better mobility and quality of life.”"

'via Blog this'

Not all public transit is equal

2011-09-11T22:57:00.000+05:30

Straphangers United: "How is that swanky Japanese Metro and Monorail trains to be built at a cost of more than 5 billion dollars in Chennai will co-exist with another set of urban train systems that have filthy station approaches – literally filled with human excrement?"

'via Blog this'

Invest 1% GDP to Improve Public Transport - southindia - Andhra Pradesh - ibnlive

2011-09-09T13:23:00.000+05:30

Invest 1% GDP to Improve Public Transport - southindia - Andhra Pradesh - ibnlive: "PUDUCHERRY:� The government needs to invest at least one percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in public transport systems to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and reduce emission of green house gases (GHG) to create sustainable cities, said Peter Head, director of Arup.
Speaking at a workshop on ‘Regenerative Townships of Tomorrow’, organised at Auroville on Thursday, he said such a measure would reduce GHG by 78 per cent. “Costs of mitigation of around 1% of GDP are small relative to the costs and relative to the risks of climate change that will be avoided,” Peter� said"

'via Blog this'

Public transport must be made free for everyone

2011-09-06T14:24:00.000+05:30

The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : How free bus passes are being misused: "R. Balasubramanian, a former Managing Director of MTC, says: “Electronic ticketing and smartcards could solve much of the problem as MTC moved away from the token system to avoid printing costs. Public transport must also be made free for everyone and it must be subsidised through a combination of Central and State government assistance. In most U.S. cities, 65 per cent of the public transit expenditure is federally funded. Schemes such as JNNURM must be a continuous process, instead of a one-time grant.”"

'via Blog this'

Students 'free ride' agitation to stall city buses today - The Times of India

2011-08-02T15:50:00.000+05:30

Students 'free ride' agitation to stall city buses today - The Times of India: "BHUBANESWAR: The city bus service in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri is likely to be paralysed on Tuesday with the student wing of Congress threatening to stall the public transport system to press for their demand of 'free rides' in the vehicles.

The 'green rider' buses were stalled for a few hours on Monday as well with hundreds of students of Utkal University and various city-based colleges staging sit-ins at several places in Bhubaneswar. No such strike was reported in Cuttack, though some students staged demonstrations at Pipili in Puri district, affecting the bus service."

Global study reveals climate peril for millions of poor | Reuters

2011-06-13T06:56:00.000+05:30

Eight-year-old Ali Asghar waits for customers as he sells roasted corn at a makeshift stall in Abbottabad May 18, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Akhtar Soomro

Global study reveals climate peril for millions of poor | Reuters: "(Reuters) - Millions of people already living in poverty are on a collision course with hotter and more variable weather that threatens crop yields and livestock, a global study on climate change 'hotspots' has found."

Nuclear Plants = Compulsory genetic engineering while energy is being wasted in traffic jams.

2011-04-03T23:24:00.001+05:30

source: http://www.time2news.com

Fukushima lessons « LOKAYAT: "And then Cesium 137, it’s half life is 30 years. It lasts for 600 years. The same with Strontium 90, and I could go on and on down the Periodic Table of the list of all the elements. This is on-going. And not what’s more, if a man’s genes mutated in his testicles by plutonium, which has a particular predilection for testicles, then the genes, the damaged genes transmit it generation to generation, while the plutonium lives on. And if the man gets cremated, it can be inhaled by another man and get into his testicles ad infinitum.
So you can see an exponential increase in genetic disease. There are now 2,600 such diseases like Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, dwarfism, and the like. My specialty is Cystic Fibrosis. And they will increase in frequency down the generations, and that’s the legacy we leave: random compulsory genetic engineering for the rest of time."

India's crops affected by erratic climate - UPI.com

2011-02-05T11:46:00.000+05:30

India's crops affected by erratic climate - UPI.com: "NEW DELHI, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- A number of India's key crops are experiencing the effects of climate change, experts say.

H Pathak, an investigator with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute's Climate Change Challenge Program, said global warming isn't limited to a rise in average temperatures."

The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : Free public transport makes sense

2011-01-25T07:15:00.000+05:30

The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : Free public transport makes sense: "Since the benefits of public transit are broader than are apparent with strict financial book-keeping, is there a rationale for universal free public transport?

Can Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses be made completely free for everyone to use? The idea might sound utopian, but experts point out that there is sound logic behind offering free public transit."

Cold weather kills more in northern India - Yahoo! News

2011-01-11T12:54:00.001+05:30

AP – An Indian man takes a nap in the sun as pigeons fly around him on a cold day in New Delhi, India, Friday, …
Cold weather kills more in northern India - Yahoo! News: "LUCKNOW, India – Near-freezing temperatures have killed more than two dozen people in northern India in recent days despite government efforts to distribute blankets and medicine to the poor, an official and a news report said.
In worst-hit Uttar Pradesh state, at least 22 people — many of them homeless — died over the past three days, pushing the death toll from two weeks of cold weather to 63, Ram Mohan Srivastav, a top government official, said Saturday."

Nepal Has 11 Hour Blackouts as Climate Change Dries up its Rivers – CleanTechnica: Cleantech innovation news and views

2011-01-08T11:51:00.000+05:30

Nepal Has 11 Hour Blackouts as Climate Change Dries up its Rivers – CleanTechnica: Cleantech innovation news and views: "The state-run Nepal Electricity Authority has had to cut power for 11 hours a day beginning this week, because river water levels have dropped dramatically, according to AllHeadlineNews.

With its steep terrain topped by glaciers, Nepal has the greatest hydro power potential in the world, at 84,000 megawatts. To date, only a small portion of that has been developed, 600 megawatts – enough to serve a small population who live a much less energy-intensive life than people in the US.

But, with warming, over the last few years, Nepal’s glaciers have already been retreating."

India's hidden climate change catastrophe - Climate Change, Environment - The Independent

2011-01-03T01:21:00.000+05:30

ABBIE TRAYLOR-SMITH

Sugali Nagamma holds a portrait of her husband,

who killed himself by swallowing pesticide in front of her

India's hidden climate change catastrophe - Climate Change, Environment - The Independent: "Naryamaswamy Naik went to the cupboard and took out a tin of pesticide. Then he stood before his wife and children and drank it. 'I don't know how much he had borrowed. I asked him, but he wouldn't say,' Sugali Nagamma said, her tiny grandson playing at her feet. 'I'd tell him: don't worry, we can sell the salt from our table.'
Ms Nagamma, 41, showed us a picture of her husband – good-looking with an Elvis-style hairdo – on the day they married a quarter of a century ago. 'He'd been unhappy for a month, but that day he was in a heavy depression. I tried to take the tin away from him but I couldn't. He died in front of us. The head of the family died in front of his wife and children – can you imagine?'"

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

2010-12-19T04:31:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-07T06:38:00.000+05:30

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?

2010-12-03T05:45:00.000+05:30

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

2010-12-01T05:34:00.000+05:30

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

2010-11-25T06:48:00.000+05:30

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) --

2010-11-14T02:48:00.001+05:30

-- 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

2010-10-23T22:03:00.000+05:30

: 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

2010-10-09T08:26:00.000+05:30

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?

2010-10-04T00:18:00.002+05:30

Parisar

2010-10-04T00:00:00.001+05:30

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.

2010-09-30T20:14:00.003+05:30

In Pictures: Glaciers Melt Away in Everest Region of Nepal

2010-08-24T06:13:00.004+05:30

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

2010-08-07T04:06:00.000+05:30

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

2010-08-01T23:32:00.000+05:30

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

2010-07-27T19:24:00.001+05:30

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

2010-07-26T21:46:00.003+05:30

...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

2010-07-16T06:52:00.000+05:30

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

2010-07-14T17:09:00.000+05:30

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

2010-03-31T19:59:00.002+05:30

If slide show is not working click here

Imagine a car-free world!

2010-03-23T20:55:00.000+05:30

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

2010-02-15T15:10:00.009+05:30

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

2010-01-26T19:56:00.002+05:30

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

2010-01-16T19:53:00.000+05:30

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

What have we done to our home?

2009-12-30T21:07:00.000+05:30

George Monbiot on Copenhagen bickering

2009-12-19T03:51:00.000+05:30

...Even before this new farce began it was beginning to look as if it might be too late to prevent two or more degrees of global warming. The nation states, pursuing their own interests, have each been passing the parcel of responsibility since they decided to take action in 1992. We have now lost 17 precious years, possibly the only years in which climate breakdown could have been prevented. This has not happened by accident: it is the result of a systematic campaign of sabotage by certain states, driven and promoted by the energy industries. This idiocy has been aided and abetted by the nations characterised, until now, as the good guys: those that have made firm commitments, only to invalidate them with loopholes, false accounting and outsourcing. In all cases immediate self-interest has trumped the long-term welfare of humankind. Corporate profits and political expediency have proved more urgent considerations than either the natural world or human civilisation. Our political systems are incapable of discharging the main function of government: to protect us from each other....Guardian via CommonDreams

Climate Change and Transport in India: Initiatives and experience

2009-12-14T21:46:00.005+05:30

Climate Change and Transport in India: Initiatives and experience

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