Urgent attention needed for climate change and global warming

Colvin Jayaweera

Today climate change by virtue of the dangers it entails takes precedence over other matters on the agenda of international forums.

Nearly 200 nations met in the Mexican city of Cancum and deliberated on global warming and climate change. Meetings at Rio, Kyoto, Copenhagen and Doha did not help in resolving divergent views.

Weather patterns are subject to drastic change and cause colossal loss and damage to life and property worldwide. The increase of carbon emissions has gone on unabated. Even sophisticated equipment makes it difficult to make accurate readings and predictions due to the vagaries of the weather which alternates between prolonged droughts and heavy downpours.

Human activities have contributed in no small measure to this desperate and dismal situation. Natural disasters lead to calamities never reported, recorded or witnessed hitherto.

Heavy rainfall, flash floods landslides, mudslides, volcanic activity, avalanches, hurricane, tsunami, typhoons, tornadoes, earthquakes and cyclonic storms have left in its wake extensive damage to homes, collapsed buildings crops and farm land and human carnage. Volcanoes that have been dormant for over 100 years have erupted particularly in Indonesia, Finland and the Philippines. Usually heavy rainfall has been recorded in several nations of the Asian region.

In Myanmar, floods damaged over 3,000 hectares of crops and inundated many regions causing misery and hardship to people displaced from homes.

In Malaysia's North East floods affected 3 villages causing severe hazards and disrupting communication. In North East Philippines typhoon "Megi" picking up speeds of 225 KPH lashed the region bringing community life to a standstill. The worst storm in 5 years was experienced in Southern Russia.

Ukraine also experienced floods and landslides. In Cambodia floods caused damage estimated at a cost of 70 million US Dollars. In Thailand 29 provinces were under floods with waters even reaching the capital Bangkok. It was the worst floods with in 50 years.

Reports from other nations are as disconcerting and dismal.

In the South African nation of Benin 100,000 were removed to safer areas over 60 died in the rapids after continuous rain. Wells were contaminated causing an outbreak of Cholera. Several such cases and over 1,700 deaths were reported from Haiti, which was devastated by a massive earthquake. Hurricane "Tomas" aggravated the situation in Peru landslides resulted from a dam burst and water flowed on to roads a metre deep.

In Costirica landslides caused damage to several houses and over 20 died in floods after heavy rains. Colombia recently witnessed the worst weather in 60 years. Mongolia reported heavy snowfall the worst in 15 years. Roads were impassable. European countries faced similar situations with several vehicles crashing and many abandoned on roads.

Heavy snowfalls are reported in Moscow, Mexico, Brazil, Canada and several European countries torrential rain has inundated several houses in the United Kingdom particularly in South, West and North London.

International conferences have discussed the scale and magnitude of natural disasters, the need for swift collective, coordinated action and steps to prevent any escalation of the already precarious situation. Icebergs in the Northern Artic are crumbling leading to a rise in sea levels and threatening the existence of wildlife as polar bears.

The Rio consensus, Kyoto protocols and Copenhagen gathering highlighted the immediate issues and the urgency for the adoption of concrete practical measures as time is fast running out.

In Sri Lanka the problems regarding global warming and climate change are surfacing with ominous signs of impending natural disasters. The forest cover which was over 50% 20 years ago has declined to below 20%. The depletion of the forest cover is considered alarming. The denudation of forests, pollution of the environment and haphazard development has threatened several species of fauna and flora. Encroachment of their natural habitat by the establishment of villages has led to a conflict between these communities occupying such land and animals damaging crops particularly elephants. Most areas are demarcated reservations. What is needed to resolve these issues is a comprehensive study of the manifold complex problems and a rational approach and remedial measures to totally eliminate them. The causes leading to a further deterioration, degradation and destruction of the environment which will if unchecked lead to serious repercussions. Poaching and illicit trading of tusks need heavier and severe penalties.

In Sri Lanka rainfall has intensified and flash floods have been witnessed and experienced in many cities causing disruption to traffic, rendering thousands homeless, damage to houses and crops, and inundating low-lying areas. Poor drainage, reclamation of marshy land and slums has aggravated the situation.

Water retention areas need to be protected and sustained; floods and landslides have been reported in 12 districts which have experienced rains and floods for which a commission has been appointed to work out the details. Landslides have caused extensive damage to houses the Disaster Management Centre has taken steps to provide food, medical and other assistance to over Rs 250,000 islandwide especially in the severely affected areas. Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Matara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Badulla, Rathnapura, Puttalam and several other areas like Northern and Eastern have been adversely affected by inclement weather. The illicit felling of trees, removals of sand from rivers have added to the damage. It is time for the authorities to act speedily before further devastation leads to disastrous consequences.

It is also necessary to spread out disaster management programming and relief mechanisms to areas which are not accessible during such eventualities. Recent disasters have been reported in many countries due to unexpected and heavy rain falls. These include Russia, China, Thailand and Philippines. Several South American countries have been effected such as "Mexico" and Brazil. Several Asian countries also recorded unusual showers rendering several homeless.

Hundreds of houses were devastated in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and Pakistan. Unless these issues are resolved without delay and corrective steps are taken the financial outlay on reconstruction and rehabilitation will be a burden to many nations and will retard development and delay poverty alleviation and increase expenditure on structural adjustment programmes.

The recently concluded international conference in Doha ended without any tangible results or an action plan. The countries recording a high percentage of carbon emissions such as the US, Japan, India and China did not ratify any commitment on reduction but stated that by 2020, there would be a cut back on such emissions in a substantial way.

In Sri Lanka a high pressure build up particularly in the bay of Bengal leads frequently to heavy rain and gale force winds. Several houses have been damaged in Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Matale, Kandy and Hatton is imperative for a coordinated plan to be implemented without delay.

Ministries such as Agriculture, Environment, Irrigation, Disaster Management, Science and Technology and related agencies should jointly evolve an action plan to meet contingencies and also implement a long-term plan to minimize the adverse effects of climate change. Re-forestation, flood control measure, protection of mangroves marshes and watershed areas should receive due attention. Construction of houses and new buildings should be strictly supervised and land reclamation for development should be properly assessed. Unless early action is taken to prevent the wanton destruction of natural reserves, forests and waterways, the frequency of national disasters will increase and the outlook will be ominous and results disastrous.