Climate change in the news

ASIA: "Kashmir's environment: How green was my valley? Climate change will only intensify problems in Kashmir," The Economist, 25 October 2008.

ASIA: "Water in Australia: The dry last ditch; A controversial plan to save Australia's largest river system," The Economist, 25 October 2008.

There is a big glacier whose melting defines Kashmir's greenery, a prime reason why India and Pakistan have long fought over the place.

But so long as both sides prefer to fight over the land versus deal with this emerging reality, the place is somewhat doomed.

Speaking of another apparently doomed place, Queensland in SE Australia continues to suffer its mega-drought, leading the gov there to buy up water entitlement rights from local farmers and ranchers--in effect, de-agriculturizing the river basin.

Yet another reason why Russia matters to our collective global future.

Comments

[David Stewart]

Ahem, Queensland is usually regarded as in NE (not SE) Australia. The northernmost point of Australia is in Queensland. Admittedly the capital Brisbane of Queensland is about the mid-point in latitude.

The problems of the Murray-Darling basin have been known for some time. A little over a decade ago, an algal bloom in the river combined with low rainfall made the river water undrinkable and unusable for most purposes. Also, a lot of the farmers in the area grow cotton, a thirsty crop. I am pleased that the Aussie gov't has decided to start buying up water rights.

[Michael]

It occurs to me that this could improve the standing of the separatists--fighting with your neighbors while the object of your desires withers away doesn't exactly make you look like a good custodian.