Something good from Paris 2015

I have only passed through Paris once, on transit. So all I have from Paris is views of Charles de Gaulle Airport. So whilst waiting at Charles de Gaulle Airport, I sent a message to my wife, Juliet: "Ju, I'm in Paris now". Then this conversation ensued:
Ju: "Bring me something from Paris"
Benji: What do you want from Paris?
Ju: "I just want something good from Paris"

Now Paris has become so regular in my thinking. From 30 November to 11 December, governments of more than 190 nations will gather in Paris to discuss a possible new global agreement on climate change. This makes Paris very important to me as a climate change researcher. This meeting in Paris is seeking to do two main interlinked issues: reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and thus avoiding the threat of dangerous climate change.

In just about 5 years, the world's current commitments on greenhouse gas emissions will run out. Will the meeting at Paris succeed in getting a new and improved agreement on greenhouse gas emissions post 2020? How much should the world agree to cut down on Greenhouse Gas Emissions? What kind of agreement? Will it be an agreement that goes beyond the cameras?

It is estimated that a temperature rise of 2 degrees celsius  above pre-industrial levels will make the world cross a critical threshold beyond which global warming becomes catastrophic and irreversible. The current trend is that the world's emissions are heading for a rise of about 5 degrees celsius. There is every cause concern for any serious-minded person who thinks about this earth

I am not going to Paris for this very important meeting so I have a request for those going to Paris. My dear colleagues going to Paris, I believe you know you carry the aspirations of the whole world with you. The world is looking up to you to get a good deal for us all. You are not doing some people somewhere a favour. You will be helping yourself today, your children and your children's children.

As I was told, I also tell you, "I just want something good from Paris"

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Agriculture and Carbon Emmisions

The climate change debate seems to be loosing sight of some very important factors. It is well accepted that industrialsed countries are the worst offenders when it comes to greenhouse gas emmisions, but to address this issue of emmisions holistically, we need to also pay attention to the many developing countries where slash and burn agriculture is very widespread.

The current practice of land preparation for agriculture in many developing countries where large tracts of vegetation are completely cleared, debris or biomass burnt and land made bare (without any vegetation) before planting has serious implications for the environment in terms of release of carbon into the atmosphere. Usually there is so much focus on the amount of Carbon dioxide released by big industries whilst the world gradually looses sight of the volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases being released through slash and burn practices all over the world. For instance, few people realize that Indonesia is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet, after the United States and China; and 85 percent of Indonesia’s emissions are related to land use: the clearing of land for agriculture and infrastructure, and the burning of forests and peatlands.

Carbon dioxide (77%), nitrous oxide (8%), and methane (14%) are the three main greenhouse gases that trap infrared radiation and contribute to climate change and all these gases can be released through improper land management and agricultural practices. If we are serious about really mitigating climate change then our debate should not only focus on big industries. The earth is what we have and we must do all we can to secure it for the future.

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