So says Jeremy Carl in a well articulated piece on how there is a big windfall for India in health of the Himalayas and women and children by managing its smoke in the kitchen better. Says Jeremy, a research fellow at Penn University, “black carbon stays in the atmosphere for weeks as opposed to decades like CO2, “controlling it could be the fastest way to slow down global warming in the near future.” The article also states that India has a great opportunity in this area. Along with China, India is the world’s largest emitter of black carbon and the greatest reduction solution for black carbon emissions remains in cooking stoves. This will also reap a domestic benefit as it will reduce the problem of indoor and local air pollution caused from traditional cooking stoves & fuels that contributes to premature deaths of hundreds and thousands of Indians each year.”
Black carbon is second only to Carbon Dioxide as a cause of climate change – accounting for one fifth of ‘observed global warming.’
Clearly, there is much India can do in Copenhagen beyond its well established position on climate change, one that will take care of both lives and the depressing sight of fast melting glaciers. As Jeremy notes, “There is no regime currently in place to deal with black carbon internationally, but by getting out in front of this issue, India can show the international climate change community that it is serious about contributing solutions rather than just rhetoric. “
However, what is probably a good to remember is that addressing the issue of smoke in the kitchen is an important end in itself and should not necessarily be subject to global trade-offs on climate change, as Jeremy makes a point of, given the large number of deaths we are talking about.
Black carbon is second only to Carbon Dioxide as a cause of climate change – accounting for one fifth of ‘observed global warming.’
Clearly, there is much India can do in Copenhagen beyond its well established position on climate change, one that will take care of both lives and the depressing sight of fast melting glaciers. As Jeremy notes, “There is no regime currently in place to deal with black carbon internationally, but by getting out in front of this issue, India can show the international climate change community that it is serious about contributing solutions rather than just rhetoric. “
However, what is probably a good to remember is that addressing the issue of smoke in the kitchen is an important end in itself and should not necessarily be subject to global trade-offs on climate change, as Jeremy makes a point of, given the large number of deaths we are talking about.
