Climate Talks Hit Slow Burn

With scientist and government officials from more than 100 countries locking horns over the latest UN report on how to combat rising temperatures.For the 24 page report to be considered valid,it must be unanimously approved.

The draft suggest reducing emissions can be done with minimal cost to the global economy, environmental activist.Key is quick action,but China is threatening to spoil any celebrations.They have raised about 1500 amendments whutich risk bogging down to talks,a senior delegate at the Bangkok meeting said.China has demanded a last-minute insertion of a paragraph blaming industrialized nations for most of the grennhouse  gas emission in the atmosphere.But they do not want a statement that also says that the proportion is declining,they only want one that is favourable to them.

Some scientist will be hoping these delays won’t cut into time set aside for health issues.They already have a lot of evidence about the impact on non human systems,but they know that public health is also at risk from climate change.

The Paddy fields  like Thailand hide a more unlikely troublemaker-rice.Methane is emitted from the flooded paddy fields,just like that from car exhaust or coal burning.The UN draft concludes that rice was a major cause of rising methane levels in the 20th century.The bacteria that thrive in the sodden paddies methane through the decomposing manure used as a shining example.A 2005 study by US scientists showed that while China produces a third of the world’s rice,paddies had shrunk by 24 million acres in the past decade as farmers shifted to other crops.

Nitrogen based fertilizer has also replaced manure and Chinese farmers are using less water on crops.Unfortunately,few other Asian countries have thus far followed China’s lead.