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Category: Environment

  • Pressing need to address climate change: Dalai Lama to Joe Biden

    Pressing need to address climate change: Dalai Lama to Joe Biden

    Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday congratulated Joe Biden on his election as the next President of the US, saying climate change is indeed pressing.

    “As you may be aware,” he wrote in a letter to to the President-elect, adding: “I have long been an admirer of the US as the anchor of liberty, democracy, religious freedom and the rule of law.”

    “Humanity places great hope in the democratic vision and leadership of the US as leader of the free world. Particularly in these challenging times, I hope you will be able to contribute to shaping a more peaceful world in which people suffering poverty and injustice find relief.

    “The need to address these issues, as well as climate change, is indeed pressing,” the Nobel Peace Laureate added.

    “May I also commend you for your choice of a woman, Kamala Harris, to be your Vice President.

    “Following my devolution of political authority over matters relating to the cause of Tibet to the elected Tibetan leadership in exile, I have been committed to promoting human values, religious harmony and the principles of non-violence and compassion, which I believe are very much needed in today’s world.

    “I would like to thank you for your support for the Tibetan people, during your time in Congress and the previous administration, as well as for your statement in September this year. It has been the Tibetan people’s good fortune to have received the friendship and encouragement of the American people and their respective Presidents in our endeavor to protect and preserve our ancient Buddhist culture — a culture of peace, non-violence and compassion — that has great potential to benefit humanity as a whole.

    “On their behalf, I take this opportunity to express my gratitude once again,” the elderly Buddhist monk said.

    Wishing him every success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of the US and in contributing to a more peaceful and harmonious world, His Holiness concluded his letter by offering his prayers and good wishes.

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  • Study: Lockdown Improved Air Quality

    Study: Lockdown Improved Air Quality

    Air Pollution: People walk on the streets of Sarajevo – the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina wearing masks so as to avoid breathing polluted air. (File Photo: Xinhua/Haris Memija/IANS)

    Researchers have found that lockdowns initiated to curb the spread of Covid-19 at the beginning of the pandemic improved air quality, averting tens of thousands of deaths in regions where air pollution has a significant impact on mortality.

    The study, published in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health, found that particulate matter concentrations in China dropped by an unprecedented 29.7 percent, and by 17.1 percent in parts of Europe, during lockdowns.

    “This unique, real-world experiment shows us that strong improvements in severely polluted areas are achievable even in the short term, if strong measures are implemented,” said study author Paola Crippa from the University of Notre Dame in the US.

    New Delhi (Photo: IANS)

    Particulate matter (PM2.5) — tiny airborne particles smaller than 1/10,000 of an inch in diameter — comes from various combustion-related sources including industrial emissions, transportation, wildfires and chemical reactions of pollutants in the atmosphere.

    The research team integrated advanced computer simulations with measured particulate matter concentrations from more than 2,500 sites in Europe and China between January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2020.

    It included the period (January 2020-June 2020) during which both regions initiated lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    From February to March, the study found that an estimated 24,200 premature deaths associated with particulate matter were averted throughout China compared to 3,309 reported Covid-19 fatalities.

    “Improvements in air quality were widespread across China because of extended lockdown measures,” the authors wrote.

    The study found the situation in Europe to be quite different.

    While Covid-19 related deaths were far higher in Europe compared to what was reported in China, an estimated 2,190 deaths were still avoided during the lockdown period when compared to averages between 2016 and 2019.

    Coronavirus.

    The averted fatalities figures become much larger (up to 287,000 in China and 29,500 in Europe) when considering long-term effects, which will depend on the future pathway of economic recovery.

    “In China, we saw that lockdowns implied very significant reductions in PM2.5 concentrations, which means that policies targeting industrial and traffic emissions might be very effective in the future,” Crippa said.

    “In Europe those reductions were somewhat smaller but there was still a significant effect, suggesting that other factors might be considered to shape an effective mitigation strategy,” Crippa noted.

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