NATIONS TO SEEK “CLEAN ENERGY” COOPERATION

WORLD’S TOP ENERGY OFFICIALS
START SEARCH FOR CLEAN-TECH CASH

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Energy ministers or senior officials from 21 nations are gathering in Washington, DC Monday for a two-day meeting aimed at finding ways to work together on clean energy amid an impasse in drafting a new climate change treaty. The US Energy Department said the meeting will feature announcements of joint initiatives among the major economies, who together account for 80 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. US President Barack Obama’s administration has made creation of green jobs a top priority. Major economies have been at loggerheads over the shape of the next climate treaty, with developed nations seeking binding commitments from emerging economies such as China to cut carbon emissions blamed for global warming. Clean energy has been considered one area of common interest. Obama signed a five-year, 150 million-dollar plan during a trip to China last year for the world’s two biggest polluters to collaborate on developing electric cars and clean coal.

Areas for discussion include energy-efficiency standards, solar and wind power, and ways to provide energy to those without, said David Sandalow, the US assistant secretary of energy for international affairs. Terje Riis-Johansen, Norway’s minister for petroleum and energy, praised the United States for convening the meeting and hoped it would “establish a global partnership to raise production of and access to clean energy.” The minister also plans to visit New Orleans to learn lessons of the BP spill for Norway, whose oil and gas industry is almost entirely offshore. The countries taking part in the talks are Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.


Government ministers and corporate executives from more than 20 countries are gathering in Washington, D.C., this week to accelerate the deployment of “clean-energy” technologies to mitigate climate change. They should admit that raising animals for meat consumption is a major factor in the “greenhouse effect”.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

A 2006 report from the United Nations reveals the surprising fact that ‘raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined.’ Tens of billions of animals farmed for food release gases such as methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide through their massive amounts of manure. Animals such as cows and sheep, being ruminant, emit huge amount of methane due to flatulence and burping. “The released methane,” the report says, “has 23 times the global warming potential of CO2.” It is very alarming to note that the livestock industry alone is responsible for 37% of human induced methane emissions. To make room for these animals to graze, virgin forests are cleared. The livestock industry also needs vast stretches of land to raise mono crops to feed the animals.

Śrīla Swami Dayananda Saraswati
“A Solution for Global Warming”
Interview on Sept 7, 2008
Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA
http:// www.arshavidya.org
http://www.arshavidhyapitam.org