Syed Ali Mujtaba
The relationship between human beings and the ecological system of the earth has radically changed and is the main reason for extreme highs of temperatures and unprecedented weather events said Al GoreAl Gore, former US Vice President and green campaigner on Wednesday October 20, 2010 in Chennai.
He outlined how temperatures were rising in different parts of the world, and erratic weather patterns were being witnessed, delivering a lecture on ‘Thinking Green.’
He pointed out that a place in Pakistan recorded 53.5 degree Celsius in May 2010, another place in Russia recorded about 40 degree C for many days in a row. More than 19 countries across the globe recorded an all-time high in temperature, he added.
It’s because of disturbance in the hydrological cycle of the earth there is unprecedented heat and rains, Gore said as he explained the phenomena, where water goes through the motion of evaporation, condensation and precipitation to return back to the ocean passing through rivers and streams.
The 2007 Nobel laureate said the year 2010 has had many firsts to its credit. The months from January to August saw the hottest season ever measured in environmental history of 1000-years. The amount of rainfall too far exceeded that was recorded in the past.
Australia faced drought due to unprecedented weather and Pakistan had to face the wrath of the rains due to which over 20 million people were rendered homeless after floods, Gore pointed out.
The former US vice president said that increase in population, is another key reasons that disrupted the balance of the ecosystem. The global population had exponentially increased from two billion to 6.80 billion, stabilizing to around nine billion, he said.
The high profile environmentalist was in the city to speak at the 20th World Congress of the World Society of Cardio-thoracic Surgeons and the 6th Global Forum on Humanitarian Medicine in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.
Cherian Heart Foundation organized the event that was an exclusive event mostly attended by doctors from different parts of the country and the world.
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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com
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