Sunday 19 April 2015

Call for Papers and Online Law Symposium: “Avoiding the Climate Change Tipping Point – The Future of Environmental Law and Policy Anticipating the SDGs”

 
 
 
Online Law Symposium 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The A38 Foundation of International Law (www.athirtyeight.com) and Sunshine Millennium (www.sunshine-millennium.blogspot.in) will be hosting a joint online legal symposium in June 2015, titled, 
Avoiding the Climate Change Tipping Point – The Future of Environmental Law and Policy Anticipating the Sustainable Development Goals”.

As the world delves deeper into the realms of technological advancements, the consequential environmental changes pose new challenges to international law. As predicted in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change synthesis report[1] the average temperature of the air and the sea, pollution and other symptoms of a changing climate will likely lead to a rise of the sea level, desertification, deforestation, extreme storms and  earthquakes.[2] There are an estimated 25 million environmental refugees today and the numbers are likely to grow even faster in future. With so many threats to the environment, there is a distinct possibility of even more destruction. Later this year the United Nations will be adopting the Sustainable Development Goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals as the roadmap to a better twenty-first century placing environmental issues front and centre. The UN and its umbrella organs are championing the cause of Climate Change but depending on member-states to set parameters and do regular self-assessment.

How can law and policy address these issues more effectively? What are some of the biggest challenges on the way?  

Submission Details:
Authors are to submit a short bio and their articles by May 20, 2015.  
Articles which are under 2,500 words (including footnotes) or less should be submitted to Sunshine Millennium at sunshinemillennium1@gmail.com with the subject line “Symposium.” 

Articles which are above 2,500 words (including footnotes) should be submitted to A38 Online Law Journal at submissions@athirtyeight.com with subject line “Symposium.”

Eight papers will be selected (four in each group) for a live online presentation via Google+ Hangouts. The event will be held on June 5, 2015. 




[1] Intergovennemental Panel on Climate Change: Synthesis Report: http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/index.htm
[2] Derek R. Bell, “Environmental Refugees: What Rights?  Which Duties?”, Res Publica 10 (2004) : 135.

Tuesday 14 April 2015

INDIAN FARMER WOES THIS SEASON



Today is celebrated as the Tamil New Year (a.k.a. Chitrai Thirunal), Baisakhi (Punjab), Bihu (Assam) and Vishu (Kerala). It is also 124th birth anniversary of the “principal architect” of the Indian Constitution - Dr. B.R. Amedhkar a.k.a. ‘Babasahib’. Many reasons to celebrate, yet the celebration will be muted across many states of India due to the damages done by unseasonal rains in March-April 2015 to the Rabi crop (sown after the monsoons and harvested in April/May) harvest.
March 2015 has been the “Wettest March in 100 years in north, central India” according to the Indian Meteorological Department. It is estimated that the rains over the last few weeks have damaged anywhere in anywhere between 163 and 181 lakh hectares of land across 13 states as of the beginning of March. Andhra joined the affected states with rains over the past few days causing serious “agricultural and horticultural damage” in another 1 lakh acres (that is approximately 40,469 hectares, according to the state Agriculture Minister, “horticultural crops in about 1,600 hectares were damaged in Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts according to preliminary estimates.”)

Thus this spring almost 30 percent of the Rabi crop (if you consider that the total cultivable area in the current Rabi season is 600 lakh hectare) has been decimated by unseasonal cloudbursts, rain, hailstorm, and strong winds. Crops affected include wheat, mustard, jeera and coriander. Vegetables such as cauliflower, tomato have also been affected. With a disturbed mango flowering season in Gujarat and Maharashtra the royal fruit’s projected production has also been drastically reduced.
Add this to the list of triggers of farmer suicide and you have a very destructive season emerging. Despite compensations being announced, both in the centre and the state, it remains to be seen whether farmers across India can escape being trapped in further debt. 

After watching the India Matters episode “Fields of Despair” on NDTV to the plight of potato farmer in West Bengal and the agriculture sector seems scary and depressing as hell:
 Suicides as a result of debt in the face of poor prices for the bumper crops of potato is leading to the poorest of the farmers – sharecroppers who have almost no safeguards and only debt and risks circling like vultures – to commit suicide. The rate offered is lower than Rs. 2 per kilogram and as unsold, stockpiled potatoes languish potato farmers seem to be reeling under unimaginable burdens. Caste, politics, drinking, gambling, moneylenders and landlords, not to mention family struggle combine to brew a toxic miasma that leads many hopeless farmers to opt to consume pesticide and leave behind the debt and a dependent and devastated family.
What is hard to see in the two situations – one natural the other manmade - is the pattern of hopelessness. Is it right that when there is so much innovative thinking on offer – and such success in online retaining – can there not be a solution that saves the devastated. 

Middle men, landowners and moneylenders seem to be seeing all the profit. And there is a drastic change is prices from those offered to farmers and consumers. A lot of potatoes and other crops rot as farmers stockpile waiting for better prices. Is the grip of cartels so strong that outsider cooperatives can’t purchase the produce at better prices from the debt-ridden sharecroppers. Isn’t some refinancing and debt relief possible? Can a solution be worked out without it being trapped in the vicious circle of politics and caste?
Here’s hoping there is better seasons in store for India’s farmer both weather-wise and price-wise. In the meantime it is hoped that empowerment through education and community support can help the survivors get out of the debt traps. Babasahib’s initiatives have influenced various spheres of life and transformed the way India today looks at socio-economic policies, education and affirmative action through socio-economic and legal incentives. At a time when poor farmers are stuck in vicious debt traps at the mercy of the weather, addictions, and moneylenders it is to be hoped that there are success stories who have taken a leaf out of Babasahib’s teaching and embraced educations and implemented innovations through better information.

The continued success and support of farming and farmers is a backbone to food security and the fight against hunger. When people are poor, ill, or/and hungry they can rarely think beyond the immediate crisis and innovate to achieve progress. The nation can progress steadily only if the sector that employs the most is secure. Farmer security is proportional to future food security.
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-matters-fields-of-despair-753975
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/rain-claims-six-lives-in-andhra-pradesh/article7100166.ece
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ill-timed-rain-damages-crops-in-1-8cr-hectares-across-13-states/articleshow/46681689.cms
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/unseasonal-rains-damage-standing-crops-in-rajasthan-government-announces-compensation-747128