India doesn’t have it’s international public relations committee on fire like Al Gore’s, but as the world focuses on congratulating Gore for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, India is celebrating with environmentalist Dr. Rajendra K Pachauri who chairs the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and shares the award with the former US Vice President.
Diverging a little: for all those wondering what climate change has to do with world peace, the official Nobel Peace Prize website explains: “Extensive climate changes may alter and threaten the living conditions of much of mankind. They may induce large-scale migration and lead to greater competition for the earth’s resources. Such changes will place particularly heavy burdens on the world’s most vulnerable countries. There may be increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states.”
Right, a bit twisted, but it all makes sense now.
Anyway, other than Mother Teresa, Dr. Pachauri is the only other Indian to be associated with receiving the peace laureate, (even Mahatma Gandhi didn’t get it!) I therefore feel that it’s my moral duty to shed a bit of light on my fellow countryman.
NDTV reports the teleconversation between Pachauri and Gore: “This is Pachy. I am so delighted and so privileged to have the IPCC share with you. I will be your follower and you will be my leader.”
All this is great, but leaves me with the pondering thought: now India has strong ties with the US and is following its lead for both climate change as well as nuclear power. What should be made of that!?