Dialoguepk

Raghu Karnad 18.07.2016 In a slim volume, the celebrated Indian novelist asks questions about the role of literature in confronting the greatest challenge of our times: climate change At only a few  metres above sea level, Kiribati, an island in the Central Pacific, is being challenged by climate change impacts such as rising high tides. (Image by Nick Hobgood) I was sixteen when I read one of the most important novels of the 20th century. It was, as I am sure you’ve guessed,  War With the Newts;  the story of humanity’s discovery and exploitation of a species of large, intelligent marine newts. Spoiler: It ends badly. The newts are bred, sold and massed into underwater labour corps – a source of huge new wealth and reclaimed land – until they get political and decide that, actually, they’d rather sink most of the planet’s landmass into shallow bays and littoral strips, which newts themselves will populate. Eventually, a parliament of nation

Joydeep Gupta 13.07.2016 The UN's main environmental agency lays out ways the world can deal with "loss and damage" from climate change, writes Joydeep Gupta    Storm surges are a potent example of how extreme weather can cause major damage to homes and infrastructure (Image by Allan Rabs) It is now known that human societies are not able to adapt to all the impacts of climate change. There is now so much extra greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, so little effort to mitigate GHG emissions, even less for adaptation, that impacts are occurring and will occur – with more severity and higher frequency. The inevitable consequences are what is called "loss and damage", which is defined by a  recent report  from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the adverse effects of climate change that cannot be avoided through cutting carbon or managed through adaptation to climate change. The latest report of the

Pablo Wang 20.07.2016 China promises continued economic backing for Latin American countries despite Venezuela's meltdown and recession in Brazil, Argentina, writes Pablo Wang  Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has presided over a deep economic crisis since replacing Hugo Chávez in 2013. The opposition is calling for his removal from office (Image by   AFP photo/ Leo Ramirez ) For a country massively exposed to Latin America in terms of loans and investment, China’s state media has been remarkably sanguine about the economic meltdown in Venezuela and deep recessions in Brazil and Argentina. “Venezuela will not drag on its debt” was the title of a recent editorial in the state-run  People’s Daily . The  paper  also vaunts what it sees as a laudable attempt at wealth distribution by a socialist state backed by Chinese investment. “Which country in this world would not want to ride on China’s express train to economic development?,” the Pe