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“Each person must contribute to the cause of Planet Earth”

Beth Middleton

CHENNAI: You can tend a garden, recycle materials and ride a bicycle more often than driving a car to contribute, in a personal way, to the cause of Planet Earth, which is imperilled by climate change, Beth Middleton, research ecologist with the National Wetlands Research Center, Louisiana, US, said in her Earth Day lecture on Wednesday.

Addressing a mixed audience of scientists, students and the lay public, Dr.Middleton said simple steps such as these may only leave a small footprint on the earth; but they could inspire others around to follow suit and enlarge the positive impact on the environment.

The Earth Day lecture on ‘Climate change and the future of wetlands’ was hosted by the US Consulate General, Chennai, and the C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation.

Pointing out that climate change was one thing that brought the world together, Dr.Middleton said India was tipped to witness 10 per cent increase in rainfall and a 3 to 5 degree C rise in temperatures. Sea levels were rising at the rate of about 1 mm annually, she said.

The consequences of more rain and soaring temperatures included disrupted hydrology dynamics of wetland eco systems, increase in frequency of flooding and extended drought, the research ecologist said.

Calling for international dialogue among scientific institutions to draw up strategies for sustainable use of wetlands, Dr. Middleton said it was also important for people to “develop a relationship” with nature.

Nandita Krishna, director, C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, piloted a resolution urging the government at the Centre and State to declare the endangered Pallikaranai and Pulicat biodiversity zones as Ramsar sites (named after the international convention on wetlands in 1975 in Ramsar, Iran).

Ragini Gupta, Consul for Cultural Affairs, US Consulate General, Chennai, said Earth Day celebrations had proved to be a catalyst for change in the US and across the world. The Environmental Protection Agency in the US had recently brought carbon dioxide under its regulatory purview.

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