Helping India Adapt to Climate Change: One Man Makes an Impact
By Eliot Levine, WWF-US
Climate change has made rainfall patterns in the north Indian state of Rajasthan increasingly unpredictable and is threatening the livelihoods of local people dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Rajendra Singh, also known as ”The Rainman,” realized that indigenous water conservation was key to solving northern India’s most pressing water problems. Check-out this video from ChinaDaily.com to see a great example of how a single person can make an incredible difference for the ecosystems and people of Rajasthan.
What may be most interesting about Rajendra’s work is his innovative use of traditional irrigation technologies such as dams of earth and rock. His work reminds us that although climate change is an unprecedented challenge, we already have many of the tools at our disposal to adapt. After all, species and humands have been adjusting to less dramatic changes in the environment for… well, forever. As a result, when it comes to adapting to events such as droughts brought on by global climate change, we may be more prepared than we think. Learning about what has worked in the past, and sharing these lessons, is the first step.
Very nice post.