Polar ice melt likely to wipe out Chennai in ’90
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Chennai, Aug. 14: If the ice cap in Antarctica continues to melt at its current rate, Chennai will be wiped off the face of the earth in 80 years, says Mr Robert Swan, an explorer known to many as the ‘Ice Man’.
“Yes, I am the Ice Man and have experienced the temperatures of -73ºC at the North and South Poles. It’s a temperature at which the water in your eyes freezes and your teeth start to crack,” Mr Swan said. “I am happy to be in the warm weather of beautiful Chennai.”
The evangelist for renewable energy and nature, in the city to address a series of meetings on the importance of switching to renewable energy sources, said, “I have seen the rising sea level in Antarctica and it is alarming. When you drive your motorbikes and cars in Chennai and elsewhere, when the thermal power stations spew out carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the ice in Antarctica is melting.”
“The sea level is rising at much faster rate than predicted by scientists. An increase of just 2 metres will be catastrophic for Chennai and other coastal cities and this could happen soon,” he added.
Mr Swan said he wants to come up with solutions. “My friend Gopal Srinivasan has arranged a series of meetings with business leaders, top bureaucrats, policy makers and youngsters. I will tell them about my plan of action and am sure we will have a concrete programme in the coming months,” he said.
He is impressed the rate at which India is growing. “You are building roads, manufacturing cars and motorcycles and the living standard is going up. But what about the emissions by vehicles, factories and power stations? The option is solar and wind power. India can definitely build cheaper solar and wind power stations,” he noted.
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