Climate-related drought affects millions in Thailand. Director-General Anucha Mokkhavesa of the country’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has stated that more than 7.4 million people across 60 provinces have been enduring drinking water shortages as well as damage to more than 48,000 hectares of farmland due to prolonged lack of rain along with reduced water from the vital Mekong River, which reached its lowest level in 30 years.
According to the Royal Irrigation Department, available water in reservoirs has also dropped 15% this year. Moreover, Director-General Mokkhavesa stated that the number of villages damaged from drought has increased by nearly 40% in the period from November 2009 to mid-April 2010 compared to the same time-span the previous year.
Saying that his department is doing everything possible to relieve the situation, he requested that other officials continue with close monitoring to be able to provide the most timely assistance.
Our sincere thanks Your Excellency and government of Thailand for your watchfulness and caring actions. We pray that the affected lands and people will be showered with blessed rain and that such extreme conditions are eased as we strive for more conscientious consideration of our Earthly abode.
During an October 2009 videoconference in Germany, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke with concern as she has previously many times about humanity’s plight, at the same time offering a remedy whose global adoption would bring a saved world for all.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: With current droughts and water shortages already affecting millions and only expected to get worse, worse and worse. But even though our predicament is very grave, we do still have time if we act now. And the solution is still very simple.
It’s the vegan diet – no animal products. Scientists have found that each person eating a meat and dairy based diet uses around 4,500 gallons of water per day, compared to 300 gallons per day for a vegan diet.
This also means that 1 pound of animal protein requires 100 times more water to produce than 1 pound of grain protein. Over the course of a year, the vegan diet saves approximately 1.5 million gallons of water per person. This is the key.
If everyone switches to this beneficial lifestyle, our planet will be cooled in no time, scientifically speaking
and my promise.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/DNEO-84QDCB?OpenDocument http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KHII-84Q84Y?OpenDocument http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-10/thai-rice-output-may-drop-on-drought-as-el-nino-parches-region.htmlhttp://www.ethiopianreview.com/news/75810http://www.wateronline.com/article.mvc/Study-Reconstructs-Asias-Most-Devastating-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NOAnkara Declaration for the environment signed by Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. Hosted by Turkey, the two-day meeting in Ankara was attended by officials from the four countries who met to further their cooperation in environmental areas such re-forestation and preventing dust generation as well as forest fires.
Pledging his country’s cooperation, Turkish Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroglu stated, “Especially dust formation is a major problem in the region that causes economic and health problems, even deaths. We have fully agreed to make every possible effort to fight it.”
A two-year action plan is being drafted to fulfill the agreement known as the Ankara Declaration, which will include the establishment of a meteorological data bank and an early warning system.
Minister Eroglu added that the cooperation will be expanded to include the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and countries in North Africa.
Our respectful accolades, Your Excellencies of Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq for this wide-reaching initiative.
May more and more such as environmentally protective measures be enacted for the renewed vitality of all beings and our treasured Earth.
http://www.namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=118646http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sci/2010-04/30/c_13273149.htm http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=57806Extra NewsIn response to a major oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, US military and government agencies join British energy company BP in environmental clean-up efforts, with US President Obama ordering a temporary ban on offshore drilling pending inspections to protect public safety.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8653039.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8651624.stm As global warming continues to increase the one billion people who already lack access to clean water, institutions such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development call for higher pricing to bring awareness of water’s scarcity and the need for conservation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/27/water-price-riseA study by the United Nations Environment Program finds that climate change and other human-caused effects continue to diminish the Earth’s biodiversity, despite pledges made by world leaders in 2002 to stem the loss.
http://www.france24.com/en/20100429-world-leaders-have-failed-stem-biodiversity-loss-study On a recent trip to the Arctic, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin orders the removal of abandoned fuel barrels left at a Soviet- military base to clean up the environment as he also expresses concern for the region’s polar bears endangered due to climate change.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/29/AR2010042901851.html http://www.france24.com/en/20100429-russias-putin-voices-fears-polar-bears