A
statement from the World Climate Research Program, which is working
together with the United Nations World Meteorological Association (WMO)
in observing atmospheric changes and their connection to weather events,
noted that the recent drought and heat wave in Russia originated from
the same pattern of atmospheric currents as the massive Pakistan rains.
Joining
these two disasters are other recent severe events, namely, the
rain-related landslides in China and the splitting of a vast iceberg in
Greenland.
All of these together form what the organizations say
are an unprecedented sequence and magnitude of events that should be
evaluated in unison rather than separately, especially as they represent
effects of global warming and thus would be expected to occur more
frequently if planetary temperatures continue to rise.
Scientists
have also pointed out that the effects of these calamities are becoming
increasingly severe. In the case of Russia alone, researchers at the
nation’s Academy of Sciences noted that the heat wave as well as the
polluted air from the forest fires caused additional fatalities in
Moscow to double to a total of 700 people per day, with nearly 6,000 who
perished during the month of July compared to the previous year.
After
two full months of record high heat and more than 27,700 wildfires, it
appears that temperatures will be returning to normal summer ranges.
However,
with approximately 25% of the nation’s grain crops destroyed, a
resulting ban on exports could significantly reduce the country’s income
as well as causing shortages for other countries.
We are
saddened by the suffering caused by these extreme conditions in Russia,
as well as in Pakistan and China. Our prayers for relief to all the
nations’ residents and long-term easing of these tragic events through
lifestyle changes that help stabilize the planet's atmosphere.
As
on many occasions, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke with concern during
an August 2009 videoconference in Thailand in cautioning of the
devastating effects of climate change.
Supreme Master Ching Hai:
If we look around, we can see the growing frequencies and strength of
disasters everywhere. Flood events worldwide are now three times higher
than in the 1980s.
In 2008, there were 40 category 5 storms, the
most ever recorded including in the Atlantic, India and Bangladesh, and
in the Philippines. It takes just one category 4 or 5 storm to destroy a
major city, just one.
These are truly almost always the
consequences of humans’ violent actions. The number 1 action is meat
eating. We can stop the disasters, make them go away for good, forever,
if all of us switch to the organic vegan diet. Pray it be so.
http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20100808/100970.shtml http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iX-16FttPkCulMdckFjFJyOJCXlAD9HDG0281 http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Weather+shifts+behind+disasters+need+urgent+probe/3418508/story.h