India sustainable standout

Wanganui is looking good. PHOTO/FILE

I have just returned from four months in Melbourne, Australia, so it is interesting to look around Wanganui with new eyes. It is looking good, with trees coming into leaf and blossom; bees in my apple trees (well, one bee), grass in garden and parks seeding prolifically. But some trees show wind and drought damage.

While in Australia, I was fortunate enough to attend the United Nations Association of Australia National Conference, as the representative of UNANZ, held in Canberra in August. This was held at the National University of Australia, Canberra, a beautiful venue in grounds of several hectares.

I found the speaker from India, His Excellency Biren Nanda, the High Commissioner of India, one of the most interesting. India, China, Indonesia, South Africa and Brazil are the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

India is working towards more sustainable power. A 1000-gigaWatt solar power energy has already been built. They have large-scale plans for sustainable power: 40,000 megaWatts by 2020.

The policy is ambitious, as they want to be less dependent on imports.

India is active in international development and supports action for climate change.

His Excellency Biren Nanda has said nations must leave coal in the ground to help stop climate change. He also said eradication of poverty was essential and the world's greatest challenge.

Children are economic assets and it is much better to have fewer children in the family, better for the family and the local economy.

In New Zealand, Associate Climate Change Minister Simon Bridges says NZ Government officials and scientists have been very involved in the writing of the latest IPCC Report, which was endorsed by the UN. "We think it shows that actually concerted global effort is required to tackle climate change," he said. Dr James Renwick of Niwa says that increasing extreme weather events will affect NZ.

Australia is set to suffer more than most G20 countries, with a likely rise of 6C on its warmest days. Australia's position appears to be worsening, down five places since the last climate report in 2011.

This ranking is based on a country's exposure to temperature increases, water stresses and extreme events. Perhaps this will increase their level of action on climate change, with temperatures 15C above average in NSW lately.

Melbourne has an improved water situation, with reservoirs 80 per cent full. In previous years it has been down to 30 per cent. If the oceans are warming, I would expect more rainfall around the coast, since warm seas precipitate rainfall.

I found that there is much more awareness of climate change here in Wanganui than in Melbourne.

Many New Zealand farmers now are using at least some organic methods - even if it is not because they have anything to do with greenies, but just because it bloody works. (Country Calendar a few years ago.) Organic soils absorb more carbon from the air. If Conservation Comment has had anything to do with this, then I am well pleased.

Sara Dickon is a committee member of Sustainable Whanganui, UNANZ and NCWNZ