At the back of the hotel garden in Bangalore, there is a sign offering the instruction that in the case of a terrorist attack, like the one in Mumbai just a few years ago, the best course would be to gather in plain view. This morning at 4 AM, we left to go to Madurai, a city in the south by the Bay of Bengal. The region, like the American Midwest, is experiencing a severe drought, triggering water wars and electricity brown-outs. The difference with the Midwest is that this region of India is in the midst of an economic boom. To be sure, India is growing from a much lower base, but still ... The pressure of growth on the climate is exacting an enormous toll. When will emergency assemblies seem quaint? One can't say for sure with respect to the climate, except that by the time necessities arise, assembling to stave off climate change will also be beside the point.
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