Clean Development Mechanisms

Highlights of the essay by Sonali Punhani (India) who is one of the eight finalists of The World Bank Essay Competition 2009.

“The earth produces enough to satisfy everyone's need but not everyone’s greed.”
                                                                                                       -Mahatma Gandhi

The Holy cave shrine of Amarnath is among the most sacred pilgrimages of the Hindus, as it is considered to be one of the three abodes of Lord Shiva. The ice Shiva Lingam (symbol of Lord Shiva) found here is a natural ice stalagmite that forms between July and September and melts thereafter. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit Amarnath each year to offer their prayers, and Sonali Punhani was among the visitors in 2006. However, an unusual occurring happened that year which stunned the more than 1 billion people in India. The Shiva Lingam had melted from a majestic height of over fifteen feet to a mere seven inches! Investigations revealed that this was due to the unexpected increase in the temperature that year—global warming, as it was later established.