Even before 1988, when global warming first became an item on the global agenda, climate scientists had begun to warn that, were average temperatures to rise with greenhouse gas levels, extremes would become more damaging, more frequent, or both. It will also be increasingly difficult for would-be host nations to be sure of snow and ice for future Winter Olympics.

What is unfortunate about this hugely worrisome turn of events is that it could have been prevented. If only the rich, industrialised nations of the West, especially the US, had listened to the dire scientific prognosis of the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the fatal impact on the weather could have at least been minimised if not avoided altogether. But, guided as the governments are by rapacious industrial giants, they were unwilling to take even baby steps towards stopping the emission of the deadly gases which trap sunlight and spark off global warming. Even the melting of the ice caps or the appearance of the ozone hole in the sky did not act as deterrents as the governments bowed to the dictates of the industries which placed profits above the welfare of future generations. The climate change threat led to the adoption of the Kyoto protocol which held the “developed countries” responsible for the crisis. Yet, the focus was sought to be turned on China and India. Now, the planet is heading for a man-made disaster.