Even as we prepare to celebrate one more Environment Day, the world is getting warmer — doubting Thomas like Donald Trump notwithstanding. Moreover, the pace of this global warming is accelerating. The obvious conclusion is that those annual celebrations of World Environment Days have proved more style than substance. Ever since the world leaders began taking stock of the environment at Stockholm some four and a half decades ago, the debates over the nuances of warming have been getting hotter. But they have succeeded largely in generating heat rather than light. What is working and what is not may lead to yet another debate, but the point is that it is time to act rather than talk. Why the world is warming up unfavourably for mankind can be attributed to many reasons. But the most basic one is the pressure on the carrying capacity of Mother Earth and subjecting her to indiscriminate ravaging. Yet again we will be discussing, debating, charting courses of action and taking pledges as to how to behave to protect earth. But the question is how honest we are in adhering to those pledges that will be taken tomorrowIJ In all likelihood, those promises will be broken. What is the reasonIJ Well, it is the human attitude. It is futile to try to find reasons for the rise in mean temperatures all over the world when we are not going to act. We discuss and debate about the geography and ponder over climate change but hardly do anything to change our behaviour that is responsible for the climate change. The rich say that it is the poor who have messed up everything. The poor say that it is the rich who are responsible for the climate change. But the fact is that it is both the rich and the poor who are responsible. From Stockholm to Kyoto to Paris, deliberations have created volumes of literature but look at what is happening. The rich are consuming the nature for their extravagant lifestyle. The poor are consuming it for their survival. The outcome is the same. Take the case of India. The forest cover is being denuded. River beds are rising. Several decades after Sunderlal Bahuguna started the Chipko Andolan, trees are being felled. Naturally landslides have increased in Uttarakhand. Ganga, Yamuna and all their tributaries and distributaries are full of garbage and sand, long after Rajiv Gandhi first gave the call to clean Ganga at Varanasi. India leads the pack of 10 worst countries with rural population without clean water. The rate at which the river beds are drying and the groundwater is getting depleted, it is only a matter of decades when our worst fears may come true. Air, water and soil are getting polluted at an alarming rate, threatening the very existence of humanity. The answer lies not in global accords and local seminars. The answer lies within the individual. The human action on the part of every individual to think of Mother Nature. This calls for a changed outlook, camaraderie and joint action. But with so much jealousy and acrimony around, temperatures can only rise. Before cleaning the air and water, we need to clean up the minds and understand the basic truth that we are not the last generation to inhabit the earth. There is a need to think of the next generation. What are we going to leave for themIJ
The writer is a professor of management and public Speaker,he can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com