Deep Ecology, Not Shallow Environmentalism Needed

The current global climate emergencies and heart-wrenching plight of a vast number of people in different countries and particularly India clearly demonstrate how far humanity has strayed from the wise counsel of our sages and seers of the past.

- A. K. MERCHANT

They taught us to live a life of harmony with our natural surroundings but we are doing just the opposite. For thousands of years, the human population and human activities were commensurate with the carrying capacities of the natural habitat that provided shelter and sustenance.

Then quite unexpectedly the world began to change dramatically over the last 200 years, thanks largely to the discovery of fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas. These have provided humankind with cheap and convenient energy, which we use to heat and cool our homes and to run our cars, appliances and industries. In the early stages no one understood that these forms of development and conveniences in our living styles were ultimately going to put our very survival on earth at stake.

Only seven years remain for fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030). Progress reports by the United Nations and independent countries clearly show that we are falling short and with every passing month the challenges before the world community have become more uncertain and complex. What kind of world will we inhabit in 2030? People have started putting such questions to Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT and the answers are quite disconcerting.

India has done well to launch the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,” “Sab ka Sath, Sab ka Vikas, Sab ka Prayas, Sab ka Vishwas,” “Digital India,” “Make in India,” and a host of other programmes. But unless there is peace and harmony in the country, we shall not succeed.