At a recent event, I heard an entrepreneur explain that his company, whose business is water-intensive, has undertaken restoration of age-old lakes in the town where his factory is located. These Chola-era lakes were interconnected and designed to facilitate the flow of water down the gradient. However, over time, discharge of industrial effluents, household waste and encroachments degraded the lakes, reducing them to sewers or garbage dumps. Therefore this laudable, voluntary initiative in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle seeks to restore the once-vibrant ecosystem. Vegetation, aquatic and avian species will begin to thrive and this would improve the microclimate. On completion of the project, water for irrigation and drinking would be made available to the surrounding areas.
Changing weather patterns, extreme temperatures and unseasonal rainfall that we have experienced globally in the past few months have jolted us to realise that the climate crisis and degradation of the ecosystem is a real danger. The issue poses existential challenges and cannot be left to experts and authorities alone. So it is heartening to see initiatives by individuals and organisations that can collectively make a difference.
Several NGOs in Bengaluru are working to clean up and restore lakes. Similarly, due to ongoing efforts of ordinary citizens supplementing government efforts, the tree and forest cover in India has consistently increased. There is also greater awareness of the damage human interventions are inflicting on the planet. The question that arises is whether these efforts are sufficient. A multi-pronged approach—limiting emission of greenhouse gases and pollutants, controlling damage to the environment and creating the bulwark of a wider green cover—is essential.
The devastating landslides in Wayanad have brought into focus the damage attributable to human activities compounded by climate change. Alterations in land use patterns in ecologically fragile areas and increase in tourism, ignoring the warnings of the expert committee on the Western Ghats, have played a significant role. At the same time, the sudden flooding of urban areas due to lack of adequate storm-water drainage and unplanned construction raises questions on our preparedness to handle climate disasters. What is required is long-term strategic planning to tackle the imminent climate crises.
Trees play a vital role in carbon sequestration. This balance is distorted due to deforestation, degradation and accelerated greenhouse gas emissions. The present increase in average global temperatures by 1.1-1.3°C from the pre-industrial era has come with high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This tends to have a domino effect in terms of greater emissions.
Efforts are being made to implement compensatory afforestation when trees are cut down for development projects like construction or broadening of roads. However, sometimes the saplings are neglected and left uncared for. The suitability of the plant species to the soil conditions and the need to maintain biodiversity are also required to be factored in. Large amounts of money have been spent on tree-planting efforts, but the commensurate results are visible only when the local population is involved in maintenance.
What is required is a paradigm shift in attitudes of engaging with the environment. Environmental education should sensitise people to the centrality of ecosystems in our lives. The problem arises due to the anthropocentric approach of treating the environment as a mere commodity or resource, meant to subserve human needs and even human whims. A public interest litigation before the Bombay High Court highlighted the damage caused by the phenomenon of bright lights wrapped around tree trunks, ostensibly in the name of beautification. This disoriented birds and disrupted the cycle of the trees’ photosynthesis while adding to light pollution. The authorities subsequently issued orders to dismantle the decorative lights, which was a monumental example of human folly in the first place.
There is growing advocacy for granting legal rights to nature—to ecosystems and to species. Some nations like Ecuador have already recognised legal rights for nature in their constitutions. Environment personhood would mean that it is not treated as a mere commodity. The Ganga and Yamuna rivers enjoy the status of legal entities, thanks to the decision of the Uttarakhand High Court.
When the intrinsic value of the ecosystem is given due importance, exploitation in the name of economic development will be minimised. This will promote sustainable practices, as nature’s rights would be considered in decision-making processes. The consequential impact on climate change and environmental protection will be significant.
The Indian tradition emphasises an attitude of reverence to trees, rivers, mountains and even deifies various manifestations of nature. The deeper significance of these practices is lost to most of us. The construction and maintenance of lakes and planting of trees have been extolled in scriptures like the Mahabharata; a person doing so is said to be blessed for seven generations. Abundance in nature and availability of natural resources are boons to future generations. The vision of Chola era rulers in creating valuable infrastructure is testimony to this fact.
Modern culture that promotes instant gratification has brought us to the brink where resources are consumed without any thought of consequences. We are on the verge of killing the golden goose. To quote the botanist and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer, “The moral covenant of reciprocity calls us to honour our responsibilities for all that we have been given, for all that we have taken. It’s our turn now, long overdue.” Redefining our relationship with our environment is an urgent need of the hour.
(Views are personal)
Geetha Ravichandran
Former bureaucrat and author, most recently of The Spell of the Rain Tree
