Dr Vivak M Arya & Tamanna Sharma
In his quote, ‘Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed’, Mahatma Gandhi itself signifies the present situation as well as the importance of earth in the life of mankind. As tenth of Earth’s wilderness has been destroyed by humans in the past 25 years, and if current trends continue, there might be none left by the end of the century. The importance of earth is well written in our Shastras which describes that the elements of earth, water, air, fire and Akasha make up our physical selves. Of the five elements, earth is the most fundamental and stable. All the other components are built on top of it as the foundation. The idea that the earth is the mother is deeply ingrained in Indian culture. We are born of the earth. Sadhguru, who is leading a campaign for protecting the environment against climate change said, “Essentially, we consume a portion of the planet to maintain the body”. Therefore, how we treat the planet also affects how we treat our own bodies. Earth, our home planet, is a world unlike any other. Earth, the third planet from the sun, is the only place in the known universe where the presence of life has been established. It is home to about 300,000 plant species, over 600,000 species of fungi, and about ten million animal species. Earth has always been a generous planet. The natural environment around us has always provided humanity with everything they’ve needed to exist and prosper, including food, water, medicine, materials for shelter, and even natural cycles like climate and nutrient cycles. Although the development of technology and industry may have superficially distanced us from nature, it has not altered our reliance on it. The majority of what we use and consume on a daily basis still results from numerous interactions with nature, many of which are in threat. Beyond such material things, the natural world offers fewer tangible but no less significant gifts in the form of spirituality, beauty, and the arts. Earth Day seems as good a day as any to remind ourselves the free gifts that nature provides. Earth Day is an international event celebrated on April 22 to show support for environmental preservation. During the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Conference held in San Francisco in 1969, Peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honour the Earth first to be observed on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. In response to US Senator Gaylord Nelson’s invitation, 20 million people protested environmental deterioration on the first Earth Day in 1970. This day of nature’s equipoise was later signed in a declaration written by McConnell and signed by Secretary General U Thant at the United Nations. Along with other problems like smog and contaminated rivers, the 1969 Santa Barbara oil disaster served as the catalyst for the event. The United Nations declared April 22nd, to be ‘International Mother Earth Day’ in 2009. This day is dedicated to the appreciation and protection of the natural environment, and it has become a global event. Since its beginnings, Earth Day has grown to be a truly international event that is observed in more than 190 nations. It is a day on which people from different countries can unite and take action to safeguard the environment. One of the main factors in Earth Day’s success around the globe is its capacity to bring people from different backgrounds and cultures together for a common cause. Events on Earth Day can take a variety of shapes, from educational initiatives and community cleanups to political activism and open rallies. This Day also acknowledges our shared responsibility to advance harmony with nature and the Earth in order to strike a fair balance between the economic, social, and environmental requirements of the current and future generations of mankind, as outlined in the Rio Declaration, 1992. We are living at a time when environmental problems have transitioned from local to global challenges, as seen by the biodiversity crisis, the climate crisis, and the deforestation crisis. Humans are no longer only overusing one area of the earth; instead, we are overusing the entire planet, straining natural systems to their breaking point. Unprecedented shifts in global climate patterns, deforestation, pollution, and resource depletion have occurred in recent years. The environment is strained as a result of the rising demand for resources brought on by the expanding global population. The three main interlinked problems that earth is currently facing are climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. These three problems are often referred to as the triple planetary crisis.
Climate change: Climate change is the most pressing issue facing humanity today, which is brought on by the atmospheric release of greenhouse gases. Significant changes in precipitation, temperature, snowfall, and wind patterns over an extended period of time define it. Rising sea levels, more frequent and severe natural disasters, and the extinction of numerous plant and animal species are all effects of the increase in global temperatures.
Pollution: Air pollution, is the leading cause of sickness and early death worldwide with over seven million deaths. Amazingly, nine out of ten people on the planet breathe air with pollution levels beyond WHO recommendations. Traffic, factories, wildfires, volcanoes, and mould are just a few of the many factors that contribute to pollution. Cooking with hazardous materials and methods also contributes to indoor household air pollution.
Biodiversity loss: The term ‘biodiversity loss’ describes the reduction or extinction of biological diversity, which includes ecosystems, plants, animals, and other living things. There are several causes of biodiversity loss, from overfishing to habitat loss (such as deforestation for development) to deserts brought on by climate change. Since we are all ultimately interconnected, biodiversity serves as the foundation for everything on the planet. Loss of biodiversity has an influence on our ability to feed ourselves and obtain clean water; without it, our world cannot survive. We must realise the urgency of these issues on Earth Day 2023 and act to resolve them. Our concerns are best focused on what we can do and how we can apply our actions to healthy and sustainable living. The theme for Earth Day 2023 is ‘Invest in our planet’.
The goal of this year’s Earth Day theme is to convince corporations, governments, and people all across the world to make investments in our planet in order to protect and preserve it for future generations, thus attaining the goal of sustainable development. We must work together to invest in our planet if we want to safeguard our health, our families, and our way of life. Businesses need to take action now to prevent more economic harm from climate change, which will also have an impact on all of us by reducing resources and increasing scarcity. However, we already know that nothing else can speed up the kind of rapid transformation we need more than private sector innovation (with Governmental assistance). Strong Environment Social Governance (ESG) norms help businesses be more profitable, have better financial standing, have happier staff members, and have more stable stock performance. Smart businesses are realising that sustainability is the way to success rather than having to choose between turning green and increasing long-term profitability. Not just scientists and policymakers but also the top companies are well aware of the problem’s urgency. The co-founder of Microsoft and multibillionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has invested in an Australian start-up developing climate technology that aims to reduce methane emissions from cow burps. He also emphasized the necessity for the development of viable renewable energy sources to completely eradicate global greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. In order to make ecologically responsible decisions and aid in the transition towards a greener future,
Indian startups are also working in different sectors. Governments hold the power to transform and develop the green economy through rules, rewards, and public-private partnerships. Governments must provide incentives to their people, businesses, and institutions to help them create a resilient future, much like they did during the industrial and digital revolutions. Governments will eventually encourage green business practises as the profitable and ethical choice. For example, many projects and initiatives spanning numerous industries and ministries are planned for the Union Budget 2023-24. The objective is to advance modern reforms while also seeking solutions for the country’s present problems in order to increase the momentum for green growth. And last, as an individual we must encourage the adoption of sustainable solutions on a global scale. To bring about the change the earth needs, climate change mitigation, restoration, and adaptation require the support of the entire population. To create a 21st century economy that restores the health of our planet, safeguards our species, and creates opportunity for everyone, we must collectively move away from the outdated, polluting economy based on fossil fuels. As Jammu and Kashmir relies heavily on Himalayan glaciers, it is our need to adopt climate smart agriculture to protect and safeguard our fragile ecosystem. Himalaya has been designated as one of the most significant global biodiversity hotspots due to the high species endemism and rising anthropogenic threats, so it is our duty that we should adopt green technology in our day to day life also that aims to reduce the carbon footprint, protect our ecosystem and ultimately save our planet earth. People are urged to take action to safeguard the environment on Earth Day. It is a day on which people, communities, and governments come together in search of remedies to environmental problems. On Earth Day, we have the chance to support conservation activities and increase public awareness of environmental problems. By educating people about the impact of their actions, we can inspire them to take action to protect the planet. It is our fundamental duty as humans to safeguard Mother Earth and make sure we take every possible measure to conserve our natural resources and stop their overuse and depletion. At last, we would like to conclude that ‘Healthy planet is not an option it is a necessity’ and everyone should contribute towards a safer planet.
(The authors are from SKUAST-Jammu).
