It’s is yet another World Environment Day and the world is in lockdown because of Covid-19. While all of us care about the environment, there are three issues that are worth pondering over today.
Governance: Some say that the main beneficiary of Covid-19 pandemic has been the environment. During the period of complete lockdown in India, the air quality was better and the noise levels were less. Social media users posted pictures of how they could see faraway mountains from their terraces, as the thick brown haze disappeared from the skies.
But still things are not that rosy. We are still unhappy that despite nearly 30 years after the famous Rio Summit, our rivers remain polluted, forests are being destroyed, wild animals are being killed, and life in cities and villages are becoming difficult. Why is this so?
What we are missing is strong and scientific Environmental Governance. Just like the anti-corruption charade, environmental protection has now become annual one-day affair. Our legacy governance systems remain the same and awareness has not transitioned to action. This is not to say that there have been no improvements so far, but the record has been patchy and non-uniform.
Lack of transparency and accountability still leads to knee-jerk reactions and damage control operations at times of crisis. Decisions based on scientific logic and expert advice seem to be lacking even now.
Dichotomy: A small and influential section of our population still consider environment and development as opposites. This has resulted in environmental rules and regulations and the spirit of environmental protection as yet another hurdle in project clearance. The bureaucracy and pollution control boards don’t have the time to enforce environmental protection rules, but as mere departments to approve or reject project proposals.
Governance: Some say that the main beneficiary of Covid-19 pandemic has been the environment. During the period of complete lockdown in India, the air quality was better and the noise levels were less. Social media users posted pictures of how they could see faraway mountains from their terraces, as the thick brown haze disappeared from the skies.
But still things are not that rosy. We are still unhappy that despite nearly 30 years after the famous Rio Summit, our rivers remain polluted, forests are being destroyed, wild animals are being killed, and life in cities and villages are becoming difficult. Why is this so?
What we are missing is strong and scientific Environmental Governance. Just like the anti-corruption charade, environmental protection has now become annual one-day affair. Our legacy governance systems remain the same and awareness has not transitioned to action. This is not to say that there have been no improvements so far, but the record has been patchy and non-uniform.
Lack of transparency and accountability still leads to knee-jerk reactions and damage control operations at times of crisis. Decisions based on scientific logic and expert advice seem to be lacking even now.
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| A kite perched on top of a tree in Bengaluru |
Development and environment are not polar opposites. Both are inextricably linked to each other and it’s time that alternative developmental paradigms are considered and implemented.
Time for Nature: I don’t think that we can go back to a pre-history life wandering in the forests. But we must understand that it is Nature that has provided human beings with the optimum conditions to thrive and flourish.
We still seem to not comprehend our deeper connections and continuity with the self-organizing natural system. It’s time that we embed Nature at the centre of our mind, and remove our egos. It’s time for us to understand and act responsibly, and desist from thinking that we have an unquestionable right to plunder and devastate the environment.
Time for Nature: I don’t think that we can go back to a pre-history life wandering in the forests. But we must understand that it is Nature that has provided human beings with the optimum conditions to thrive and flourish.
We still seem to not comprehend our deeper connections and continuity with the self-organizing natural system. It’s time that we embed Nature at the centre of our mind, and remove our egos. It’s time for us to understand and act responsibly, and desist from thinking that we have an unquestionable right to plunder and devastate the environment.
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