“We
do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our
children” - Chief Seattle
With
every striking hand of the clock by every minute INDIA and AFRICA two
outstretched, ethereally beautiful, diverse in culture, flora and fauna are by
shank’s pony towards the annihilation of the very land they exist on, the
severance of the mother nature that has been providing for them since forever,
retreating of the very beauty they are proud of into a gloomy gospel and the
decaying of the home we with immense love call our mother land. India is the
second most populous country, which has about 16% of the world population and
2.4% of the land area. Africa being not only the 2nd largest continent in the
World but is also a world renowned abode to an extensive diversity in terms of
natural resources, wildlife, and cultural heritage among other things. The
upsurge of human progress in areas of technology and communication, industry and tourism
has not only set the stage for India and Africa in becoming an opening of
lucrative globalization and development but has also far beyond enriched the growth
of these two emerging powerful states of the world.
“Nature
shrinks as capital grows. The growth of the market cannot solve the very crisis
it creates.”
Having
said that, you and me both would agree that national progress, technological
advancements and economic development come with a hefty price for the nature to
pay! And distressingly enough, the current environmental statistics of the two
countries pose a testament to the descendent quote.
"Until man duplicates a blade of grass,
nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge”, Thomas Edison.
What
scares me the most is that the world, if not welcoming, but is unquestionably acclimatizing
to it! Before I formally begin to present my ideas on how these two emerging
state powers can compete, collaborate and co-create the future on environmental
issues I would like to clear the picture, lowering my liabilities on how to
make this paper comprehensible to the common man. Knowing the severity of the
question posing before appreciating the answer! The knowledge of the issue
before applause to the solution! The awareness of the danger before welcoming
of the Salvatore! In this scenario, the environmental issues! What are these
threats that stand daunting to the nature that fosters the population of these
two gigantic countries? From extensive surveying, detailed studying,
conventional statistics and records, four major matters of concern rise to
stand.
Climate
change! There is an ongoing global temperature increase and with it the world
is coming very close to a so called "climate change tipping point", a
2C global temperature increase, after which climate change should run out of
control in form of frequent extreme events, floods, drought, hunger and even
new diseases. What the people fail to understand is that trivializing this
alteration of temperatures over this period of time is the indication of the
utterly careless contravening of the man with the laws of nature and the peril
it portents and may perhaps create ranging from economic to social
catastrophes. But like every slight scratch can be taken care of before that
“big ugly dent” emerges to view, provided if it’s noted, identified and acted
upon before that “red siren” honks upon the tune of our careless endeavours,
similarly this problem if not ceased to the dim at one stroke but can at least
be soughed out and worked upon gradually, slightly receding away the calamity
it can bring by a few units of time.
“We're
in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone’s arguing over where
they're going to sit” - David Suzuki
The
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education director general, VK
Bahuguna, said that the unique Indo-African partnership can provide help to
India and the African nations for tackling climate change and desertification.
At
the conclusion of a two-week training programme on Combating
Desertification and Climate Change sponsored by the Ministry of External
Affairs during the weekend at the Central Academy for State Forest Services
(CASFoS), Bahuguna stated that the India-Africa partnership is unique and owes
its origins to history and the common struggle of the two against colonialism,
apartheid, poverty, disease, illiteracy and hunger.
“What
we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we
are doing to ourselves and to one another.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Africa
has united with India to demand that future measures to mitigate climate change
should take into account equity and "common but differentiated
responsibilities," a move that will make the negotiation of caps on
emissions of greenhouse gases tougher, though perhaps fairer to the world's
poor.
The
role of forests in mitigating issues like global warming, climate change and
season discrepancies being witnessed by these two nations need to be elucidated
to the being they ironically enough provide to and who were supposed to be its
protectors but unfortunately are its very destructors. The people of these
dense forest dwelling lands need to be aware of how precious these masqueraded
souvenirs they have bequeathed from mother earth and how much protection and
care is entailed for these natural resources in this environment threatening
scenario currently.
In
this context, various training programmes sponsored by the Ministry of External
Affairs are being organised on numerous topics including climate change and
desertification. The purpose of this course was to sensitise the participants
about different aspects of desertification and climate change and the role that
forests have to play in mitigation of global warming.
This
was also a platform for sharing of knowledge and technical know how about
opportunities available and the strategies formulated for combating the menace.
This training programme was third in a series of eight such programmes to be
held at the Central Academy for State Forest Service. It was attended by 28
participants including senior forest officers, academicians and scientists from
15 African countries.
This
being swathed, let’s talk about the next alarming issue that could be
potentially demining the environment as we know it. Deforestation is still a
major environmental problem, even despite certain progress in stopping massive
clearance of Amazon rainforest. The deforestation is very serious issue in many
African countries as well as India. Deforestation also contributes to climate
change issue- not only does burning forests release greenhouse gas emissions
but also means there are less trees to absorb carbon emissions from the
atmosphere. It’s like a ‘domino-effect’, one domino knocks down another and so
on. One calamity triggers off another leading until the assets of nature fall
altogether into a pit of despair for the mankind, as I would like to call it.
Minimising
the cutting of wood and its use as fuel can go a long way to fight global
warming, and do so in an affordable way, an expert asserts. "Forest
clearance and wood burning have emerged as a major cause of global warming over
the last few decades. Deforestation alone contributes over 25 percent gases
responsible for global warming," Michael Kleine of International Union of
Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) told IANS. The UN however estimates it
contributes around 20 percent.
Kleine added: "Reduction in number of trees as a result of ignorant
deforestation means that there would be fewer trees to absorb CO2 (carbon
dioxide), the gas primarily responsible for global warming." Kleine
is coordinator of the special programme for developing countries (SPDC) that is
sponsored by IUFRO. Kleine was in Chandigarh (India) recently to
participate in an international conference on forests. He is based in Vienna,
Austria, where the headquarters of IUFRO is located.
The
rapidly developing and economically proliferating populace, along with the move
in the direction of urbanization and industrialization, has sited a
considerable demand on India and africa’s infrastructure and its biological
reserves. Deforestation in India and extreme room-creation by extensive
uprooting and deracinating of outstretched green land in Africa, together with
all its other environmental effects, continues to go downhill and is
encumbering trade and industry development. However, its booming and exploding
metropolises are the ones causing their presently detrimental problems.
S.
Appanah, national forest programme adviser to the Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) in the Asia-Pacific region, told IANS: "In India, wood
is being consumed at an alarming rate. The quantity of wood that we burn every
year for various purposes is much higher
than the quantity of wood that grows here annually." Bangkok-based
Appanah added: "It's true that deforestation fulfils many requirements of
the human race, but if we observe on broader perspective then there are many
intense and upsetting consequences associated with it. In addition, these
consequences are not only local but have many global repercussions to
follow." Rohit Ruhella, an environmentalist based here, said:
"It is the high time we preserved the integrity of our ecosystem. Every
aspect of environment is inter-related with forests and it has become essential
to reduce deforestation to avoid devastating impacts of global warming.
The
administration has made an effort to slow down losses to its jungles and
enlarge tree shelter through a sequence of plans with backing from the World
Bank. It has the largest participating funds that direct to the solutions of
their deforestation problems. The effective implementation of India's rules and
regulations for the forests brought about a good change in their previously
dilapidated jungles. Through the help of the Worldwide Bank and the sectors of
environmentalists protecting the Earth, the Indian nation gave way to the
possibilities that deforestation problems could really be fixed.
The deforestation in India shows the rest of the world that a switch to
ecological friendly decisions can help alleviate the world's present condition.
If only the rest of the countries allow such kind of help from the experts,
then our deforestation problems could possibly be offset in no time.
The
third problem we are mostly likely adding to our day to day environmental
issues is a very popular, very talked about, evidently a very common and indeed
a big environmental problem for many developing countries: Pollution,
especially air and water pollution. This however does not only affect us but is
also directly responsible for a huge biodiversity loss. Huge biodiversity loss
is occurring everywhere in the world like a widespread pestilence to have
affected our eco-system, rendering disastrous complications in our food chain
and specie cycles, because animal and plant species cannot cope with so many
different environmental issues and are experiencing huge decline in population,
some of which are already critically endangered.
Climate
change is believed to be major factor behind global biodiversity loss though
there are also some other important factors contributing to this negative trend
such as habitat loss and plundering.
Kudos
to India-Africa (shared future) and all similar organizations all over the
world as they bear for us the campaign torch on environmental issues.
Each
one of us can help by self education and also adopting good and healthy
practices. It is also a need of the hour that we help raise awareness to our
fellow companions about the significance of environmental issues, their dire consequences
and what steps can be taken on a personal and collective level to control it.
“One
person alone cannot save the planet’s biodiversity, but each individual’s
effort to encourage nature’s wealth must not be underestimated.”- United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The
inhabitants of India and Africa together at their own levels can take to simple
steps and do their bit contributing to a pleasantly surprising impact. Measures such as Having a proper waste
disposal system especially for toxic wastes, Take very good care of your pets
and their wastes, Never throw, run or drain or dispose into the water, air, or
land any substance in solid, liquid or gaseous form that shall cause pollution.
Do not cause loud noises and unwanted sounds to avoid noise pollution. Do not
litter in public places. Anti-litter campaigns can educate the populace.
Industries should use fuel with lower sulphur content. Industries should
monitor their air emissions regularly and take measures to ensure compliance
with the prescribed emission standards. Industries should strictly follow
applicable government regulations on pollution control. Organic waste should be
dumped in places far from residential areas. Say a big "NO" to GMOs
or genetically modified organisms. Genetically engineered crops are not only
bad for the environment since they require massive amount of fungicides,
pesticides, and herbicides and steps like these are sure to pave way for a
better future for us.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever
has." - Margaret Mead (1901-1978) quoted in John M.
RIchardson, ed. Making it Happen, 1982.
This
statement is true in its very sense! Africa and India, two powerfully emerging
and developing states of the world can indeed bring about a change that could
revolutionize the way environment has been demented.
The
focus should be two bring down these two to planning and action on the same
platform to save the forests. Every year conferences should be conducted to
facilitate the exchange of thoughts and ideas among these countries.
The
recent and the most potent of all the environmental threats is the Electronic
waste, or e-waste, consists of obsolete electrical and electronic equipment
(EEE). Obsolete EEE includes computers, televisions, mobile phones, printers
and white electronic goods, such as refrigerators. Although China and India
were the traditional ‘dumping grounds’ for such discarded global e-waste, since
2005 several studies have exposed illegal exporting of e-waste from developed
countries to African countries, and predominantly, Nigeria and Ghana.
Additional levels of domestically produced e-waste are rising across Africa as
well, a result of increased electronic goods consumption stemming from, among
other factors, growing rates of disposable incomes.
Simple
enforcement of bans on imports and on informal e-waste recycling practices
would not solve the problem, I would suggest that both should be more
efficiently controlled, and that it is especially paramount to include the
informal sector within decisions and resulting actions.
This
sentiment was strongly echoed in February 2011, during the Lagos State
Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) E-waste Summit. One of the
recommendations from the summit concluded that e-waste imports should not be
banned but controlled, as they provide opportunities for employment, poverty
alleviation, business with recycling, and the bridge of the digital divide. The
environmental and health risks associated with informal e-waste practices
within Africa and India could potentially be reduced significantly through the
use of improved treatment methods. For example, in specific relation to
computer e-waste, modern recycling plants can recover or re-use 95% of the
material, leaving only 5% as waste. As some of these recovered materials from
computers and other EEE are scarce precious metals (such as gold, silver), with
increasingly high demand, this could also provide revenue generation, alleviate
market demand problems of these metals, etc. Installing contemporary technology instead of
relying on conventional methods, in African countries and India with high
e-waste volumes could be one solution to the problem. This initiative is also
one of increasing importance, considering that domestically generated e-waste
in developing regions, including Africa, is expected to exceed that of
developed regions within five to eight years, as per sources on internet. On
the other hand, the process of (recycling) technology transfer to solve the
e-waste problem in China was a failure, suggesting that a more holistic
approach is needed. The question of who should bear the responsibility and the
cost of installation of effective recycling technology would also have to be
raised, if this solution was adopted within African countries. Another
potential solution involves EEE manufacturers taking more responsibility.
Firstly to reduce the levels of hazardous and toxic substances used to make
EEE, and secondly for the entire life-cycle of their products, including when
they become obsolete. While some ‘producer take-back schemes’ are in existence
in developed countries, they are not yet of significant scale, and there is no
evidence of such schemes within African countries. While manufacturers decide
if, and how, they will bear more responsibility and respond to this challenge,
the problem of EEE currently in production and circulation remains. For their
own part, consumers of EEE must begin to bear some responsibility as well.
The
domino-effect as stated above is evidently remarkable through these problems
daunting our existence on this planet! Our Mother Earth could be anything but
contented with the fact that the destiny of the family of beings and
innumerable species it sustains lies in the hands of humans-considered to be at
the highest hierarchy of the food chain and specie cycle. We were meant to be
the guardians of our planet and not to end up as its very obliterators. But
through forums, conferences, international campaigns we together can notify,
educate, make people realize and subsequently motivate them to believe that all
the power its takes to stop the environmental damage is within our hands.
Especially when this effort done in coalition and alliance of nations that have
shared a history of utmost slavery, revolt for freedom, economically limping to
now emerging as powerful states in the global market, immense cultural and
ecological diversity as well as beauty and paramount human asset. Alike in so
many ways then indeed why not join hands and co-create a beautiful future for
our environment and us,
"A
Healthy Ecology is the Basis for a Healthy Economy", Claudine
Schneider, U.S. Representative in The Green Lifestyle Handbook.
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