Environment devastation means self-destruction

  By Vijay Darda | 05-06-2017

How could Donald Trump forget that the US has done the worst damage to world’s environment?

Before discussing the latest step of US President Donald Trump, let’s take a look at some of the environmental issues released by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), a reputed scientific institution in his country and around the world- In the past 6,50,000 years, our planet’s carbon dioxide has never been as much as 406.17 particle/million as it is today. After the industrial revolution, the amount of acids in the upper surface of the ocean has increased by about 30 per cent. Every year, about 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide dissolve in this water.

This is a dangerous situation where the US contributes 15 per cent to global carbon emissions. The more carbon dioxide goes into the atmosphere, the harder the life will get.  NASA’s facts say further: Between 2002 and 2006, Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometers of snow, from 2002 to 2005, 152 cubic kilometers of snow in Antarctica was destroyed. Antarctica had the lowest ice in the summer of 2012.In nearly a hundred years, the temperature of the Earth has increased by about 1.1 degree Celsius.

The point to note here is that the 11 warmest years recorded so far are from the late 1990’s. The 1990s was the hottest decade in the entire millennium. In 2003, 35,000 people died in Europe due to the effects of hot winds. 2016 was the hottest year. Eight out of the 12 months were much warmer compared to previous years.

Due to the increasing temperature worldwide, over 700 meters of sea water have become warmer by 0.302 degree Fahrenheit in the past 45 years. It is not necessary to tell why temperature is rising on Earth. Everyone knows that after years of industrialization, the carbon dioxide in the environment has increased; it has caused holes in the natural ozone layer that protects us. Obviously, if this earth is to be saved, then most of the activities of human beings, which are destroying the environment in a dangerous way, will have to be curbed. America is guiltier because Industrial Revolution took place there first and the most harm has been done by her.

Concern about climate change is not really new. After World War II, discussions about climate change were going on, but no concrete steps were being taken. Years later, in 1972, the first conference was held in Sweden’s capital Stockholm, in which every country made its rules for environmental protection. The United Nations Environment Program was formed for this. Headquartered at Nairobi, it continued to be ignored. It took 20 years for the world to realize that something else should be done! Representatives of different countries met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and decided that member countries would meet every year and discuss climate related concerns and chalk out plans. This conference was named as Conference of Parties (KoP). The havoc is being wreaked since then.

A turning point came when in November-December 2015, at the Paris Climate Summit, 195 countries of the world agreed on the fact that they would work together to curb the rising temperature of the earth and strive to save the Earth. The developed countries have been given greater responsibility because they have already done more harm. It was decided that the developed countries should give 100 billion dollars per annum to the developing countries from 2020, so that they can adopt carbon emission reduction methods. India also got involved in it. Now Trump is saying that India has joined the agreement because it will get billions of dollars! Amazing indeed, Trump sahab! 

If India has to reduce the consumption of coal for electricity, then the money is needed to adopt other ways. This money must be given by those who have harmed the environment. Why do we suffer the brunt of their actions? Yet we are more active because we equate environment to God. We believe the Earth to be mother, worship the rivers and the sea, worship air and worship trees and plants. Around 2,600 years ago, Lord Mahavir bequeathed to us the religion that is closest to environment. The message of all the religions based in Indian culture is to protect nature and environment.There can be no one in the world more concerned about the environment than us. The United Nations has just released a report in which it has been stated that India has been running eight years ahead of the target of reducing carbon emissions as per the 2015 agreement. By 2022, India will start generating 40 per cent of its power from non-conventional sources.

Trump sahab is in a hurry to overturn every decision of Obama. He forgot Obama had said that everyone had a win in the Paris accord. America has the opportunity to create millions of jobs by investing in new technology and new research and the opportunity for developing countries to take advantage of new inventions. American industrialists also expressed their opinion in favour of the agreement. This move of Trump is being opposed in the United States, but Trump is becoming victim of blind nationalism. The good thing is that the European Union is with this agreement. If all are united in favour of the agreement, then Trump can be taught a lesson that a lot of things are possible even without America’s support.

However, these things are of national and international level and will continue. But we will have to make some effort at the people’s level. The government’s effort must also be with us. There is no wood or coal smoke in the two million homes that Narendra Modi has provided. This is a big initiative. Vehicles, ACs and refrigerators also make a huge contribution to the carbon emissions. However, these are the things without which it is difficult to work or live.

We can try and share the vehicle and make the most of public transport. Use the bicycle to move around the neighbourhood. Do not throw garbage in the rivers. It is necessary that emphasis be laid on environmental education. There is no such effective system in our education system now so that we could tell the next generation what our Earth, our atmosphere is and what we must do to save it. Some small tips can also be effective. And of course, we should also make a resolve that if we are using two ACs in our house, then at least four trees will be planted.

Before I conclude…

Nagpur City RTO has taken a great initiative. Now for the passage of truck-bus, 4 trees, three for a mid-sized bus, two for cars and two for small vehicles and a tree for auto rickshaw will have to be planted. Though legally it has not been made mandatory, but it has been said that the photo of planting trees should be submitted! Expect this initiative to be meaningful. Such initiatives should be started not only in Nagpur but also in other cities and it should be kept in mind that the sapling that has been planted should remain alive. Every year, millions of trees are planted in this country. The question is: how many survive?

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