An Ageda for G 20 meet

 The Statesman, Sept 7 2023

 

There is much excitement about the G20 summit to be held in Delhi this week. The city is looking beautiful. We have Ashoka lions placed at regular intervals and cut-outs of Langurs to keep away the common monkey. For animal lovers like me, this gives an earthy feel. The G20 slogan ‘One Earth. One Family. One Future’ is very positive. This summit is a wonderful opportunity for world leaders to follow the spirit of the slogan and set a new narrative wherein ordinary citizens’ concerns are treated as paramount.

When we think of a country, we think foremost of its people and culture. When we travel to a country, we are enticed by its natural beauty, wildlife, and heritage monuments. Travellers are not attracted to a country for its GDP, armoury, or foreign relations. Yet, often, when our elected leaders return from international visits, newspapers are filled with headlines outlining the intricacies of negotiated arms deals, lauding them as milestone achievements for our country. Unfortunately, there is rarely any mention of shared concerns regarding the environment, gender, race, or citizens’ rights. These issues are systematically swept under the carpet by categorizing them as ‘internal problems.’ This is reminiscent of when domestic violence used to be considered a ‘personal, family issue’ until it reached a point where almost one in three women became affected.

A wiser triaging of topics that must be given importance is necessary. Considering that the most serious challenges citizens face today are environmental issues, mass migrations and human rights violations, it makes sense to keep them centre stage in global, political discussions.

Here are some of the issues many citizens would appreciate seeing addressed by the heads of state in the G20 summit. Resolutely putting true wealth forests, above superficial wealth, machine-generated banknotes: Today, most countries face significant environmental problems, such as the raging wildfires in Canada and Hawaii or the fast-sinking townships in our Himalayan foothills caused by unrestricted construction.

Despite this, serious discussions about a green future are relegated to the annual conference of parties (COP). The complex financial arrangements countries draft at the COP with respect to compensation for past carbon footprints are time-consuming. Nor have COPs achieved consensus on putting a hard stop to coal mining. Relying on a single annual global climate summit for dealing with a pandemic of daily natural catastrophes is incredibly inadequate. It may be wiser to take small steps towards environmental collaboration at each intergovernmental meet, starting with G20.

For example, India could build on its ancient culture of revering trees, including the Peepul, Ashok, Neem, Coconut, and Bodhi tree (where Gautam Buddha is said to have found enlightenment). This would resonate with many other cultures such as Japan and Madagascar for example (with their love for Cedar and Baobab trees respectively).

A joint declaration by a handful of nations to protect our common natural, green heritage of ancient trees and prevent even one tree above 25 years old from being cut, as well as rebuilding our lost forest cover, is important. A concrete target of increasing mixed species forest cover by 5 per cent annually for three years, followed by 1 per cent annually thereafter, is easily achievable and will preserve our most precious universal commodity – natural carbon sinks.

Cutting trees or clearing forests under the pretext of ‘development’ must now be declared a crime against mankind. It is ironic that large business houses are allowed licences to destroy the creations of God – pristine forests, while climate activists who destroy man-made paintings to raise awareness about the need for environmental protection are sentenced to years in prison.

Leaders also need to talk about rogue governments that thwart international aid to citizens for political reasons when extreme weather phenomena wipe out lives, houses, and livelihoods. A grave collective threat to mankind’s existence is nonbiodegradable plastic, which harms the environment greatly. Insidious micro-plastic creates several health hazards in our bodies, affecting many systems such as the endocrine and nervous systems and exacerbates cancer development. Leaders, while sipping tea in sustainable earthen ‘Kulhads,’ a lovely Indian lifestyle accompaniment, can work out modalities of banning plastic altogether, rather than allowing its mere tweaking to the still hugely damaging ‘bio-plastics’ Capitalism as a failing model: Though political coffers benefit greatly from capitalism, it is time to acknowledge that unchecked capitalism has proved to be a failure.

According to a recent Oxfam report, the top 1 per cent richest humans garnered 63 per cent of the total increase in wealth during the last 2-3 Covid years. At the other end of the financial spectrum, we find 47 per cent below the poverty line and 8 per cent of the world living in extreme poverty. Three billion people (out of a total of 8 billion) cannot afford a healthy diet. That millions remain entrenched in poverty indicates that this economic model is spectacularly inefficient on a larger scale. In other fields, ineffective models are quickly replaced. In medicine, for example, before any drug is licensed for actual use, it must surpass the efficacy of pre-existing drugs. For any surgical technique to be widely adopted it should have a high success rate across patients.

Given that only a small fraction of humanity has benefitted from it, capitalism needs huge overhauls or replacement. It is also truly concerning that a significant part of the economy of the world over is based on war, smoking, and illicit drugs sales. For example, the sales of U.S. military equipment to foreign governments rose 49 per cent in 2022. A joint resolution on implementing curbs on market shares of any one company to a maximum of 10-15 per cent will discourage monopolies, facilitate diversity, and spread economic prosperity among more citizens. Independent India abolished the Zamindari system, and put in place the land ceiling act (which sadly has been diluted in many states in more recent times) to curb excessive land ownership by individuals.

This experience and equitable thought make India ideally suited to usher in meaningful change for a more just distribution of market resources as well. Common justification for capitalism centres on the idea that without financial incentive, people would lose their desire to excel. This is debunked by the existence of several creative geniuses, who lived and died in penury, including Gauguin, Modigliani, De Kooning and Mirza Ghalib. Chore-burdened housewives are not paid, yet they create delicious food and decorate their houses stylishly.

The present model of capitalism does not suit today’s environmental needs. For an idea to be implemented or even researched, it must first prove its market viability (profitability). Due to this, we are losing out on scientific progress that could assist with the worsening climate change crisis. For example, fuel-driven cars are being replaced with electric ones but why not more research on faster versions of simple, light frame, human pedalled ones that would cut down on all external energy and keep human beings fitter too?

Human rights issues: Human rights discussions are frequently brushed under the carpet at important summits. Poorly executed military operations and botched up intelligence reports have often resulted in an unacceptable loss of civilian lives, conveniently glossed over as ‘collateral damage.’ The recently made movie ‘Oppenheimer’ reminded us of the most devastating face of collateral damage when entire cities full of civilians were blown up in Japan, in total contravention of wartime conventions (such as the Geneva convention). Some states in India have suffered unusually prolonged internet shutdowns due to ‘security reasons,’ due to which decent, innocent citizens have lost jobs, students have been unable to study and medical assistance has been difficult to find. There is no redressal or compensation for the loss of productivity, happiness, or destroyed futures.

Apart from the bugbear of unemployment, even citizens in secure jobs find it difficult to flourish. Academicians cannot publish research or direct theses that are unapproved by politicians, journalists are troubled and often jailed for speaking candidly. Artists and singers invited to a public event to perform, suddenly find their shows cancelled if their political leanings upset some official in charge. All these factors lead to a very poor quality of life for the average citizen. Citizens cannot speak freely in many countries specially when their ideology does not match that of the ruling party. In India, for example, elected representatives can freely expound their views on any topic as per their convenience from any forum at any time, with security forces helping with the arrangements for such ‘political rallies.’

On the other hand, citizens who want to express their views, or raise legitimate concerns are only allowed to do so in small designated areas and often treated very shabbily by uniformed policemen. When our Constitution unequivocally confirms the equality of all citizens, these differential rules are jarring. The lovely rural Indian ethos of village elders deliberating every evening on village issues under a large canopied tree (likely in several other countries too), can be magnified to a bigger stage with inclusive spaces for wise elder citizens to openly contribute their wisdom to leaders, with more women members and fewer Hookahs of course! It is unfortunate that when elected representatives of people meet, they prefer to talk more about arms sales, military alliances, and strategic relations rather than share concerns and ideas for the wellbeing of their citizens.

India can make a bold positive contribution at G20 by pulling out the world from the rut of discussing stale agendas to invigorating the hopes of citizens by discussing vital human topics on priority. For as Ellen Glasgow once said ‘The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions.’

(The writer is a Delhi-based medical practitioner.)

We, the climate affected....

 The Statesman        7 Dec 2022

As a citizen of Delhi, I am dismayed at the toxic effects of the air pollution on all of us, as also on visitors from neighbouring hilly terrains. People from nearby states travel to Delhi to avail of the well-developed surgical facilities here. Many of these are non-emergency surgeries like cataract, chronic hernia, or joint replacement. However, even before they can undergo the surgery, the patients fall prey to the ill effects of the bad air quality and develop respiratory tract infections and a generalised weakening of immunity. They begin to feel depressed and want to rush back to the cleaner air of their hometowns.

Conversely, many Delhites are buying residential property in the hills nearby, all the better to escape choking for at least a few weeks in the year. In the foreseeable future it seems certain that people will migrate towards the few remaining areas that have breathable air. Like the well-established migrations for better job prospects, for fleeing political persecution, natural disasters and wars, the new waves of migration are likely to be towards places on earth where one’s lungs can still sample a whiff of fresh healthy air. It is truly ironical that the political- industrial nexus that has exploited and dirtied the environment on a mega scale (compared to those with simple sustainable lifestyles like fishermen, farmers, forest dwellers etc) will have the edge in this resettlement, given their ill-gotten resources.

Years ago, as a young student studying at an army medical college, I took part in a photography contest which required us to submit imaginative entries for the caption ‘the young and the old’. I requested a bunch of sweet young urchins playing in the street to come and sit on the low bough of a very old tree with a gnarled bark. For me, trees have always held a certain timelessness. I remember the awe I felt looking all the way up, my neck flung back, gazing at the tops of the giant redwood trees in California and similarly, at the huge horizontal expanse of an old Banyan tree in the botanical gardens of Kolkata. It takes decades, nay centuries, for a tree to acquire such dimensions. I feel deeply disappointed when grand old trees are sacrificed for any reason and replaced with the ugly inert concrete of buildings. I read a recent report about a mega infrastructure development project in Great Nicobar Island that has received initial environmental clearances. A very rich treasure trove of a whopping 8.5 lakhs trees on an idyllic island will be gone. Why would anyone destroy what is the equivalent of gold or rather Fort Knox itself? The justification of ‘military advantage’ does not cut ice.  For if the various wars have taught us anything, it is that these costly, visibly big , power- guzzling edifices are often the first targets of enemy fire. Even though humans may like to take the credit for destructive valour in the many crippling wars, ironically enough, the accidental but great role of nature - the mountain overlooking a valley, the advantage of stealth provided by darkness or forests, the sea transporting navies or the safe belly of mother Earth where soldiers hid in trenches can hardly be discounted. Governments promise ‘compensatory afforestation’ in lieu of hacking down forests -where old  trees cut are replaced with new plantations. How can tiny immature saplings be a substitute for developed trees with dense canopies or rich fruit bearing abilities ? How can one equate a decorated general with years of experience with a new rookie for example? The senseless destruction of priceless forests is as futile as the destruction of humans in the many military mega- wars this planet has witnessed.

Today’s biggest battle, however, is against habits and business models that destroy our planet. The best ‘generals’ for this sophisticated and difficult combat are climate scientists, indigenous tribes and forest dwellers who understand the terrain better (literally and figuratively). They can help set in place practical and genuine climate change policies.  When politicians negotiate in climate conferences, they often do so on behalf of the businesses which have strongly funded their election campaigns. Local people that do not have these vested ‘obligations’ can better focus on the planet’s survival rather than the survival of a political group or ideology.

There are thousands of innovative ways for individuals to join the battle against global warming as foot soldiers. Apart from recycling, composting, greening, gardening, scattering seeds on empty plots en-route to work and so on, we can also incorporate green actions into our professional lives. As a  personal example, we have started distributing green plants along with medicines to beneficiaries attending our holistic eye and general health grassroots medical camps. We explain to the patients the oxygen-producing abilities of the plant and encourage them to nurture it. My routine medical prescriptions also carry a printed message of harmony with nature at the bottom of every page.

If we as a race of consumers are serious about mitigating our personal impact on global warming , the time has come to ensure that each finished product has a biodegradability index printed on it. This should mention how many days it would take for the product to disintegrate completely. Plastics, we know, are largely non-biodegradable (many degrade only after 500 years or so)

and they harm the environment, plant and animal life and cause serious health issues in humans. Currently, almost all food products for sale mention the calorie breakup. This helps us make correct choices to safeguard our internal health. The time has come to purposefully shape our external milieu as well. Reading the biodegradability label could truly help us reduce the purchases of items that are not biodegradable.

In the recent climate conference, number 27, there was a much-hailed agreement reached (after years of painstaking negotiations) that developed nations that have consumed the Earth’s resources at a faster rate will contribute towards funding the countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change (the carbon footprint of these developing countries has been much smaller but they are getting more affected due to global contributions to climate warming). While a broader redressal of grievances may play out at governmental levels, the same disbursement of compensation does not happen with individuals within states and countries. If destruction of forests and displacement of indigenous people continues with impunity within boundaries of states, then having a centralized UN conference has very limited impact.

The deep understanding of and harmony with nature of indigenous people is brought out well in a famous letter attributed to the native Indian Chief Seattle who wrote to the ‘White man’. Excerpts from the letter….. “This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth’; “We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins”; reveal the intimate connection with nature experienced daily by them. Now, even city-dwelling citizens keenly feel the importance of a green cover in their lives.  A straightforward pledge by each and every nation to increase its forest cover by 5%  every year for 3 years and then 1% every year may work wonders. It is easy, non-controversial, and urban citizens and indigenous people alike would be delighted to participate with governments in this crucial endeavour to safeguard our collective future.

Since always, Mother nature has been providing us pure air to breathe but in return, we have been spewing noxious chemicals into her atmosphere; where her fertile soils support our crops and gardens, we plough toxic pesticides into the mud; her gift of fresh water to us is repaid by our spilling oil and garbage into her oceans. When the story of Homo Sapiens and Mother Earth is told, it can either be one of unrequited love by Gaia for humans and the certain destruction of our species or an inspiring tale of a deep and abiding love between man and nature that lasts till eternity.