Environment - How Badly Humans Handled It?

Industrial revolution of the 18th to 19th centuries exploited the growth potential of energy in fossil fuels.  Coal for examples was used to power efficient engines and later was opted for electricity generation.  Mid-20th century saw environmental movement indicating that material benefits that were being enjoyed had an environmental cost associated with it. The environmental problem assumed a global proportion by late 20th century.  The energy crises of 1973 / 1979 demonstrated the extent of dependence on non-renewable resources.  In fact, ecological foot print exceeded the carrying capacity of the earth warning therefore life style of humanity as unsustainable by 1970s.  The seriousness of this imbalance surfaced in the 21st century with the advent of climate change due to fossil fuel burning.  This also reflected on biodiversity loss due to land use change.

 

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT:

It all started with the desire for specific foods that altered the natural composition of plant and animal communities.  Since they were insignificant compared to the resources, it did not gain so much attention.  Agriculture that emerged in various regions of the world, societies outgrowing their local food supply (depleting critical resources) either moved on or collapsed.  However, over a period of time, surplus of storable food allowed population to settle in one place instead of migrating in search of food, thus increasing the population density triggering the beginning of resource exploitation.  Intense agriculture allowed population increase along with deforestation as well.  Decreasing production coupled with other factors led to civilization decline due to poor management of resources.

The onset of tapping the growth potential of energy in fossil fuels triggered the beginning of industrialization in the 18th & 19th centuries.  Coal especially, was used to power more efficient engines and later generate electricity as well.  Improved sanitation systems and medical advancement protecting larger populations led to population explosion leading to unprecedented industrial, technological and scientific growth (global population doubled – 500 million to 1 billion between 1650 and 1850. Eugenius Warming in the 19th century, studying the physiological relations between plants and environment heralded the scientific discipline of ECOLOGY.

Increase in health, wealth and population perceived as path of progress triggered the industrial revolution leading to exponential increase in human consumption of resources. Economists began developing models of non-renewable resource management in the 1930s and even sustainability of welfare in an economy using non-renewable resources.  Ecology, gaining acceptance as a scientific discipline and concepts to sustainability were being explored – interconnections of all living systems in the ‘biosphere’ , importance of natural cycles (water, nutrients and chemicals, materials, waste) and flow of energy through trophic levels.

 

ENVIRONMETALISM:

Subsequent to World War II, the developed world entered a new period of growth escalation post 1950s.  Humanity assumed the role of global geophysical force along with environmental movement pointing to environmental costs with material benefits being enjoyed.  Technological innovations (plastics, synthetic chemicals, nuclear energy) clubbed with increased use of fossil fuels transformed society.  Green revolution assured development of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides that had devastating consequences on rural wildlife.  This was further complicated by oil production peaking globally.  Environmentalism’s concern with pollution, population explosion, consumerism and depletion of finite resources found expression in ‘Small is beautiful’ in 1970s. 

Energy crisis of 1973 and 1979 demonstrated the dependence of global community on non-renewable resources.  President Carter invited Americans to ‘conserve energy and eliminate waste’.  Contrarily, developing nations who faced poverty and deprivation regarded development as essential to improve living standards.  World Conservation Strategy followed by ‘World Charter for Nature’ by International Union for Conservation of Nature drew attention to the decline of world’s ecosystems.

‘Our Common Future’ by United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development suggested sustainable development while accepting that development is acceptable.  Population growth had increased demand while all countries had capacity to meet their own demand, by importing resources from other nations.  This gave way to sustainable living through public awareness and adoption of recycling and renewable energies. Wind turbines and photovoltaic along with increased hydroelectricity were considered as a step towards sustainable alternatives and developed countries to implement small-scale sustainability policies as well.

 

GLOBAL AWARENESS:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), through its scientists assured global awareness of the threat posed largely by burning fossil fuels. “The climate system is already moving beyond the patterns of natural viability within which our society and economy have developed and thrived” was the strongly worded statement by Copenhagen Climate Council (2009).  Global mean surface temperature, sea level rise, ocean and ice sheet dynamics, ocean acidification and extreme climate events are a few mentioned by them.

‘Ecological Economics’ as the buzz word that aims to bridge the gap between ecology and traditional neoclassical economics – ethical economic model.  Several new concepts to measure sustainability are being accepted which include, car-free movement, smart growth, life-cycle assessment, ecological foot print analysis, green building, dematerialization, decarbonisation and much more.

 

SUSTAINABILITY:

Current trend on sustainability defines long term maintenance of wellbeing encompassing Environment, Social and Economic dimensions.  The simplest definition of ‘ability is to maintain or support a process continuously over time’.  Over a period of time ever since climate change assumed greater attention, there have been many ideas put forward towards this so called, ‘Sustainability’ – which is a misnomer in the present day context as we have stretched Environment many folds beyond its potential.

 

However, let us look at a few:

• Encompass economics, environment and social components
• ‘Sustainable goals’ – reduce environmental footprints and conserve resources
• ‘Green Investments’
• Other side – ‘Greenwashing’ – practice of misleading public to make a business

 ‘Economic sustainability’ focuses on conserving natural resources including renewable and exhaustible inputs whereas, ‘environmental sustainability’ emphasises on life support system (Atmosphere/Soil).  Contrarily, ‘social sustainability’ deals with human effects of economic system to eradicate poverty and hunger and inequality.

Source: Internet

In addition to the above, we also hear about ‘Corporate Sustainability’ – Corporate ethics to public concerns of long-term damage caused by focus on short-term profits.

It is easier said than done with all the new terminologies on Sustainability.  Presuming that each Corporate in a country is practicing them sincerely, we should have witnessed some change in the environment around.  Has that happened or has it worsened as has been reported recently – Delhi, India has recently recorded a temperature of 52.3 to 52.9 degree C (being verified by India Meteorological Department (IMD).   There are three critical challenges in adopting sustainability - Hard to understand the impact of any single firm; Hard to evaluate environmental impact of some activities and finally, how economic agents respond to changing incentives.

That doesn’t however shadow the benefits of sustainable practices as for example using efficient lighting and plumbing fixtures to save utility bills and improve public image as well.

 

PLANETARY BOUNDARIES:

The approach to sustainability is now extended to more than the three principle domains that I mentioned above in view of the unmarked boundaries between countries.  The new concept developed in 2009 by Stockholm Resilience Centre and other groups proposed a new approach – define ‘Planetary boundaries’ (Climate Change/Novel Entities/Stratospheric Ozone depletion/Atmospheric aerosol loading/Ocean acidification/Biogeochemical flows/Freshwater use/Land-system change and Biosphere integrity for humanity to operate safely).

It is now believed that instead of addressing ‘Sustainability’ alone, it would be ideal to address it as ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’

 

IMPACT OF SDG:

As we progress on controlling climate change, we seem to come up with newer approaches and SDG seems to be the latest trend comprising 17 goals starting from ‘No Poverty’ to ‘Partnerships for the Goals’.  The tracker for this was published in 2028, the revised version in 2023 and the need to keep up-to-date with the most recent data through end of 2030 Agenda.

According to the recent report for 166 countries, Finland at 86.76% tops the list with South Sudan the least at 36.68%  for the 17 goals under SDG – India at 116 scores 63.45%.

 

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT TODAY:

Despite several appeals through international bodies and SDG goals, it is evident that no country is near the absolute.   Global Risks Report 2024 points to the biggest short-term risk stemming from misinformation and disinformation.  It is also apprehended that climate-related threats dominate top 10 risks that the global population will face.  Global experts anticipate a multipolar / fragmented order to shape up over the next decade.

The cascading shocks of the recent years are intractable – floods in places where it was unheard and record temperatures in cities that never witnessed so far.  Sweltering heat, flash floods, ’Disappearing Spring Season have been India’s weather story of 2024.  There are countable reasons for this state of affairs starting from war and conflict, polarized politics, continuing cost-of-ling crisis and increasing impacts of changing climate that have destabilized the global order.  The world seems to be plagued by a duo of dangerous crises: climate and conflict against the backdrop of accelerating technological change and economic uncertainty.

 

CONCLUSION:

The pristine environment has been rendered almost unliveable as we not only, have failed on our understanding climate change properly but also have delayed our immediate actions.   Environment being vast encompassing many intricate living and non-living components has been pretty delicately interwoven and any minor disturbance would induce an imbalance in the entire system.

A K Shyam  373  First Main  1st Cross Canarabank Layout  Vidyaranyapura post BENGALURU -560 097 Karnataka, India.  Email: [email protected]