Peace and harmony in any system is dependent upon the carrying capacity and the working of its components within the actual limits. These limits, if violated, and the carrying capacity if overburdened, will lead to a collapse. Today, we are about to destroy the carrying capacity of the planet Earth and violate the limits of nature. Consequently, the ramifications are in front of us in the form of the conflagrations of the Australian forest fires, African locust swarm attacks, water scarcity in south Asia, drowning in southeast Asia, the warming Antarctica, and spilling oceans.
Climate change is the dark shadow of the carbon footprint of the industrial age. In this world of matter, every individual, organisation and country have a carbon footprint, which is created by our activities through releasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide in atmosphere has the highest level in the history of 400,000 years. That is catastrophic. This carbon footprint is speaking volumes of our environmental sins. It is adding much to the painful memories of the mother Earth. When the mother nature recalls our environmental crimes, she behaves like a stepmother and punishes us with hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and floods, and challenge our survival.
A climate saint should teach the climate devils that we have not inherited the environment from our parents, but that we have borrowed it from our children
Carbon footprint matters, and it has a deep nexus with heart, mind and soul. Since unknown, we hear of saints. Saints are simple people with no luxuries in their life, but they have a rich heart. The simple life of a saint has a very small carbon footprint with a gigantic spiritual impact. Simplicity is constructive; less dependence on matter is climate friendly. In this era of climate emergency, we need climate saints who have a minimum ecological footprint and a big footprint of pleasure and joy, which is only possible through falling in love with nature. A saint is the one who acts on the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle. He believes in conservation of nature and gives his love to the environment instead of snatching its beauty and charm. Planting a tree or reducing the use of water or wearing and eating simple things, these are all the acts of worship.
A climate saint will walk instead of drive because it not only burns his calories but also helps to reduce the global temperature. He will use green energy because it not only gives him energy from nature but is also necessary for clean air. He will use electronic equipment as little as possible because it is not only good for his mental health but also keeps him in spiritual connection with nature. He will go green and preaches what he acts upon. He will, thus, maintain the order, share his love with the nature, and maintain the rhythm of the song of nature, which is all about a green and a sustainable future.
The ultimate duty of a climate saint is to confront the climate devils. Climate devils are climate sceptics. They are everywhere-in governments, running corporations, and in the form of individuals with an attitude of indifference. A climate saint’s duty is to realise his individual social responsibility and preach to the corporates that our gross national happiness is more important than our gross national product. A climate saint should teach the climate devils that we have not inherited the environment from our parents, but that we have borrowed it from our children.
Positivity, sanity and a sense of responsibility can create miracles. The miracles of the 21st century will not be to reverse the flow of rivers but to maintain the existing flow in right directions. This miracle will prevent the annual 17-million-acre loss of forests and preserve the ice sheets and biodiversity. Miracles have happened throughout the history, but this time we need the miracle of preventing 1.5C rise in the global temperature at the end of the century. We need climate saints who will prevent the rising carbon dioxide levels and bring it back to 300 ppm or less. Above all, we need lovers of nature who can prevent food insecurity, water scarcity and spillover of oceans. Indeed, love is the basis of any spiritual activity, and this time nature needs more love than ever before.
But how will these miracles happen? So far governments’ performance is not so impressive. Whether it is the Kyoto Protocol, SDGs or CoP 26, all of them reflect tall talks and broken promises. States are not fully able to deliver on the subject of climate change and accept the corporate social responsibility. President Donald Trump’s pulling out of the Paris Agreement is a wakeup call to the seven billion individuals of the planet Earth that now they have to act irrespective of treaties, policies and conferences. This is the era of treaty congestion, and the outcome is meagre. Every individual now has to work in good faith for the conservation of climate. Let’s realise our individual social responsibility and become lovers of nature. Let’s become climate saints.
The writer is Assistant Commissioner, Peshawar