The modern man in a globalised world in his striving for power and material comforts gets increasingly alienated from the Nature of which he is an integral part primarily because political and public discourses have not adequately correlated human needs with those of the Nature at the individual and state level specifically in India. Kerala landslides are a gruesome reminder of this increasing phenomenon of alienation from nature. It is high time that the country makes climate change a part of public and political discourse.
More than three hundred and fifty people have already lost their lives and many more injured are admitted in hospitals following massive landslides in Kerala’s Mundakkai region of Wayanad district due to heavy rain in the hilly areas whereas the state’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan remarked that the rescue mission could take several more days raising the possibilities that the death toll could be much higher. However, more serious concerns emanate from the fact that Indians increasingly view climate change as a potential threat but not as an imminent threat which can take the form of a discourse in the public sphere nor does it feature prominently in the speeches of political leaders except their concerns after such incidents.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi earned reputation for himself and soft power for the country by making significant commitments at several international platforms on behalf of India to reduce carbon emissions and towards making swift transition to renewable energy resources. Most notably, India and France founded the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in 2015 underlining India’s proactive approach to global climate issues. The initiative aimed at promoting solar energy and reducing dependency on fossil fuels. This was considered a milestone in projecting India as a leader to champion renewable energy resources and as a votary of sustainable development. Moving a step forward in this direction, in 2021 at COP26 India significantly increased its climate mitigation commitments by pledging to reach net-zero emissions by 2070 and in 2022 it updated its Nationally Determined Contribution.
Despite the pledges that India is committed to at the national and international levels, data suggest that India’s economy as well as its citizens’ everyday life is still over-reliant on coal and imported crude oil. While coal is its primary source of fuel, accounting for approximately 70% of electricity generation, much of its transport is powered through imported oil. As a result, India is the world’s third-largest emitter of Carbon Dioxide in spite of the reality that it still emits lower percentage of carbon per capita. Second, the commitments and their implementations fall far short of the immediacy of the climate needs and population bulge. For instance, India’s pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2070 is like aiming to attain a goal when climate would have been damaged to such an extent that it would have significantly impinged on the lives of every Indian leave alone the vulnerable sections. According to NASA, in the summer of 2023, the average global temperature was 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than the average of the summers between 1951 and 1980. It has been argued by experts and scientists that to contain the cases of floods, earthquakes, landslides and heatwaves at their existing levels and to avoid warming above 2 degrees Celsius by the middle of the century, most countries must achieve net-zero global emissions in the coming twenty five years. While only eight countries with low industrial and massive forest base namely Bhutan, Comoros, Gabon, Guyana, Madagascar, Niue, Panama and Suriname have so far achieved the goal of net-zero emissions, it seems to be almost impossible for many countries including India to reach this stage because climate consciousness is still not a part of public discourse.
To quote the then India’s Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav’s response to a question in a Press Conference on December 19, 2023: “India is committed to meeting the energy needs of its people and will also have to rely on coal power until it achieves developed country status.” He was further quoted saying: “But the developed countries are pressuring developing nations to end the use of fossil fuels. We did not accept it (at COP28). We said efforts to (limit temperature rise to) 1.5 degrees Celsius should be seen in light of national circumstances”. The implications of what the Union Environment Minister Yadav said represent the views, orientation and values that political leaders in India generally carry towards climate issues.
They still argue that developed countries owe more responsibility towards climate preservation for their long-term damage to the environment since industrial revolution and they have updated technology and capital to make a swift and successful transition to renewables. The principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities were stressed by the Union Environment Minister which in a way represented the views of political leaders in general. While this line of thinking maybe logical and the Global South has pursued these arguments at international platforms but India can pursue this argument only at its own peril. India is more developed than many countries in the Global South and if resources are properly distributed among the masses, they can meet many of their material needs. India’s need for advanced green technology and capital can be mobilised from developed countries of the West and International Financial Institutions such as World Bank and IMF through diplomatic efforts. This apart, the country can explore and expand the base of its indigenous green technologies and resources.
Political and Public Discourse and Climate Issues
If contents of speeches of political leaders during the last general election campaigns (2024) are analysed, the issues that the candidates considered significant to mobilize people and garner votes did not figure in issues pertaining to climate challenges. The major issues for election campaign for National Parties apart from some local contents were first, price rise of commodities in general and that of oil and natural gas in particular. Second, issues of poverty, underdevelopment, employment generation and empowerment of youth. Third, issues pertaining to extension of water supplies, irrigation facilities and farmers’ security. Fourth, questions of women welfare and empowerment. Fifth, reservation and welfare of masses belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes categories. Sixth, corruption and incapacity and inefficiency to deliver services of the ruling party. Seventh, social security measures for different sections of population and food security issues. Eighth, construction of roads and bridges. Then, national security from adversarial powers in the neighborhood and internal law and order issues.
Political leaders do not view climate issues as significant as these issues primarily because the climate issues do not form a part of public discourse. Despite a spur in the cases of floods, earthquakes, landslides and heatwaves, the issues that affect people more on a daily basis in their perception are not climate-induced challenges. Even though uneven weather, shortfall of or heavy rains and droughts are climate-induced, farmers are more worried about Minimum Support Price (MSP) and lack of irrigation facilities than climate change. Many people in India think that they cannot do anything about changes in weather. Many others ascribe some extra-terrestrial reasons and some attach religious beliefs to such changes in weather pattern.
Amid extreme heatwaves and pollution in many parts of India, people are seen rallying around their leaders on a regular basis and the cavalcade contributes to carbon emissions as people mostly use motorbikes powered by petrol and leaders travel by large vehicles powered by either petrol or diesel. People also do not mind to fire crackers while celebrating occasions such as Diwali, marriage and other functions which, in fact, increased following removal of Covid 19 restrictions. The people are yet to integrate climate-sensitive values into their behavioral pattern and leaders are yet to encourage them to do so. This will require a shift from climate consciousness to engagement in climate-sensitive discursive practices both at political and public spheres.
Dr Manoj Kumar Mishra, Lecturer in Political Science, SVM Autonomous College, Odisha, India
