Most thoughtful people are likely to agree that what the world needs most is a protective agenda—protective towards vulnerable and poorest people as well as protective towards environment. However in addition it is important to recognize that a very real threat to life-nurturing conditions exists which must get very priority attention before it spirals out of human control (this can happen in a number of ways).
Perhaps the most defining feature of our times, unprecedented in human history, is that due to human-made factors, the life-sustaining conditions for almost all life-forms of our planet are badly threatened and hence they face a survival crisis.
Segments of this human-made crisis appeared and became important in recent times and grew steadily without effective steps to check these for the most part. Today the survival crisis has assumed an extremely serious form.
Many factors together constitute the survival crisis. At the risk of some simplification, these may be classified into two sections. Firstly, there are very serious environment problems, probably a dozen or so. These include fresh water crisis, ocean acidification, air pollution, accumulation of toxic substances and products, disruption of food safety (among other factors by GM crops), climate change, worsening of disasters, destruction of natural forests and huge bio-diversity loss with escalating species extinction.
Secondly there are factors linked to accumulation and proliferation of nuclear weapons, increasing chances of their actual use and accidents relating to them. Robot weapons also bring very serious existential risks. Banned weapons may still see destructive use. Highly destructive new weapons equal to or worse than existing WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) can emerge in new conditions. Risks of terrorist groups gaining access to or control over WMDs are increasing. The impacts of any large-scale use of WMDs are too well-known to be repeated here. There have been important moves towards space warfare.
Several senior scientists or groups of scientists have issued statements in recent years saying that these two issues, taken separately or together, constitute an existential crisis.
As a journalist and author, when I researched this issue, I had an overwhelming feeling of the importance of this issue. Following years of sporadic effects, in 2018-19 (with age catching up) I decided to concentrate my efforts on this subject and wrote four books on this subject. All four books have been published. These are (1) Protecting Earth for Children – Crucial Role of Next Decade (2) Earth Without Borders – One World for Protecting All (3) Planet in Peril; Survival Crisis – People’s Response Only Way Forward and (4) A Hindi book which to some extent brings together all the three above-mentioned books – Dharti Ki Raksha Ke Liye Nirnayak Hoga Agla Dashak. These and a related book concentrating on peace and non-violence, particularly the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi (titled ‘Man over Machine’) were released at two events held in Delhi.
What follows is a summary of what I’ve stated in these four books mentioned above.
Firstly, given the overwhelming importance of the survival crisis for all humanity and for all forms of life, resolving this survival crisis should occupy a very important place in planning for future.
Secondly, the survival crisis should be resolved within the framework of justice, peace and democracy. In fact, with the emergence of this crisis, the case for justice and equality, avoidance of all war/conflict, life based on non-violence and real grassroots democracy has become much stronger as all this in needed much more than before for resolving the survival crisis.
Thirdly, the next decade 2025-35 may well be the last window of opportunity for resolving the survival crisis before it is too late. This assessment is based on the extent to which various serious problems have advanced.
Fourthly, my research reveals that the most basic solutions and changes that are needed may not be possible within the existing world structure based on nation states, unless very far-reaching changes towards peace, cooperation and safety take place. So we should not be afraid of thinking about or planning for a very differently structured world in which peace, justice and environment protection, together with decentralized democratic governance on everyday issues, form the base of human life, the kind of human life which is also very protective towards other forms of life.
Fifthly, all future wars need to be avoided. The most serious environmental issues cannot be resolved under the shadow of war and conflict.
Sixthly, all nuclear weapons , all weapons of mass destruction weapons should be completely banned and eliminated, except that for some very special and unlikely situations less than one percent of the stocks may be kept with a world authority in highly secure conditions.
Seventhly, high priority should be assigned to restricting global warming in ways which are within a framework of justice
Changes in the economy should be for increasing justice and equality, while reducing waste and excessive consumerism. Livelihood protection, inclusivity and social security for all should be emphasized, while linking all these to sustainable life-styles and all-round protection of environment.
Social change should emphasize sincerity, cooperation, stability and equality in human relationships, so that people seek happiness and satisfaction in such relationships and not in excessive consumerism or endless, wasteful pursuit of material, sensual pleasures. Gender justice at all levels should be honored.
Relationships of human beings with all other forms of life should be based on protective (not destructive) thinking and attitudes. Special encouragement should be extended to small family farms, protection of natural forests, water conservation and improving greenery in rural and urban areas, leading to more sustainable livelihoods, with special emphasis on cooperative efforts of people particularly women.
Last but not the least, all this will not be possible without a drastic and sustainable change in existing value systems, as prevailing value systems are not at all in tune with the changes outlined above. Hence a very big and creative effort has to be active with continuity for this, promoting values and behavior patterns which are needed and spreading them in participatory, interesting ways with special emphasis on youth and children.
A key concern should be to emphasize that present-day children and youth as well as the generations to come (our children and grandchildren and their children and grandchildren) have the right to grow up and live in a safe and secure world.
Some of the basic changes which are badly needed will be resisted strongly by the existing establishment and we should have patience enough to engage in a well-reasoned debate with them to win over many potential supporters who will play a helpful role. However a more important role will be played by people’s movements with special emphasis on youth movements. Existing social movements of peace, environment protection, justice, gender justice, democracy and animal rights need to come closer to each other and work together with the added perspective of resolving the survival crisis in time. Peace movements with many-sided dimensions should converge to emphasize non-violence in all aspects of life.
As the survival crisis accentuates ordinary people will be inclined to listen to what these movements have to say and by this time these movements should be able to speak unitedly about a broad agenda of change that is needed to resolve the survival crisis in time within a framework of justice, peace and democracy.
This is a very brief summary of what I’ve tried to say in the five books mentioned above. I’ve also tried to take this agenda forward in the form of a campaign called Save the Earth Now Campaign and its SED Demand. Several prominent citizens and social movements have endorsed this campaign. This campaign statement can also be seen at my web-site – www.bharatdogra.in
Bharat Dogra has contributed about four hundred booklets/books and about 11,000 articles and field reports in English and Hindi, apart from short stories, novellas, poems and songs. He can be contacted at [email protected]
