Integrating Ecostrategic Thinking @ Racing in Virtues
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The document presents the concept of ecostrategic thinking as essential for transforming education and addressing climate change by promoting sustainable practices in consumption, production, and policies. It discusses the need for a global response to climate challenges, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human survival and the ecological impact of current practices. The work advocates for an educational reform that incorporates ecostrategic principles to prepare for a post-carbon world, highlighting the ethical and practical responsibilities towards future generations.
Integrating Ecostrategic Thinking @ Racing in Virtues
- 1. Education And International Development : Integration Of Ecostrategic Thinking In The Curriculum And Pedagogic Practice As A Global Imperative For Socially Inclusive And Ecologically Safe Future Though Addressing Climate Change By Transforming Ecologically Unsustainable Consumption, Production And Transport Patterns Submitted to International Conference on “Educational Reforms: The Changing Paradigms" at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 25-26 March 2013 organized by Indian Institute of Management Kashipur,Uttarakhand By Dr.M. Mukhtar Alam ED, CARD and ED(H),CEASIG) Organizations Devoted To Multiplying Responses within and Across the Nations For Mitigating The Impacts Of Climate Change Through Systemic Interventions In Education, Agriculture, Rural and Urban Development 306,Rohit House, 3 Leo Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi Telephone: 0-9873061553, 09968345380 Email: ed@card.org.in, ceasig@gmail.com
- 2. Abstract : The paper describes the highlight of the proposed discipline of Ecostrategics by the author and published at http://slideshare.net/mukhtaralam in the form of a powerpoint presentation. It highlights the urgency of ecotsrategic thinking for all engaged in education in order to generate simultaneity in the responses in various forms that has a direct bearing on the processes, policies and programmes adopted for preparing for transition to post carbon age when the nonrenewable energy resources would not be there for humanity. Recognizing the field of education as an important domain of intervention, the paper highlights the reasons , explains the importance of adoption of ecostrategic thinking and shows how due to absence of ecostrategic thinking across the domains, desired result for mitigation of the global challenge of climate change is not visible. COP discussions are generating result and, it is more often than not the politics of development comes in the way of effective responses that are needed for mitigating climate change. The paper shows the contours of what might be the constitutive elements of the corrective action across the nations and across the disciplines through adoption of ecostrategic thinking recognizing the interconnected of all human habitations and their survival equations in the future. Why Ecostrategics? • Climate change requires personal, social, organisational, national and international response • Non-compliance of globally agreed decisions based on evidences endanger the interests of nations and future generations • Conventional definitions of power based on the control of non-renewable resources are no longer valid and are detrimental to collective human survival interests Content of Ecostrategics • Sustainability analysis of the policy proposals-economy, polity, culture • Criticality analysis of the consumption patterns- the extent to which they are sustainable and critical- basic needs vs luxury • Analysis of simultaneity/non-simultaneity in policies of the nations • Equity analysis of the consumption patterns- whether all have the renewable resource based consumption • Analysis of the foreign policy with reference to impact on the sustainability of consumption and production patterns for example ecostrategic consideration would require US to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan • Analysis of tourism policy- ecologically sustainable tourism is the only way out, tourists encouraged to donate surplus for poor of the world requiring support in the creation and preservation of ecologically sustainable consumption Essential qualifications of an ecostrategist • In dept knowledge of the local habitats with reference to life supporting resources for example knowledge of all that is available locally for food, transport, housing and so on. • Knowledge of pre-petromodern lifestyles and appreciation of ecological sustainability • Proficiency in the generating reports based on the findings of sustainability analysis • Command over application of concepts and tools related to sustainability analysis Environment impact assessment and ecostrategists • EIAs till now measure the impact on the diversities that is not enough • It is important to assess whether the infrastructure and processes involved in the production process will have all the resources in 40th century • Energy insecure habitats and production processes are not sustainable-skyscrapers and other non-renewable resource based resource in itself are not sustainable • Al Gore needs to learn that it is not only the solar panels that ensure ecological sustainability of boats. He did not realise that all the inputs for the production of
- 3. components would not be able for the children of 40th century…ensuring 100% ecologically sustainable production 40th century memorials/benchmarks • Ecostrategic analysts and policy makers are aware of the interests of the children of 40th century…For example ,it would be certainly ecologicall intelligent if planning and development factored the interests of children of 40th century.. State and local governance institution would do better planning for sustainability of their habitats in 40th century. chaleeswein sadi ke dilli wale.. • Be always aware whether Indian/Chinese children will have access to the services and infrastructures in 40th century • Ecostrategists essentially download the interests of the children of 40th century in here and now without waiting for miraculous energy and resource solutions Ecostrategic analysis of Olympics • We cant have Olympics in the 40th century • Olympics as it started in Greece were ecologically sustainable • Local Melas with local game competitions are ecologically sustainable • Ecologically hostile structures would not be there in 40th century • Let us halt GHG emissions and stop Olympics Ecostrategic analysis and commonwealth games • Land belonging to river bed of Yamuna used for creating the commonwealth village killing the future of Yamuna • Mirza Ghalib bemoaned the murder of Urdu poetry and Mughals by British • Dilli has been looted of the riverbed • While proposing this ,I had called for halting the commonwealth games. a legacy of colonial occupation of motherland Ecostrategic Art and culture • Products of art and culture to ensure reduction in the emission of GHGs • Travel inducing cultural engagements to be reduced through promotion of local carbon neutral cultural engagements • Ecologically sustainable materials and energy only for production and consumption of the artistic and cultural products Ecostrategic transport • Ecologically sustainable • Public transport • Revival of traditional transport system- bullock cart ,horse driven carriages • Eliminating dependence on non-renewable resource based transport systems • Promotion of habitats with ecologically sustainable modes of transport Follow the instructions - an Ecostrategic imperative • Abidance to the commands of Allah/God/Ishawar/../../ and messengers is an Ecostrategic imperative • Do not obey atheistic intellectuals • Atheistic thinkers continue to misguide while promoting ecologically hostile liberalism • Their intellectual uncertainties are getting ecologically detrimental Ecostrategic communication • Stop atheistic communication on the secrets of creation and follow the revealed communication • Dominance of atheistic super text/ meta narrative on monotheistic science must end • Resolution needs to be sought in the monotheistic framework as that is the only framework fit for resolution • Atheistic debate among the community of atheists will never end Ecostrategic leisure • Leisure must be carbon neutral with zero emission of the green house gases that are avoidable
- 4. • Culture of dancing and drinking intoxicating drinks and drugs need to be abandoned as at the so called hi-life • Psychologically mental wellbeing is possible with the adoption of culture of prayer and meditation 5/3+1 times a day all the 365/366 days of the years Preparing for the end of petromodern era • Shell is calling for meeting the energy challenge • Humanity may not have full scale replacement of fossil fuel based energy for all the systems and utilities based on the same • We must not envisage sustainability of energy intensive urban habitats • Go for gobar, babool and neem Ecostrategic campaign • Promote culture of prayer and meditation • Adopt interfaith commons for transforming psychologically debilitating, socially inequitable and ecologically hostile political and cultural order of atheistic leisure • Eliminate usurious finance system and beat inflationary money Ecostrategic agriculture • Fossil fuels are not with us for all the time in future • We need to halt the expansion of ecologically hostile agriculture • Ecologically sustainable livelihoods need to be promoted • We just need to scrutinize the production methods and process for GM foods in order to ensure public ownership Ecostrategic human empathy • Hear the call of the birds losing their spaces across the nations in the river basins of Yamuna, Amazon, Mississippi , Hwang Ho etc • Madness for creating ecologically hostile cities is globally agreed planeticide • Accelerating pace for creating reasons for man made destruction doomsday!!! Yes Ecostrategic habitats • Non-renewable energy intensive habitats are not sustainable repeat this 40 times • Halt acquistion of farmer lands • Halt acquistion of the forest lands with people in ecologically sustainable habitats • Halt destruction of spaces for wild birds and protect carbon sinks Ecostrategic Kyoto Protocol • Beat the policy of carbon credits through simultaneous lifestyle change globally • Beat the policy of differentiated responsibly accepted in UN MDG by 2010 • We must get his incorporated in Copenhagen discussions in 2009 • Simultaneous reduction in GHG emissions • Bear the rural and urban divide for supporting the ecologically sustainable villages Democracy of faithful • Support creation of the democracy of the faithful for minimising emission of green house gases • For ending the loss of ecologically sustainable habitats, livelihoods and energy • For ending the rule of atheistic post-modernism in leisure and culture Ecostrategic education • Supports elimination of excess and exhibitionism • Creates supportive climate of opinion for emission of green house gases • Curriculum renewal for meeting the challenges of the 40th century • Choose either ecologically sustainable villages or ecologically hostile doomsday cities Abandon skyscrapers • Lets us remember the advertisement of Shell and the impending energy crisis • UN needs to follow through shifting the headquarters to horizontally spaced out location • Save the villages and save agriculture • Support Mamta Banerjee in her struggle to get back the land for the farmers in Singur and Nandigram
- 5. Piety the best attire • The verse in the holy Qur’an establishes ‘piety’ to be the best dress • 6 billion pious men and women will save Earth for children of 40th century • All the dresses are for decoration but piety is the best. • Piety is determined by the extent to which we follow the commands and fear Allah/God/… Ecostrategic politics • Prevent destruction of the mines based resources • Assess the political visions considering the interests of children of 40th century • Rajiv Gandhi had this vision while advocating the concept of world citizenship in the Congress manifesto of 1989 • All political party meet for Ecostrategic planning Global warming • Requires Ecostrategic solutions • It is man made and we need to halt this • Mitigation not adaptation • Abandon energy intensive skyscrapers • Global responses simultaneous responses • Monotheistic governance for addressing global governance Ecostrategic Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis and denotified tribes • Do not need to crave for ecologically hostile skyscrapers laden cities • They need to work for creating equitable modes of ecologically sustainable coexistence in villages and rural areas • Kill the aggression with faith based instruments, moral suasion and promotion of ecologically sustainable lifestyles Transforming cities • Sustainable cities preparing for children in 40th century • Transforming cities for making it sustainable rather destroying the villages for making cities live • Carbon neutral cities with ecologically sustainable transport now!! • Bring back horse driven carts and bullock carts Ecostrategic Gender policy • Gender justice in meeting the ecological challenges ..women need to contribute in meeting the challenges • Women thinkers need to assess policies for addressing the needs of children of 40th century • Women’s movement need to factor in the needs of the children of 40th century Ecostrategic/ messengers/ saviours • We need to recall what they said • Noah, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad and all • Rational atheists need to address the call for reduction in the emission of GHGs • Faith based responses marshalled by believers need to be matched by the atheists through carbon neutral engagements Ecostrategic Habitats • Based on the renewable resources • Poverty indicators need to be revised with reference to access to ecologically sustainable basic needs • Skyscraper laden urban habitats guzzling fossil fuels and energy are just not sustainable • Shell should be calling for halting the expansion of ecologically hostile spaces rather than seeking supplies of energy for unlimited demand of energy of the ecologically hostile cities Ecostrategic struggles for ecological safety and dignity • Electing and nominating pious leaders
- 6. • Creating political consensus within and across the nations for electing ecologically literate and pious leaders for protecting the rights of children in 40th century • Generation of political discourse and educating the masses for ecologically safe politics Ecostrategic food security • Food earned through rights means • Food earned through ecologically sustainable means except for meeting the survival needs • Boycotting intoxicating drinks and drugs and its trade-WTO to ensure • Sustained dialogue to ensure prevention of poppy cultivation Ecostrategic spirituality • Carbon neutral neighbourhood engagements for spiritual health • Remembrance of God/Allah for comforting the soul • Repentance for sins and practice of prayer 5 times a day • Monotheistic spirituality for all Ecostrategic neighbourhoods • Support in pious behaviour • Prevent exhibitionist consumption • Promoting supportive neighbourhoods • Supporting carbon neutral spiritual and pious neighbourhoods • Neighbourhood eco-watch groups and resident welfare associations for sustainable and inclusive city Ecostrategic decision making • Consultation for decisions affecting the farmers and their lands • Halting acquisition of lands- food security is more important than cheap cars for ecologically hostile cities • No land acquisition of the villagers • Save the land of farmers in Singur, Nandigram in West Bengal and elsewhere Getting straight with ecologically safe lifestyles • We need to get personal for changing our lifestyles • Eliminate emission of GHGs through avoiding fossil fuel based services and utilities • Getting media partnerships for communicating urgent change in the lifestyles Accelerating reduction of ecologically hostile private transport • Boycott nano cars and other cars for using and demanding better public transport • Boycott usurious banking creating money out of thin air in the books • Defend footpaths for securing rights of the pedestrians • ensure whether the buyers have parking space before / garage facility before sale of cars Monotheistic framework of accelerating application of Ecostrategic policies • United national and global response requires a one governance protocol based on common shared framework for action minimising uncertainties • Atheistic Marxist and polytheistic social order can not be globalised • Monotheistic commons are part of inter-faith commons Global unity for eco-safety • Climate change requires unity of people and nations • It is critical to eliminate the divisive atheistic and polytheistic contents from the discourse and practice for following on the interfaith monotheistic commons • Need for unity is critical as it was never before in the history of human civilisation Global unity for eco-safety • Monotheistic criterion for the success of men and women and civilisation • Civilisations/governance supportive of usury, adultery and homosexuality has been destroyed • Ecologically hostile consumption also happens to be dominated by leisure engagements that are in violation of the commands of Allah/God/…./ Ecostrategic demolition of energy intensive habitats rather than slums
- 7. • Ecologically hostile energy intensive skyscraper based urban habitats malls will be rendered inhabitable very soon • DDA has been seeking slum free Delhi that is good for the time being • but there is no future for petro-modern habitats • save the land of farmers in and around Delhi Unseen ecologically hostile forces • Seeking the path of monotheistic peace best for Ecostrategic planning and development • Mayan calendar predicted the destruction in the year 2012 December • Monotheistic narration remind us of the Day of Judgement/ pralay • The challenge therefore is for best preparedness for eternal and temporal wellbeing Ecostrategic development • Halt the loot of rural habitats for ecologically hostile industries and developers • Stop usurious bank creating money out of thin year fuelling the ‘development’ boom • 40th century benchmark for decisions • UN meet for creating agenda for 40th century Ecostrategic development planning • Planning for the children of 40th century • Better to be sooner than never • Distributive justice for renewable resource based livelihoods • Do not seek inclusion in ecologically hostile urban habitats • National/ International meet of the sustainable villagers and farmers Ecologically sustainable China • China and India need to integrate Ecostrategic principles quickly • They need to renegotiate their role in tacking global warming • Principle of differentiated responsibility for reducing green house gas emissions would not work • Simultaneous reduction is needed Thanks • For more introspection 5 times a day • For working for the rights of the children of 40th century • For getting ready for thinking and acting patiently, persistently, humbly, consistently, effectively and efficiently • With prayers for temporal and eternal wellbeing with greetings of peace to all Droughts and desertification as impact of climate change as a stimulus for development of Ecostrategic Thinking Droughts have been a cause of concern in all part of the world for centuries. There are references for the same in the holy texts such as the holy Torah, the Bible and the holy Qur’an. Yusuf/Joseph, the youngest son of Yaqoob/Jacob, the messenger of Allah/God has recorded to have advised the king of Egypt for preparing for the drought years on the basis of a dream that the King saw and mentioned to former prisoner living with Joseph (peace be upon him). King acted upon the interpretation of his dream provided by Joseph (peace be upon him) and prepared for 7 years of drought. Similarly, desertification has been a process that has been recorded as one of the process that has been on in various parts of world. Droughts are marked by the absence of rain or inadequate rain that is responsible for loss of crops or inadequate crop yield causing a serious concern for food. Desertification is linked with loss of agricultural habitats. The loss of agricultural lands, forest cover is an outcome of globalisation of industrial production processes based on non-renewable resources based resources. Climate change is an outcome of the globalisation of non-renewable resource based urban habitats. Drought is, among other factors, responsible for soil degradation. It has been also established that desertification increases with the increase in emission of the green house gases. There is thus a relation of cause and effect between climatic change and desertification.
- 8. The extract of a study for Sahel in Africa shows the severity of the problem and how it was predicted seven years ago. The focus of this paper on Integration of Ecostrategic Thinking on therefore is on the following: 1. Assessment of responses to climate change are being made, 2. assessments of the instruments for mitigating the impacts of climates, 3. hurdles faced in the implementation of the Kyoto protocol emission targets 4. Constraints in the development strategy and proposal for ecologically sustainable development strategy 5. Call for adoption of ecologically safe and socially inclusive governance framework for ecologically sustainability and socially equity 6. Innovative faith based strategies as part of Ecostrategic Thinking 7. Way forward Change in the climate with rise in temperature of earth, change in rainfall patterns is caused due to emission of green house gases that raise the temperature of earth as the amount of green house gases generated is much more than the capacity of the green cover for absorbing. Impacts of the climate change are being felt everywhere beyond the national boundaries. There are several recorded evidences that has caused nations to take on the challenge of global warming .UN’s intergovernmental panel on climate change has been meeting and deliberating on the issue. There are several national responses and international agreements. Recently China and U.S. has expressed agreement to work on climate change. Statement of the recently Chinese permier for working with India and BRIC nations for developing a common plank on the one hand shows reluctance to emission targets ,on the other hand there is a desire to seek equity with the so called developed nations in terms GDP ,consumption patterns and habitats diversities etc that are considered sign of development. Speaking on occasion of APEC summit in Sydney, Australia Mr. Hu Jintao had maintained that “the United Nations Framework convention should remain the main channel for the international efforts” to address climate change”1 . 1 The Hindu, September 7, 2007 About 80% of the rural Sahelian population depends on forest resources to meet their basic social needs, especially during famine and drought (CGIAR, 2006). Climatic scenarios forecast an increase in temperature and a fall in precipitations in the future of the region (MECV‚ 2006) which will increase recurrent drought and pressure on forest resources‚ causing soil degradation. Forest resources contribute in the fight against poverty in the Sahelian countries. Scientists are very concerned and many debates are being held on drought and desertification in the Sahel. However, the recurrent drought lately is bound to change in climate although many believed that it is a natural process. The forest resources faces both human and climate pressures thus causing them to be vulnerable. This vulnerability is bound to increase in future due to recurrent droughts (MECV, 2006), exacerbating the poverty of the rural Sahelian majority whose lives depend on natural resources. This loss of soil productivity leads majority of the rural population that depends mainly on agriculture to put pressure on forest resources in order to improve their economic situation. It is that sight of the importance of the threat which the desertification constitutes that the general meeting of the United Nations declares year 2006 as international year desert and desertification (Granich‚ 2006)… Extract from the article of Yacouba Noël COULIBALY, Research Assistant, Center for International Forestry Research, Tropical Forest and Climate Change Adaptation Project, 06 BP 9478 Ouagadougou 06, Burkina Faso
- 9. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which emphasised the far-reaching consequences that continued global warming would have across the world, has given fresh impetus to finding solution to the problem. The summit meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised countries (G8) held in Germany in the month of June 2007 agreed to launch new initiatives for collective action by both rich nations and fast-growing developing countries to combat climate change. In its Fourth Assessment Report, the IPCC, the international body that has the task of weighing scientific evidence on climate change, pointed to definitive evidence that global atmospheric concentration of key greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide had “increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750”. These gases were trapping the Earth’s heat that would otherwise have radiated out into space. If the build- up of greenhouse gases and the resultant warming of the planet were allowed to continue unchecked, the humanity collectively will have to face several consequences. Droughts and desertification are among the impacts of climate change. The position paper submitted as an input for WSSD processes submitted in 2007 for WSSD Youth Caucus focused on the challenges and offers solutions for halting the impacts of climate change through adoption of measures including the faith based personal responses for transformation of ecologically hostile consumption, production and leisure use patterns. Progress so far Lots of seminars and conferences have been organized for addressing the global challenge of mitigating the climate challenge. There are Kyoto protocol emission targets for which national strategies have been devised. Kyoto Protocol formally known as UN Framework Conventions on Climate Change has not been ratified by some of the important nations. U.S. and Australia are not ratifying the protocol as they have perceptions of competitive disadvantage. There are agreements for reducing the emissions by the year 2020 and 2050. There exists a vibrant mobilization of civil society and mobilization of youth groups. Several groups are working for the policy advocacy for implementing the binding targets for the emission of green house gases. There also exists a dynamic policy advocacy for R&D in renewable energy so that there is plenty of renewable resource based energy for replacing the non-renewable energy. Green parties existing in more than 88 countries are calling for replacement for greenhouse generating fossil fuel based energy sources with renewable energy. UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been awarded Nobel Prize along with Robert Al Gore for working on the climate change. The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited the recipients “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man made climate change and to lay foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such a change”2 . Mr .Al Gore responded to the citation saying “we face a truly planetary emergency: the climate change is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all humanity”3 . Mr.R.K. Pachaury sharing the prize with Robert Al Gore as Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on climate change responded that the Nobel Peace prize would add sense of urgency to the fight against global warming. IPCC, set up in 1988, is tasked with giving policymakers a summary of the latest knowledge about climate change. Gavin Edwards head of Climate and Energy Campaign, Greenpeace International talking about what the governments across the world can do to mitigate the problem pointed out the need to reconsider terms of protocol that acknowledges the differentiated responsibility for the various nations responding to the climate change. He points out the need for the developing countries to do all the needful and not repeat the mistakes of the developed countries - “nongovernmental organisations have really focused on the industrialized nations that have to do lion’s share of tackling 2 The Hindu October 13, 2007 3 Ibid
- 10. the climate change-that’s clear. But what is also clear is that developing countries like India and China constantly continue developing with the business as usual old style development approach. They could be repeating the same mistakes the West has made in the last few decades .And, if India, China and other countries continue to make those mistakes, then regardless of what the West is doing to tackle the climate change it will be impossible”4 . The instruments advocated for mitigating the climate change Energy efficient technologies are being developed for minimizing the consumption of the energy. CFL lamps are being promoted as part of energy efficient utilities and equipments for contributing in the reduction of green house gas emissions. There also goals for replacement of non-renewable energy throng renewable energy .Green party in Germany seek full scale replacement of non-renewable energy by renewable energy by the year 2020. There are treaties that have been signed though they are not religiously followed. More funding is being sought for research for globalizing renewable energy based services and utilities. Binding targets on emission reduction is not there as is evident from the aspirational recommendation of the APEC summit concluded recently in Sydney as part of the processes for the UN framework convention on climate change to be held in Bali in the month of December 2007. There are plans of Action devoid of binding policies and target for the emission of green house gases. If the build-up of greenhouse gases and the resultant warming of the planet was allowed to continue unchecked, we will collectively have consequences in terms of the loss of the ecologically sustainable livelihoods, habitats, crop failures, inequitable distribution of the ecologically safe habitats across the world. It is well-known that global economic boom is accelerating green house gas emissions with the ever expanding non-renewable energy based urban habitats, consumption, production and transport patterns. Problems in the strategies There are strategies that have been identified with global recognition of the need to reduce green house emissions. Even so, they get defeated as goals are set with contradicting outcomes and visions .For example, GDP calculation does not consider the impact on environment and ecological costs and thus are not therefore factors in the calculation of Gross Domestic Product. Enormous costs on environments are ignored following the conviction that all the resources are for the use and their non-utilisation is an indicator of low technological development. An ecologically sustainable habitat is not considered valuable with ecologically sustainable livelihoods. Quarterly reporting on the increase in the GDP does not factor the increase in green house gas emissions. 7th Generation Initiative in Canada with wellbeing measurement Act in an initiative for factoring the ecological costs and cost of women's work at home www.sustainwellbeing.net . They believe that calculation of gross domestic product must include the cost on the environment that our actions in the present have www.sustainwellbeing.net. Mike Nickerson and Joe Jordon have been campaigning for years. Political parties continue to be inspired by short term visions and it is not quite their fault. SIMPOL is working with the voters globally for influencing the simultaneous adoption of policies. There is need to ensure more and more simultaneous actions globally for peaceful actions, decisions, choices that will contribute in collective ecological safety. Political parties need to be educated for supporting the policies that ensure protection of ecologically sustainable livelihoods and habitats. Labour League Foundation ,Sufi Trust 4 The Hindu, October 16, 2007
- 11. and CEASIG as part of National Forum of Forest Workers and Forest People supporting the rights of land in their traditional habitats through deleting the impact of colonial legislations that deprived them their rights to homestead and agriculture lands. Green parties are concerned about the ecologically safe issues but their voters are few .Most of the political parties are concerned with issues that are more appealing to the elite and the middle class in the immediate present. Another major hurdle experienced in the way of getting global responses for mitigating the climate change is continued marketing of fossil fuel intensive consumption patterns, urban habitats designs, development paradigm, competitive nationalisms for seeking the markers of fossil fuel intensive lifestyles, devaluation of the ecologically sustainable agriculture consumption patterns. There exists continued political support for cultural products and processes that are inimical to national and global ecological safety. While there are measures for ecological impact/ environment impact assessments but then there markedly exists absence of concerns for addressing the root causes of ecological and man made disasters. Marginalisation of the faith based youth groups by the atheistic intelligentsia continues to be problem that needs to be addressed .They need to be brought on board . Ecologically safe national strategy/ development paradigm Considering the above, it is proposed that an ecologically safe national strategy/ development paradigm contains the following features: 1. Marketing of ecologically safe consumption ,production, leisure use patterns 2. Discouraging ecologically hostile consumption and production patterns 3. Promotion of neighbourhood trade and education and discouraging ecologically hostile trade and education 4. Ecologically sustainable agriculture 5. Promotion of ecologically sustainable transport Systems 6. Faith based measures for transformation of leisure use pattern 7. Promotion and protection of ecologically sustainable habitats 8. ecologically safe interest free and debt free finance system 9. Ecologically safe models of success
- 12. Towards a solution Reduction in the emission of green house gases through promoting measures and decision patterns that moderate the consumption of services and utilities based on the consumption of green house emitting fossil fuels is critical that all concerned with safeguarding the humanity from the negative impacts of climate change, minimising the incidence of drought and halting the expansion of deserts and preventing the loss of ecologically sustainable habitats and livelihoods. Considering the emergencies, it is argued that adoption of faith based measures for transforming leisure use patterns is considered on priority. Following diagram demonstrates the impact and relations that adoption of prayer and meditation 5 times a day on the consumption patterns. Men and women following the commands for prayer and meditation 5 times a day are not likely to indulge in consumption of lots of evening post work engagements that require long distance travels as this would interfere in observance of the command for prayer /salah /meditation /yoga at the appointed hours. It can be easily seen that adoption of this command will ensure transformation of lots of consumption of fossil fuel intensive leisure such as going to bar and dancing halls. This can be adopted along with several other personal and community responses for reducing the emission of green houses. Faith based responses appear to be more effective and they need to be promoted as for this there is no need to make additional efforts. Association of ‘conservatism’ appears to be Discouraging exhibitionist consumption patterns Promotion of neighbourhood trade and education Debt free, interest free ecologically safe finance system Ecologically sustainable agriculture Ecologically safe models of success Promotion of ecologically sustainable transport Systems Faith based measures for transformation of leisure use pattern Promotion of ecologically sustainable habitats Marketing of ecologically safe consumption production Ecologically safe strategy/ development paradigm
- 13. more one of the response that some men and women may have for communication of faith based measures. But then it is important to see the importance of the adoption of faith based measure for ecological efficacy, safety, suitability, desirability and validity. Faith based responses are common and they just need to be promoted for their contribution in the ecological wellbeing at the personal, community, social, national and global levels. There is an urgent need for the same. Personal faith based responses Prayer 5/3+1 times a day for transforming leisure use pattern recognising that leisure use patterns are one of the key social engagements that consume most of the fossil fuel based services and utilities .Command for prayer is common across the religious texts though it appears most prominently practiced by men and women following the communications of Muhammad, believed to be the last messenger by Muslims (men and women submitting to the will of God/Allah/../. How adoption of prayer transform the consumption patterns and ecologically hostile travel intensive leisure use patterns Men and women practicing prayer (salah in Arabic) do not visit dancing halls and bars as they are more concerned about praying in time. Prayer in the morning, afternoon, after sunset and then prayer after dinner in the homes/ mosques/ churches/synagogue/ prayer and meditation halls/work place makes them bound to focus on the necessary work only. Prayer and remembrance for them is a mean of relaxation, stress busting, socialization, and communion and so on. S/he concentrates on the essential matters in the neighbourhood and cares for them as commanded through the messengers. Secondly, they Reduction in the consumption of fossil fuel based services and utilities through transformation of leisure use pattern Prayer 5/3+1 times a day for transformation of exhibitionist consumption and leisure use patterns Ecological safety with ecologically sustainable habitats and livelihoods globally Reduction in the emission of green house gases
- 14. abstain from exhibitionist consumption following the command of God/ Allah for not transgressing the bounds/limits set by God/Allah. For dressing they believe that the best dress is that of piety determined by the extent to which they follow the commands of God/ Allah. They abstain from adultery following the commands against the same as they believe in upholding the best standards of piety. They seek forgiveness from God/Allah for the sinful deeds executed intentionally or unintentionally. Thus adoption of prayer 5 times a day works as a guard for all the behaviours that have been prohibited in the holy books across the religions. They donate out of the sustenance for poor following the commands for donation/zakat, khairat, fitra and sadaqah/daan.. They do not waste and thus observe the best of the ideals communicated through the slogan of ‘waste not, want not’. They indulge in ecologically safe consumption and believe in moderation in all matters. The middle path communicated through the commands of God/Allah is best ensured through the adoption of compulsory prayers 5 times a day. Youth, Men and men following the commands in Shiv Sankalp Taru for remembrance of Ishwar are likely to have the similar best behaviour patterns that are ecologically safe. Their average ecological footprints are likely to be very low. This needs to be established with communication of more ecological audits/ water audits/green audits/ energy audits/ paper audits/ food intake audits- a series of audits that youth, men and women following the command of God/Allah perform or they are supposed to perform. They ensure more and more pious behaviour, consumption and production patterns. Centre for Ecological Audit, Inclusion and Governance along with many organisations call for generation of more pious responses as they are directly linked to reduction in the emission of green house gases . Inter faith commons The inter faith commons need to be communicated and disseminated for not only global integration but also for addressing the critical ecological challenge that we as part of humanity face . Global warming is no longer a concern of a particular nations but it is an issue that we all as part of humanity face. Inter faith commons bring to the fore the understanding that we have common monotheistic content and messengers who upheld the best standards of justice, communication, and struggle in their life time and fought men and women after utilizing the best means of persuasion. Shiv Sankalp Taru has a very interesting verse that needs to be brought in light for men and women who have special affinity for the Sanskrit textual tradition. The timings are very much common to the timing followed by the Muslims. It is a command that needs to be followed by all. Muslim youths, men and women already follow that following the communication of God/BRAHMM communicated through the last messenger while believing that commands were communicated through all the messengers earlier in various languages and lands. The commands followed by Muslims are the commands that were communicated through the earlier messengers were sent to all the lands to people who spoke various languages following the related verse in the holy Qur’an. Commands in Shiv Sankalp Taru “Ishwar smarate panch awasare” calls for remembrance of Ishwar who was neither born nor gave on five occasions in a day, every day-all the 365/366 days of the year. Command for establishing prayer at the appointed hours exists in the Holy Qur’an. According to one count there are command for establishing salah and give zakat more that 54 times in the holy Qur’an. There are commands in Bible and Torah. Buddhist monotheistic tradition calls for fighting the ‘mara’ in the Dhammapada and the atheistic understanding calls for adoption of middle path in all the matters. Practice of meditation leads to transformation of consumption patterns. Gurus in the Sikhism and Jain traditions are examples of austere life filled with prayer and penance. Guru Nanak was a practitioner of prayer and remembrance and he is revered for that and followed by
- 15. millions of Sikhs around the world. For Sikhs, it is not impossible to follow the best practices of Guru Nanak who established himself as a role model for millions of Sikhs around the world. Following table shows the interfaith commons that can be adopted by all. This is being proposed considering the absence of coherent strategy in the atheistic post-modern discourse and contingencies of the global emergencies that must be addressed. Some key ecologically sensitive commands Isla m Christianit y Brahmanis m Sikhis m Judais m Buddhis m Jainis m Prevention of usury √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Prohibition of adultery and homosexualit y √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Propagation of austerity √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Protection of the institution of family √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Command for donating for the poor √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Command for prayer √ √ √ √ √ √ √ How an ecologically sustainable / contended reverent economy is built up with happiness for all Ecological economists are currently debating issues with the Washington consensus economist and fighting the TINA (there is no alternative) syndrome .Noam Chomsky believes in the alternative economic order and so do youths of the world who through their calls are wanting to see the change and taking up non-violent advocacy and communication for the needful change . He also believes in the alternative political and cultural order .Binary economists are calling for abolition of interest charged on the loans as they believe creation of money from thin air in the books of the bankers is responsible for lots of ecologically hostile and socially inequitable practices in consumption, production and distribution and leisure use patterns www.binaryeconomics.org . Elimination of usury, fiat money propelling the ecologically hostile growth of urban habitats is being pointed out to be a critical factor in building a socially inclusive and ecologically safe economy. Similarly, debt free credit /interest free loans are being promoted for zero debt distressed suicides and bankruptcies. Another major feature of contented and ecological sustainable economy is its capacity and intent for the protection of ecologically sustainable habitats with renewable resource based life support systems. It is simply impossible to envisage sustainability of non- renewable based transport systems in perpetuity. Search for nuclear energy and intense research activity in the renewable resource based energy is a proof for this. It needs to be
- 16. Protection of Renewable resource based livelihoods Freedom from worried of energy crisis Distributive justice for renewable resource based livelihoods Ecologically sustainable leisure use patterns Rights to renewable resource based habitats Debt free money /interest free loans with public money Ecologically Sustainable/ Contended reverent economy noted that while nuclear energy in the short run appears to be carbon neutral, but in the long run, this is also not sustainable as there are limited resources for running the reactors. It is clear that resources such as uranium and thorium are not for all the time in the future. Therefore, the only solution is to decelerate and regulate the consumption of non-renewable resource based services and utilities through instituting an ecologically sustainable economy with the following features: 1. Debt free money and interest free loans with public control on the creation of money 2. Rights to renewable resource based habitats 3. Ecologically sustainable leisure use patterns 4. Distributive justice for renewable resource based livelihoods 5. Freedom from worried of energy crisis 6. Protection of Renewable resource based livelihoods Following Diagram shows the essential constituents of an ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive economy: Freedom from worries of energy crisis affecting energy intensive transportation systems and habitats is an essential constituent of an ecologically sustainable and socially
- 17. equitable economy .At present most of the planners are concerned with the increasing energy requirements and for this some countries are ready to sacrifice their ideals and foundations of foreign policy. Left parties in India along with other parties have been vociferously opposing the loss of independence in the foreign policy of India. It is important to ensure sustainability for the renewable resource based life support systems and for this it is important to halt the loss of ecologically sustainable habitats and agricultural production methodologies. It is not possible to ensure sustainability for habitat designs that are based on unsustainable energy sources. Therefore, it is not possible to ensure sustainability for skyscraper laden urban habitats. Urban areas with energy intensive shopping malls need to be brought within ecologically sustainable limits. For this to happen, it is important to support adoption of ecologically safe and socially inclusive governance framework. Youths and academia as drivers of change processes and communication for transition to ecologically safe life support systems locally and globally Creating debt free money and ensuring interest free loans in not quite easy as that requires change of hearts and minds of men and women governing the various institutions who find the proposals difficult. Success of the proposals for ecologically sustainable and socially equitable economy and polity requires multiplication of men and women who uphold the criterion of piety. It is important that the pious men and women across the world prohibiting peacefully what is wrong and prescribing what is right take charge of the governance and ensure that debt free money is created, faith based measures are adopted for mitigating the impacts of climate change. It is important to understand the need to prepare for life after death as that would impel men and women to adopt faith based measures more and more. Now, the signs of ecological distress are too compelling to avoid collective and personal actions for both mitigating and halting the impacts of climate change. Signs of ecological distress affecting the lives of billions call for taking corrective action locally and globally. Youths and corporations who are market for non- renewable energy intensive services and utilities need to be in charge. Atheistic postmodernist laissez faire regimen of cultural, political and moral governance needs to be critically reviewed as they damage the survival interests of the billions in here and now and that of future generations. Hurdles in the way/ constraints There are hurdles in the way for such a massive change taking place simultaneously and globally and most pernicious among the faith based notions are that of neo-liberal atheistic ideology where market and profit devoid of the concerns of eternal interests of mankind are permitted to have full freedom. It is dominance of atheistic neo-liberal ideology that prevents men and women from adopting the faith based pious measures for addressing the global and local challenges. Media channels such as MTV with adoring participation of youths indoctrinated in the atheistic visions of good life are busy in creating models of copy cat consumption and leisure use patterns globally with local vernacular channels following in line. Starting with English music content in 90’s now MTV has more of Hindi songs and dance forms with direct message for youths for copying the ecologically leisure use pattern including partying ,dancing and drinking of intoxicating drinks. The second hurdle is the lack on coherent national and international policy with respect to addressing the climate change. While Kyoto protocol emission target call for reduction in the emission of green house gases, national development strategies continue to be inspired by the perception of competitive disadvantage. It is dangerous to have such incoherence for long time as the assessments of climate scientists are too compelling. Speaking on the occasion of a meeting to the launch the full report of the
- 18. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the impacts of global warming, Professor Martin Parry, a climate scientist with MET office in UK and co-chairman of the working group for the report said, “We are all used to talking about the impact of these changes coming in the lifetime of our children and grand children. Now we know that it is us.” He added that politicians had wasted a decade in focussing on ways to cut emissions, and had woken up recently to the need to adapt. He felt that “mitigation has got all the attention, but we cannot mitigate out of this problem. We have now a choice between a damaged world and a severely damaged world”. (The Hindu 20 September 2007) The hurdle can be seen through assessing the levels of convergence for the various agencies and their functioning. While there are calls for higher rates of growth, they are not assessed in the light of the demands of ecological sustainability. Even the promotion of indexes such as “sustainability index” is not getting the required attention and it has been left to the discretion of the nations. There are evidences of lack of interagency cooperation and United National Development Programme (UNDP) appears to be working against the mandate of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Environment assessments /ministries are slighted for benefiting ecologically hostile proposals/ policies. More often than not considerations of ecological sustainability are ignored for sanctioning ecologically hostile projects. This is evident from the sanction of Special Economic Zones despite the violent and non-violent resistance of farmers in India as they did not want to give up on their only source of ecologically sustainable livelihoods through farming. Committee for Campaign on National Himalayan Policy for the ecologically fragile Himalayan region in India has been calling for redefinition of development policy.5 Therefore there is a need to institute a governance framework that is both ecologically safe and socially inclusive with reference to poor, old, children and women, ethnic and religious groups residing both in rural and urban habitats. Labour League Foundation along with several youth led organisations considers the need for establishing ecologically safe and socially inclusive governance with the following features: 1. A governance that is cognizant of the needs of poor, rights of farmers and villages to ecologically sustainable livelihoods and habitats 2. Governance that eliminates fictitious inflationary money and usurious loans created from thin air and responsible for expansion of ecologically hostile habitats 3. Governance that promotes pious and ecologically safe consumption and production pattern 4. A government that plans for ecologically safe disaster free future for all 5. Governance that ensure ecologically safe distribution of natural resources 6. Governance that works for the interests of all 7. Governance that ensures policy making for the rights of children, future generations and poor . Diagram-4 Represents the key features of ecologically safe and socially inclusive education and governance 5 Peoples Declaration 2007, Rashtriya Haimalyan Niti Abhiyan Samiti, Chanakyapuri,Ghugharnala,Palampur, District-Kangra,Himachal Pradesh www.navrachna.org Ensures the best interests for all /win- win for all Ensures ecologically safe distribution of natural resources Recognises the rights of poor, farmers & villagers to ecologically sustainable livelihoods and habitats Eliminates fictitious inflationary money responsible for expansion of ecologically hostile habitats Promotes pious and ecologically safe consumption and production pattern Plans for ecologically safe and disaster free future for all Ensures policy making for the rights of children, future generations and poor Ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive Education
- 19. Strategies 1. Multiplication of carbon neutral neighbourhood discussions (CNNDs) across the cities and villages and disciplines These discussions initiated by youth and community elders in the neighbourhood where they gather for collective prayer, discussions and other social engagements. The recommendations of the discussions and simultaneous action compiled at various levels will be presented in the form of a memorandum to the local and world leader gathered in various summits and events accelerating the generation of ecologically safe survival and development policies and multiplication of ecologically safe survival policies. Local impacts will be generated through transformation of the leisure use pattern, consumption pattern, production systems ensuring minimisation of emission of green house gases and galvanising mass communication strategies for reduction in the personal contribution to the green house gases. The discussions on the urgency of reducing green house gases lead to the transformation of personal level consumption patterns. Centre for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance (CEASIG), a Delhi based organisation believes that personal responses are critical for transformation of the consumption patterns. Unsustainable consumption patterns can be halted with the personal responses. Personal responses are always part of the global responses. Carbon neutral neighbourhood discussions (CNNDs) will multiply ecologically safe responses across the urban and rural areas. 2. Multiplication of ecologically safe responses through promotion of green journalism, generation of analytic and advisory output across the universities Production of analytical and advisory outputs through journalists is critical and they are one of the major stakeholders in shaping the opinions, consumption patterns. Journalists writing on lifestyle can substantially influence the consumption pattern of people in the urban areas. They can help in shaping the tastes and defining the choices. Journalists are important is generating democratic consensus for halting unsustainable consumption patterns. In our times, journalists play a very critical and sometimes they are responsible for defining the social, cultural and political trends. Youth organisations call for securing the future of villages, children and future generations with ecologically sustainable habitats, consumption patterns while ensuring inter-species justice. 3. Catalysing green academics and politics Labour league Foundation and Centre for Ecological Audit, Social Inclusion and Governance along with many organisations globally will be supporting the process for open and transparent politics for instilling the importance of ecologically safe green ideals. Youth organisations will be organising meetings with the representatives of the various media organisations and political parties and seek inclusion of ecological considerations in editorial policies and election manifestoes. Media organisations need to be visionary organisations and help in the preparation for an emerging future bereft of petro-modern6 consumption, transport, habitat and production systems. 4. Transformation of leisure use patterns Youth organisations and youth wish to realise the millennium development goals for eliminating the unsustainable consumption patterns and wish to do so through suggesting transformation of the leisure use pattern. Suggestions for adoption of faith based 6 The phrase of Petro-modern is a coinage of Dr.Muhammad Mukhtar Alam for describing the whole set of services and utilities that are based on fossil fuels.
- 20. measures that are common across the religious texts need to be taken seriously as part of global cultural commons. As indicated through the diagrammatic representation of the impact of adoption of faith based measures, youths call for generating interfaith consensus for acting simultaneously for transforming the leisure use patterns. 5. Calculation of ecological footprints, eliminating ecological rucksacks, returning to the ecologically sustainable habitats of the past for securing the ecological safe future of children and future generations Youth call for dissemination of the practice of measuring ecological footprints for getting the desired actions for reducing the number of decisions involving emission of green house gases. Similarly, awareness on the loss of rocks due to excessive mining is critical for eliminating the amount of ecological losses. It is critical to value the conventional housing designs that use mud, grass, bamboo and wood. The definition of poverty considering the possession of adobe dwellings as a sign of poverty needs to be revised. 6. Ecological Audit of the consumption processes and patterns The ecological audit is a concept proposed by Dr.Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, the chairman of Labour League Foundation http://muhammad_mukhtar_alam.tigblog.org .This needs to be used along with the calculation of ecological footprints, environment audit/ green audit for assessing the impact of various decision and consumption patterns. Globalisation of the ecological audit at all levels is needed for supporting ecologically sustainable consumption patterns. This is important for realising the millennium development goals for environment sustainability by the year 2015. It is proposed that reports on sustainability index are incorporated in the formulation of the ecologically safe development policy. 7. Ecological Audit of the production systems / patterns Production processes need to be assessed for ecological sustainability. There are ecologically sustainable and unsustainable production processes. The workshops with corporations interested in realising the millennium development goals will be conducted for getting in the changes in production processes. Youths believe based on the predictions on the oil reserves that Petro-modern production systems do not have a long future. Reducing energy demand for ecologically unsustainable production, consumption patterns is critical for halting the expansion of deserts and regularisation of rainfalls. 8. Ecological Audit of the transport systems / patterns Renewable resource based transport systems are sustainable and non-renewable resource based transport systems are not sustainable. Ecological Audit of the transport systems needs to be encouraged for all organisations and ministries dealing with transport. Minimising / Eliminating travel is critical for ecologically sustainable habitats. We need to prepare for the end of petro-modern age. 9. Ecological Audit of the leisure use patterns- There are leisure use patterns that do not use green house gas producing fossil fuels and there are leisure use patterns that are based on renewable resources and that does not involve consumption of fossil fuels. Workshop with the neighbourhood discussion leaders and resident welfare associations needs to be conducted for necessary transformation of leisure use patterns. Children, youths and elders need to be encouraged to adopt faith based measures for relaxation and stress busting. There are several studies that have demonstrated the impact of prayer and meditation on stress levels. Ecological audit of the
- 21. leisure engagements need to be supported for getting the desired response for reduction in the emission of green house gases through transformation of leisure use patterns. 10. Interfaith dialogue for addressing the climate change, farmer’s suicides, and social security for workers in unorganized sector and transforming finance sector Appreciation of the common commands for prayer, donation, compassion, charity and prohibition of usury, adultery, and homosexuality is needed with wider dissemination of the same. Adoption of these commands addresses the challenge of climate change, ecologically hostile usurious system, AIDS and so on. Inter-faith dialogue will ensure generation of responses across the faith groups. Delhi has a vibrant culture of interfaith dialogue. Sant Rajinder Singh of Sawan Kripal Ashram has been conducting the same for many years. Youth organisation need to work independently or in collaboration with faith based organisations for generating more forums of interfaith dialogue. 11. National/ regional/ city/ village based conventions on Inter Faith common responses for addressing the climate change- Governments need to be encouraged for holding national conventions for generating consensus for adoption of faith based measures for addressing the climate change. There are cultural responses for fighting the atheistic neo-liberal cultural trends emanating from Europe and copied by youth in the name of globalisation and modernity. National Convention will address the issue of climate change through adopting the interfaith commons while preserving religious diversity and ecologically sustainable dietary, sartorial, linguistic diversities. 12. Carbon neutral colloquiums / meetings / Majlis-e-Naujawan/ Yuva Harit Bharat Sabha/../../ across the academia Youths propose globalisation of local efforts for contributing in the mitigation of the impacts of climate change. Governments recognise the critical role of youths as more and more organisations led by youths are involved in consultation. It is suggested that Green youth forums with vernacular names need to be formed and discussions be held with active government support for getting the desired response pattern for halting the expansion of unsustainable consumption pattern and leisure use pattern through adoption of faith based measures. Conclusion: Imagining the responses of the weaker species in the face of man made onslaughts on the non-renewable resources , many youths across the world recognise the threats represented through the expression of anguish of the billions of poor who are angry, dispossessed and seeking an end to the process of non-renewable resource based usurious finance fuelled expansion of consumption and production pattern that is causing serious loss of livelihood for millions across the Earth and call upon all the governments, civil society organisations, corporations engaged in ecologically hostile production processes to boycott the ecologically hostile usurious finance and prevent further loss of ecologically sustainable habitats that are an immediate outcome of the expansion of ecologically hostile non-renewable resource based habitats. Nations need to compete in establishing the models of ecologically safe economy, polity and culture. Youth of the world are ready to become a leader along with Muslims, Greens and men and women of the world who wish to halt the political expansion of the atheistic neo-liberal ideology that is responsible for exacerbating the ecological distress demonstrated through the increased incidence of drought and expansion of deserts causing suffering for millions.
- 22. Adaptation is the weakest response and youths call for halting the negative impacts of climate change. Nothing is impossible. Reference: • Yacouba Noël COULIBALY (2007), “Desertification, climate change and Forest in the Sahel”, Center for International Forestry Research, Tropical Forest and Climate Change Adaptation Project, 06 BP 9478 Ouagadougou 06, Burkina Faso • www.simpol.org • www.monetary.org • www.globaljusticemovement.org • http://muhammad_mukhtar_alam.tigblog.org