“Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century; it must be the top, top priority for everyone, everywhere.”—Antonio Guterres, Director General, United Nations.
It is vital to inculcate this thought among humankind as the environment on earth is a heritage that we all share and towards which we need to have collective responsibility. The preciousness of earth must be realized by all alike to make it a better place to live on. The vision of protecting the earth is important as environmental degradation over time has broken our natural systems, leading to fatal calamities and breakdown of economies. Just as climate change painfully reminds us of the harm we’ve caused, Restore Our Earth, is an apt theme for World Earth Day (April 22) this year which reminds us of the opportunities that lie ahead to save planet earth. The theme is based on the understanding that it is not enough to merely adapt to changes brought about by environmental damage, there is a need to initiate and implement plans to live on safer earth.
When we talk about sustainability, we have to think about the future, as the capacity to create a sustainable system balanced between productivity and environmental respect. According to a recent survey by Nielsen, 81 percent of consumers around the globe believe it is very important for companies to have environmental improvement as an objective too.
Alarming data
Quick intervention is vital as scientists warn us that climate change for instance does not recognise national borders, which should prompt us to act fast on the well-being of people and ecology. Due to human activity, since the pre-industrial level, the world has warmed by 1°C. People, ecosystems and livelihoods have been impacted at varying levels. According to World Bank researchers, changing weather patterns are expected to impact over 800 million people by 2050 and will continue to burden South Asian countries’ economies.
A number of impacts are already being felt in terms of increased frequency and duration of extreme weather events (cyclones, floods, droughts and heatwaves), rising sea levels, and impacts on human health and natural ecosystems. Air pollution also remains a pressing issue for India as it is home to 22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities that exceed national ambient air quality standards with Delhi being ranked as the most polluted capital city globally, as per IQAir, a Swiss-based air quality technology company which has released the 'World Air Quality Report, 2020'. Therefore, when we talk about protecting the earth, we have to think about the future—in which we build a sustainable system balanced between productivity and environmental respect. We should remember that sustainability is no longer a niche concept or experience.
Zero-Carbon future and importance of renewable energy
Earth Day can galvanize unparalleled collaboration protecting future generations by building a zero-carbon future. The problems we face today are in the present and practical. Measures like reforestation and soil conservation that can help restore healthy biodiversity, clean water and air, and rebalance ecological systems need to be taken up on a war footing. India, as a nation, has tremendous scope for making renewable energy its primary energy source. The country is not just well endowed with diversified forms of renewable energy, such as solar, wind, hydro and biomass, but also has very strong institutional systems to harness its renewable energy capacity.
It is also high time that our economy minimises the use of fossil fuels and makes a major shift towards a green life. One way of building such an economy is to develop a market-based program to deal with climate change—one that limits emissions by putting a price on them.
Need of the hour: What companies can do and need for energy efficiency?
It is clearly evident that there is a desirable shift in the mindset of people to promote energy efficiency as an alternate fuel. The sustainability factor which was earlier tagged under the “luxury” quotient has taken center stage today for sustainable development goals. The role of sustainability in business success has also become imperative today. It’s also a time for companies to embrace the role that they can play in creating a healthier planet by adopting a collaborative approach between their business goals, employees and consumers towards environment protection.
Additionally, energy efficiency is a crucial tactic in the fight against climate change which involves reuse, proper resource utilization, efficient design, good maintenance and change in lifestyle that is oriented towards sustainability. Other sustainable measures that can be deployed are the use of natural resources such as light, wind and earth, which can lower carbon footprint and significantly reduce the amount of heat and power a building consumes for instance. Also, elements of nature and construction can coexist in harmony and synergy rather than at cross purposes, a vision that helps maintain the health of the earth.
In recent years, increased awareness of environmental protection has also brought a shift in consumer behaviour which has given rise to conscious consumerism. Green should not just be the colour you see all around you, but be a way of life, a reconnection to a natural, organic and healthier way of being, a harmony between us, our spaces and the elements of nature. The future of an increasingly globalised world lies in green buildings and eco-friendly homes, a concept that is gaining traction rapidly. Going forward, there will be a lot of innovation in real estate for example, where sustainability and exclusivity will be the key to this new paradigm shift.
Conclusion: It can be said that we can make the earth ecologically vibrant by unleashing newer forms of innovation focused on delivering targets and unlocking new forms of economic value. Our world certainly needs transformation and it’s time for bold solutions at multiple levels. When our voices and actions are united with millions of others, we create a movement that is inclusive, impactful, and impossible to ignore. We must understand sustainability challenges and we need to act fast to make the world a better place for our present and future generations. If we wish to avoid reaching a point of irreversible damage that cripples our ecosystems, we need to restore the earth soon. Let’s make Earth Day every day earth’s day, together.
—The author, Lincoln Bennet Rodrigues is Founder and Chairman, Bennet & Bernard Group. The views expressed in the article are his own
(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)
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