Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki's column: Climate Satyagraha is the most needed by the world today

The country is currently in the grip of severe heat. The temperature is constantly setting new records. When I ask people if the summer will be less or more next year, most people say after a few moments of thought—maybe more. This answer is not just a guess, but a hard truth. The Earth is warming faster than ever. So to assume that the situation will improve on its own next year is like delusionalizing yourself. The biggest question is what do we do today so that the future does not become more frightening. There is a constant work on environmental protection, technological developments, new policies and international conventions around the world. Despite this, the climate crisis is rapidly escalating before our eyes. This means that the problem runs much deeper. I think human society is making three fundamental mistakes in this regard. The first mistake is that we have mistaken nature's resources – coal, petrol, diesel and natural gas as our capital. In a business, if you start spending your own capital, it may not last long. In his famous book Small is Beautiful, E.F. Schumacher warned as early as 1973 that human society was spending the earth's natural capital as its income. The science, technology and machines we have created are worth using them. But we did not create fossil fuels made over millions of years. They are the capital of nature. If we continue to burn the same capital, bankruptcy is certain. The second mistake is that we are assuming that the increase in our production and consumption can last for eternity. Science is growing, technology is growing, the economy is growing, but the Earth is not growing. His resources are limited. Unlimited consumption can never be possible on a finite earth. But we have reduced the entire definition of growth to more production and more consumption. The third and perhaps the biggest mistake is that we believe that the problem of the environment and climate change will be solved by governments. The reality is that this problem has not been created by any one government or industry. It's all made by us together. What we wear, eat, buy, electricity we use, travel – all these are directly related to carbon emissions. So the solution will also not come from governments alone. Unless the individual understands his own responsibility, no policy will be enough. That is why I believe that the world needs climate satyagraha the most today. Satyagraha does not mean mere protest, but insistence on truth. Today's greatest truth is that the earth is finite, so our life and consumption should also be limited. Climate Satyagraha means voluntarily adopting a limited and responsible life; Understanding the difference between your need and greed; And to use the resources of nature as a responsibility, not a right. If we adopt climate satyagraha, it can become the solution to all our three mistakes. It will take us out of the race of unlimited consumption and towards a balanced life. And most importantly, it will make people not spectators but partners in the solution. Now is not just the time for discussion, but for personal responsibility. (These are the author's own views)