- It made for an interesting read when an article was written about how environmental concerns are not being talked about by the political class, cutting across party affiliation, despite the erratic weather patterns becoming the order of the day. Looking around the world, the altered weather patterns are causing tremendous hardships everywhere leading to unmitigated challenges to humankind. The reason for the erratic weather patterns is man-made since the abuse of natural resources alongside the unbridled use of fossil fuels has led to the almost precipitous situation. No wonder, the global community is subjected to unseasonal happenstances of weather vagaries leading to widespread destruction of loss of lives and properties.
PC: Mangobay-India
- Of course, the global leadership led by the most developed countries is making concerted efforts to address environmental degradation by insisting on reducing the conventional usage of energy resources. However, the challenge lies with these countries as they are the big abusers immensely contributing to the weather vagaries being witnessed. As you are aware, the campaigning for the general elections is underway full throttle in India. While various socio-welfare measures like reservations, wealth creation, education, healthcare, and general growth prospects are being bandied about, there is hardly any reference to the crucial environmental preservation goals by all the major political parties in the fray. It is not so important amid vote bank politics, you see.
- Mind you, the environmental risks are borne directly by people. Yet, it hasn’t emerged as a serious poll issue. As reported, Uttarakhand has struggled to cope with frequent outbreaks of forest fires this year. Over the last weekend, fires progressed up to Nainital, triggering the use of IAF helicopters to douse the flames. Forest fires are not just a threat to lives and property, they also undermine tourism in a state that depends on it. Not that it mattered in the campaign strategies in the state’s LS polls. No observer can be blamed for considering forest fires a non-issue. Notably, environmental risks in India have been multiplying. Along with this, the related costs are also rising. These costs are borne mostly by people in the absence of insurance reforms.
PC: The Financial Express
- Sadly, this challenge is seldom an election issue. Political parties are happy to skirt these issues as they don’t seem to catalyze an electorate’s anger. Air pollution may be termed a silent killer, but its health effects are debilitating. Its economic fallout is huge. One plausible reason for a low priority accorded to environment-related consequences is the complexity of the challenge. The nature of the challenge is incompatible with the incentives that drive political parties. Thus, it’s convenient to kick the can down the road. Merely emphasizing renewable energy will be prioritized amounts to rhetoric yielding very limited results. Importantly, mainstreaming the environmental agenda is the first right step. Hope policymakers will walk the talk eventually.
