Merely celebration of June 5, each year as World Environment Day, since June 5, 1972, has not shown any visible impact. A new strategy is required, one that takes into consideration the impact of man’s activities on environment and its consequences on quality of life on the planet Earth. Ecocide has to be stopped, observes DR. SHAISTA BANO
As if war clouds looming large on the horizons of the world were not enough, crisis of global warming has come to pose a big challenge to living beings. Though innate goodness of man, better sense and large-hearted tolerance may avert the devastation of nuclear warfare, no such considerations can cause the man to escape the wrath of Nature.
The consequences of unchecked, and indiscriminate use of natural resources in the mad race for development often lopsided, are inevitable. The heat trapping process caused by carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapours and many other gases which absorb long wavelength infrared (IR) (2.5-15 m) radiation of sunlight is known as Global Warming or Green House effect as this effect contributes to global warming. The increase in the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere increases the temperature of earth, slowly but steadily.
Large amount of CO2 is produced as a result of burning of carbon and its compound, decay of dead animal bodies, besides evolution from volcanoes. During day times plants absorb CO2 from air and in turn give out O2 due the photosynthesis. The Deforestation is also responsible for the presence of enhanced amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases have increased global average temperature by about 0.8 degree Celsius since the Industrial Revolution.
We cannot predict the amount of CO2 gas produced during the forest fire in Uttarakhand, which continued for a very long period and destroyed 2.270 hectares of forests. Similarly, the fire on the province of Alberta (Canada) has started as a result of high temperature and strong winds. The burning of organic matter results in the formation of most well-known greenhouse gas CO2.
Last year, more than 2,500 people died because of heat waves across the country. This is a calamity caused by weather and is as important as drought and flood, said the scientist of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. The last decade was the warmest decade on record and the year 2016 looked like it would be among the hottest years. MD Director General Laxman Singh said, “2015 was the hottest year ever recorded and our forecast predicts a summer with above normal temperatures, due to the El Nino effect. The impact will lessen eventually (2016 may be hottest year globally, and for India,” (The Indian Express, April 23, 2016).
El-Nino effect is an abnormal weather pattern that is caused by warming of Pacific Ocean near the Equator, off the coast of South America. This occurs when the normal trade winds weaken (or even reverse) which lets the warm water that is usually found in the Western Pacific, flow instead towards the East and displace the cooler water that is normally near the surface of the Eastern Pacific, setting off atmospheric changes that affect weather patterns in many parts of the world.
The massive employment of chemicals for large scale industrial production has led to pernicious conditions. Compounds CFCs (chlorofluoro-carbons) and HCFCs (hydrochlorofluoro-carbons) were used extensively in refrigerators, air conditioners, propellants in aerosol bombs, fire extinguishers and in making of furniture. However, these man-made chemicals were depleting the ozone (O3) layer present in the upper atmosphere. Ozone (an allotropic form of oxygen) is a gas, having characteristic strong smell and pale blue colour. It is heavier than air and is slightly soluble in water. On inhalation of small amount of it causes headache and nausea while larger amounts are poisonous. It is formed when oxygen (O2) is exposed to high energy ultraviolet (UV) light, (radiation ranging between 100-400 nm). However, ozone is the only gas that protects life on earth from the sun’s harmful UV radiation. The ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching on earth increases the risk of contracts, skin cancer and adversely affects the human immune response, rendering us more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Proteins and nucleic acid absorb strongly in the UV region. Mutations are caused by absorption of UV. A cancer cell results from a permanent genetic change in otherwise normal somatic cell. Such a change is called a malignant transformation. The depletion of ozone layer also affects the flora and fauna of the sea, especially fish and its fodder, as also the photosynthesis of plants.
Montreal Protocol (September 1987) seeks to eliminate use and production of these ozone depletion compounds and was very successful in elimination of ozone depleting compounds in two decades. Now new series of compounds HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) are being used for the same purposes for which CFCs were used. But these compounds are reported having greenhouse gas effects. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) gases are well-known greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming. Some of the HFCs have much, much more global warming potential than CO2.
At present, there is no international mechanism to eliminate or even reduce the preparation and consumption of HFCs. Montreal Protocol was designed to check the use of CFCs and HCFCs and to use it for the elimination of HFCs requires amendment or expansion of the scope of Montreal Protocol. But India, in the past, did not agree to the expansion of the scope of Montreal Protocol to include HFCs. Most countries want the elimination or reduction of HFCs to be governed by international climate regime as Kyoto Protocol. Kyoto Protocol governs with the reduction of greenhouse gases and it puts “differentiated responsibilities” on developed and developing countries. Under Kyoto Protocol only industrialised rich countries would be legally bound to phase out HFCs.
St. Petersburg G-20 Summit in September 2013 discussed “using expertise and the institution of Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs. India did agree to this and was in favour of this declaration till September 2014, concerning the phase down of HFCs and agreed to work for the progress of Montreal Protocol.
India has now demanded for the establishment of some mechanism through which the developing countries can ask for compensation of the cost of changing chemical plants to new technologies and has also demanded a 15-year grace period for developing countries to phase out HFCs and to switch over to new technology. India will sign the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted by over 190 countries last December, on Friday New York (The Indian Express, April 21, 2016).
Some 5,000 years ago Mesopotamian civilization suffered the downfall due to environmental destruction. The cutting of trees for feeding animals, making bricks and meeting the requirements of fuel, etc. without due attention for afforestation, is also responsible for this pernicious state of affairs. The Cabinet Wednesday gave its nod to amend the Afforestation Fund Bill that paves the way for the expedious utilisation of over Rs. 40,000 crore earmarked for forest land which is lying unspent (IE, April 21, 2016). This huge amount of money have been collected over the years as compensation for diverting forest land for “non-forest purposes” like setting up industries or infrastructure projects.
One in six species on earth could be threatened with extinction from climate change unless steps are taken to reduce global warming emissions (IE, May 2, 2015). Merely celebration of June 5, each year as World Environment Day, since June 5, 1972, has not shown any visible impact. A new strategy is required, one that takes into consideration the impact of man’s activities on environment and its consequences on quality of life on the planet Earth. Ecocide has to be stopped.
[The writer, Professor in Chemistry and former Principal, Women’s College, A.M.U, Aligarh, is author of two books and many articles.]