The need to make our environment more resilient

The planet earth has to meet the needs of seven billion people and owing to this fact natural resources are being exploited relentlessly. The implementation of high technology and heavy industries are being used to the maximum in order to satisfy the growing demand for food and goods. Great mobility of the transportation system whether land, ground or sea is becoming disastrous for the environment.  It is why a destabilization in the world climate has been noted by researchers. Climate change is a phenomenon which concerns all of us. Flash flood, extreme heat, rude winter and the presence of El-Niño in our oceans are all aftermath of uncontrollable pollution.

The scientists have deployed great efforts to make industrialized nations and most of the people environmentally conscious. However, the inveterate appeal of the scientific community is working as a bulwark in making the environment somehow resilient. The ‘L’accord de Paris’ is trying hard to sensitize governments and people to respect the environment. However the sad news is that Donald Trump administration has a skeptical view of all things science –based. For his administration, climate change is not a threat because he has other economic priorities on his agenda. According to a White House official climate change is not identified as a national security threat. The US is not taking climate change seriously. However, the impact of such decision has been felt tremendously in North America. It is the first time that the temperature has almost gone down to -40 degree Celsius in North America. Trump withdrew from ‘L’accord de Paris’ on climate, believing that it will bring havoc to industrial employments.

In the context of ‘L’accord de Paris’ the members met on 12 December 2017 in Paris with the motto ‘one planet Summit’ and decided to take tangible actions together. The three aims of the summit are as follows :

[1] To take tangible and solid actions.  They believe that there are solutions and they should roll them out locally and globally as swiftly as possible

[2] Innovate. They should be creative and resourceful in adapting our system to the inevitable changes and step up their efforts to reduce green house gas emission.

[3] Support one another. It is given to believe that we are all affected by climate change but some are more vulnerable than others. Let us work together for the good of all and increase our support even more to the countries and people who need it most.

In the past the gift of nature was judiciously used and the word climate change was unknown to people. But today man’s greediness has deprived him of his limitations in exploiting the natural resources. The existence of many species is jeopardized just because the needs of some people are to be met. The fins of hundreds and thousands of sharks are being sold on the market just to stimulate the sexual urge of some individuals. Rhinoceros and elephants are killed by poaches for their ivories and horns. Vast lands are being deforested for agricultural purposes thereby destroying the natural habitats of fauna and flora. The glaciers are melting and many polar bears are enduring the consequences. The above striking and heart breaking picture speaks high about the gravity of the situation.

Despite the strenuous efforts to create a sustainable eco- system it will take time to remediate the situation. The tourism industry should be well monitored and the visitors should be made aware of the fragility of the environment. Breaking corals for souvenir purpose, plucking cactus in the desert staining beautiful walls of ancient monuments and feeding leopard in the wild life sanctuaries just to sight them should be imperatively banned. Such irresponsible actions are due to give rise to an unbalanced eco-system in places visited.

However, the appalling situation seems not to last long because scientists have been able to sensitize the world about the danger we are going to face in the long run. There is an assurance that the ozone layer is healing and by the year 2060 it will recover completely due to less emission of carbon gas and the use of renewable energy. However, the world will not be out of the woods until we do not respect our environment. Fourteen hundred years ago the prophet of Islam [pbuh] had already advised his followers not to destroy vegetations, not to kill animals without any causes, show respect to your environment, help vulnerable people during war and to keep a balanced eco- system.

Cassam Tupsy