Guardians of Earth

Celebrating the warriors who are fighting to limit the destruction mankind has wrought on our planet, and salvage something for the coming generations

‘Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.’ — that’s the theme of World Environment Day 2021, as the United Nations steps into the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Much damage has already been done, but there is still time to save this beautiful planet for the coming generations. Here are some activists, ecologists and entrepreneurs in India who have been doing their bit to protect Planet Earth.

RE-WILD TO THE FUTURE

RRANJIT BARTHAKUR

anjit Barthakur, entrepreneur, Executive Chairman of Royal Multisport Pvt. Ltd., the company that owns the IPL cricket team Rajasthan Royals, is also the founder-president of the Balipara Foundation, an organisation focused on the Eastern Himalayas. Based in Assam, the organisation builds self-sufficient enterprises for the rural ecosystem based on the principle of natureonomics. Explaining Natureonomics, Ranjit says, “The idea is simple: nature and economics are not separate or independent, they are interdependent. Without nature there is no economics. Naturenomics proposes a new paradigm based on the value of our natural assets. It is about investing in restoring and regenerating these natural assets while sustainably earning on their natural capital value.”

Explaining that, “Wild crops help us maintain the diversity of our food systems, which creates greater resilience, as climate change threatens our hypercultivated crops, tailored to specific climatic conditions,” Ranjit stresses, adding, “Without wild crops, rural and indigenous communities would lose a vital food source, and we would lose our capacity to adapt to an uncertain future.”

Highlighting the fact that “We have a long way to go before we recognise the sustainability practices of indigenous communities, who have traditions governing how to harvest from forests, when to harvest, and how much to harvest. We need to learn from them and put a greater premium on their products, and those of smallholder farmers engaged in organic or agroforestry practices,” he says.

The organisation has helped farmers and indigenous people to increase their incomes by 40% and plant 2.1 million trees.

Nature and economics are not separate or independent, they are interdependent. Without nature there is no economics. Naturenomics proposes a new paradigm based on the value of our natural assets. It is about investing in restoring and regenerating these natural assets while sustainably earning on their natural capital value

Being into Ayurveda, we know the importance of nature and the environment; we have already started reducing our pollution emissions. We are making sure that the use of paper in our organisation is minimised

Nikhil Maheshwari, Director of Operations, Maheshwari Pharmaceuticals India Ltd., comes from a background which values the goodness of nature, particularly medicinal herbs used in Ayurveda.

“Being into Ayurveda, we know the importance of nature and the environment; we have already started reducing our pollution emissions. We are making sure that the use of paper in our organisation is minimised by introducing all available technology. Being a manufacturing industry, we are also reducing our carbon footprint on a regular basis,” he adds.

“Being a socially-conscious brand, we have aligned with an NGO named Aanchal, to promote planting and preserving nature,” reveals Nikhil. “Each time a new member is added, we plant a sapling. Currently Aanchal has 1,500 members and 1,500 saplings.”

● World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year.

● On June 5, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration will be launched.

● UN Environment Programme’s campaign — “Recreate, Reimagine, Restore” — focuses on reversing the degradation of our ecosystems