Ecosystem loss disastrous, illustrates Covid-19
Dr Qamar Rehman and Dr Farhat Jaffer
Ahealthy environment- forests, wildlife and natural resourcesis one of the most pertinent issues today. This year’s theme of World Environment Day is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’ with a clarion call to ‘save the Earth with the right practices’. The right practices are: planting trees, using less water, saving energy and emphasizing on renewable energies, to mention a few.
But today we are losing our ecosystem, the loss of which not only affects our economy but will also lead to the destruction of our planet.
“Any threat to our environment is a threat to our health, our society, our ecosystems, our economy, our security, our well-being and our very survival,” says a ministerial declaration of UN Environment Assembly.
The emergence of Covid-19 has reminded us just how disastrous the consequences of ecosystem loss can be. A report states that the destruction of animals’ natural habitats creates ideal conditions for pathogens such as coronavirus to spread. Covid-19 has undoubtedly brought a fearful devastating scourge for human beings but it has emerged as a blessing for the natural environment providing it a “recovery time” as we learn that the environmental degradation caused by humans is not totally irreversible. In a period of just 1–2 months of lockdown, ‘recovery of nature’ has been witnessed by everyone. This is a signal for us to understand and react.
Data reveals the global greenhouse gas emissions have risen for three consecutive years depriving the world of carbon sinks such as forests and peat lands at a time we can least afford it. Tropical forests once covered over 23% of earth’s land surface but today they are disappearing at the rate of over 4.6 million hectares per year. Similarly, rain forests once constituted around 14% of the earth’s land surface, but have now depleted to 6% endangering existence of a number of species. Remember rain forests are the home of over 30,000 unique plants and some 70% of which have exhibited cancer-fighting properties.
However, we cannot turn the clock back, but we can green our cities, grow trees, re-wild our gardens and clean up rivers and coasts, thereby restoring our ecosystem, including forests, farmlands, cities, wetlands and oceans. Restoration initiatives should be launched by governments, development agencies, businesses, communities and individuals. We need to emphasise on:
Safe technology, renewable energy, wastewater treatment, ecological restoration, biodiversity and conservation, international cooperation
We are the generation that can make peace with nature.
According to the action plan on Ecosystem Restoration of the UNEP, restoration needs to be carried out in ways that balance social, economic and environmental objectives engaging all relevant stakeholders.
One of the first environmentalist movements in India, inspired by women, was the Chipko Movement which started in 1731, by Amrita Bai of the Bishnoi community, known for their love for nature, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Later it was revived by Bachi Devi and Gaura Devi of UP in 1970.
Their slogan was: “ecology is a permanent economy.”
We should take lessons from them and restore our ecosystem to save our planet and the future of our children. Only then we will celebrate the World Environment Day in earnest.