Weavers: Artwork by Autumn Skye

If the path followed by human history is to be described very briefly while retaining its essence, then we can say that there was more progress of humanity in terms of welfare, happiness and sustainability whenever the precepts of peace, justice and protection of environment were followed. On the reverse side, there was more distress and stress whenever humanity moved away more from these precepts.

The failure to realize this leads often to misinterpretation of history. At world level the period of 1500-1945 was by and large a period of unprecedented distress and cruelties being inflicted on the people of Asia and Africa and the original people of America and Australia but this was nevertheless called a period of great progress as the discourse was led by the people who had benefited in highly unjust ways from the plunders and cruelties of colonial rule. The extent of the dangers as well as degradation of humanity became evident to more people when the world was plunged in two world wars one after another.

However, in earlier times the humanity could at least have a consolation that even if serious mistakes have been made in a generation these can be corrected and remedial actions can be taken in the next generation. Now the latest situation is that the possibilities for this remedial action are diminishing as about a dozen environmental problems including climate change threaten to seriously harm and disrupt the life nurturing conditions of our planet. Some of these problems including climate change come with tipping points beyond which it becomes increasingly difficult to protect life-nurturing conditions. In addition the accumulation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction also increase the threats to life-nurturing conditions in even more violent and cruel ways.

Humanity has already entered the stage where its activities can seriously disrupt the life-nurturing conditions of the earth. This is the first time in the history of earth that life-nurturing conditions on earth for various species are being threatened by the actions of any species. Actions that could be avoided or could be stopped at least at a stage when awareness regarding their high destructive potential had been realized have not been stopped, these had increased.

The harsh reality is that various activities that can destroy life and life-nurturing conditions have been growing during the last eight decades or so despite increasing recognition at the scientific levels that these can destroy life and life-protecting conditions of earth. These have already resulted in rates of mass extinction of species or near extinction that are many times more than the expected norm.

Hence while distress and stress of humanity as well as other species have remained at high levels in recent decades in terms that can be seen more obviously, what is less obvious but nevertheless very important is that several kinds of disruptive changes brought by indiscriminate human activities can cause even greater harm in future to coming generations with their accumulative impact. These include changes in climate and weather extremes, in disasters, in oceans and coastal areas, in terms of desertification and soil conditions, in terms of a range of high hazard products and chemicals, in terms of deforestation and changing land use patterns, in terms of air and water pollution, in terms of disruptive technologies, in terms of AI weapons and steps towards space warfare, and above all in terms of accumulation of nuclear weapons and increasing possibilities of their actual use. The chances of massive destruction in times of the upcoming generations are increasing and within this century the possibilities of the life-nurturing conditions being harmed very seriously are increasing. The break-out of a world war or nuclear war can greatly increase this process of the destruction or near destruction of life on earth in the middle of conditions of great pain, suffering and distress.

Of course all this is not inevitable but what can be seen clearly is that the more dominant sections of humanity have been increasingly operating in ways that can increase the possibilities of such ruin. Hence there is increasing need for people worldwide, and particularly the youth and upcoming generations to initiate mass efforts and social movements based on peace, justice and protection of environment which are led by the concern for saving the life-nurturing and life-saving conditions of our planet. While the precepts of justice, peace and protection of environment remain as important as ever for reducing distress, now these also have to be integrated more closely with the overwhelmingly important cause of protecting the life-nurturing conditions of earth.

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Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine.