There is an on-going crisis facing our world that may not have the immediacy of Ukraine or its heart-wrenching images but is nonetheless more deadly to our survival.

It is elucidated in a sweeping analysis, the sixth by a UN body, which warns and blames humans explicitly and reminds us that the time to act is now.  Are humans up to this challenge?

First of all, “there is no longer room for doubt,” states the report, about human responsibility for climate change.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) observes in the first chapter of its Sixth Assessment Project (AR6) that it “can say quite definitely” that a whole class of extreme events suffered in the world is linked to climate change.  

Every region on Earth is affected in numerous ways:  Europe has endured multiple heat waves, while drought and fire afflict the American West and floods drown parts of Asia.  All with the backdrop of the warmest four decades ever recorded since pre-industrial times.

A vast store of extra knowledge has been amassed over the last three decades from tens of thousands of newer observing stations, satellites, and vastly improved simulations.  And what it reveals is sobering.  The much vaunted net zero scenario where gas emissions are balanced by removal from the atmosphere is no longer a cure.

Yes, the temperatures reduce a little although not down to preindustrial levels.  But even then, sea levels continue to rise until about the year 2300 partly due to Greenland’s melting ice sheet — we appear to have crossed the threshold there and the melting continues even under a net zero scenario.

Global mean temperature as we have it now is 1.1 degrees C above pre-industrial levels.  It doubles the chances of a once-in-a-decade drought.  Should the temperature rise to 2 degrees C, the chances of drought triple.  How often a wettest once-in-a-decade day occurs rises from 1.3 times to 1.8 times and tropical cyclones (hurricanes) increase by 13 percent. 

The Paris Agreement set a target for limiting global mean temperature rise to 2 degrees C.  As is becoming increasingly clear with the new data now available, that target was not sufficiently stringent.

At the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, influenced by the IPCC Sixth Assessment, it was agreed to try to limit temperature rises to within 1.5C.  Since current pledges can lead to a rise of 2.4C, the countries agreed that at COP27 (scheduled for November 2022) they would pledge further cuts in emissions of carbon dioxide, the principal global warming gas.

The other positive news was a plan to cut the use of coal.  The language was changed from “phase-out” to “phase-down” of its use following a late intervention by China and India.

Such are the ways of the world.

Caste and Climate Change: The Indian Context

50 years have passed since Perón’s visionary environmental message

Dr. Arshad M. Khan is a former Professor based in the US. Educated at King's College London, OSU and The University of Chicago, he has a multidisciplinary background that has frequently informed his research. Thus he headed the analysis of an innovation survey of Norway, and his work on SMEs published in major journals has been widely cited. He has for several decades also written for the press: These articles and occasional comments have appeared in print media such as The Dallas Morning News, Dawn (Pakistan), The Fort Worth Star Telegram, The Monitor, The Wall Street Journal and others. On the internet, he has written for Antiwar.com, Asia Times, Common Dreams, Counterpunch, Countercurrents, Dissident Voice, Eurasia Review and Modern Diplomacy among many. His work has been quoted in the U.S. Congress and published in its Congressional Record.

Caste and Climate Change: The Indian Context

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Since the beginning of the 21st century, the rise of Asia and its’ significance as a global force in a myriad of fields has been impeccable. The world has recognized it as a competing force. Asian economies have been long characterized by their people and the immense dynamic diversity that comes with it. India in this regard has been prominently and densely populated and imperatively diverse and vibrant in its’ culture and heritage. As promising as this sounds, the diversity has always been a potent challenge for this nation in managing its’ manifestation as a welfare economy attempting to cater to various sections of the society, demand and needs together. The intensity of the population has ensued many socio-economic liabilities on this nation, ranging from income inequality to gender discrimination. Hence, it is important to note that marginalized and underrepresented sects of the society have always been on the brunt of being adversely impacted by any kind of cultural, economic, political or environmental parameters, explicitly as well as implicitly.

As we speak of this, it is crucial to highlight a new phenomenon that has been observed which is the impact of climate change on caste-oriented aspects in India. It is difficult to understand the relation between these two independent variables, but the dynamic conceded here has been critical in shaping the face of the future of the caste-based issues being perpetuated because of the ill effects of the climate change, a globally acknowledged aspect now. Environmental issues are matter of concern, not just for a certain region or a specific section of the society. It is massive threat to the entire humankind. This is itself should be alarming. Now, to begin the conversation of caste and climate change in the Indian context becomes principally paramount, since India has had a long withstanding history of caste-based discrimination and atrocities of those people that has prevailed, and continues to exist even till now.

Climate change in India has significantly catered to two very specific issues, equanimity and growth. Environment politics in India, specifically since the post-colonial India has evolved from being centered around protection programs to now the focal point being development and sustainability programs. However, as much is being done in this regard, it is commonplace knowledge that the marginalized (particularly caste inflicted) have been suffering despite policies being heralded for holistic sustenance of the entire society. In support of this argument, it is critical to note that in this nation Dalit women are constricted to drawing water from public water facilities in many villages in the south of India as untouchability is still being practiced. This has led to inequitable distribution of public facilities to the vulnerable section of the regions in times of climatic crisis such as water shortage. It is a matter of social injustice. As per some prominent reports published in this regard, it has been observed that, “In over 100 villages affected by drought in India, Dalit women are being denied access to water sources in 48.4% of villages because of segregation and untouchability practices. More than 20% of Dalits do not have access to safe drinking water.”

Such sections of the society that are more exposed to natural disaster or severe climatic conditions than other groups end up receiving less humanitarian support, comparably. Laws and policies that have been institutionalized to protect them have not been well executed or implemented resulting in making the situation more vulnerable and gruesome for the people facing such caste-based bigotry. Even so, the infrastructural support is withheld from preserving their interests making them more susceptible to climatic damage. Another observation highlighted from some reports has been that, “past instances have shown that the lower castes have also not received adequate support and humanitarian assistance during times of climatic crises. For example, after the Krishna floods of September 2009, a study conducted by Savita Hiremath brought out the discrimination faced by the Dalits in accessing government aid when relief operations were underway.”

With this understanding, one needs to now shift the focus and converge their energy into making environmental politics a seemingly supreme agenda for policy makers of this nation. It needs to emerge as a strong point of consideration within the periphery of our lawmaking agencies.  Environmental concerns have gained momentum in the post-colonial India due to high ecological imbalances in the form of wildlife, nature and people. Political debates in this regard doesn’t only have to be about conserving and preserving the ecosystem, but about reducing the implications of the damage upon both the nature and the people, now particularly the neglected and the overlooked groups. Women and children get the most affected, which probably goes without saying.

As per UN reports, “To understand the nature of the environmental problems in India, it may be useful to compare and contrast certain environmental trends and concerns in India with those in the West, especially since the environment crusade began in the West and since many groups in India, including political parties, have for long dismissed it as a petty Western concept. The argument has always been that too much concern for the environment can only retard economic and industrial development. The UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972 was the landmark conference that created worldwide consciousness about environment. No UN conference has ever been able to collect so many luminaries at one place.”

Environment politics first emerged ass a westernized concept, and took its own time to gain popularity as a global phenomenon. Today all the nations have a common thread that binds them when it comes to environment protection, but each nation has its; own internal challenges to overcome. India has predominantly failed in protecting its’ marginalized groups from climate-based damages despite having policies which seem more for namesake due to its’ dysfunctional attributes. This has been deep-rooted in our orthodox and conservative mindset to hold back equitable distribution of welfare schemes amongst all the stakeholders of the society.

On February 21, 1972 Juan Domingo Perón announced the publication of his letter known as “Mensaje Ambiental a los pueblos y Gobiernos del Mundo” (Environmental Message to the peoples and Governments of the World) pioneering meditation on the need for the implementation of ecological public policies.

In such a letter addressed to the Scientific Conference of the United Nations in Stockholm on environment, Peron warned about the suicidal march that the humanity would have taken through the pollution of the environment and the biosphere, the squandering of natural resources, demographic pressure, and consumer waste by the “First World” countries, and it he also called for the reversal of this situation through joint international action.

This historical document reveals the validity of the thinking and strategic vision of the Argentine leader as an analyst of global trends. Because of this, Perón became a pioneer leader when discussing the environmental issue with a perspective different from that of the hegemonic countries.

As we observe the meditations of the Argentine leader are more valid than ever:

Recently, and through multiple platforms, the Argentine Secretary of Strategic Affairs, Gustavo Beliz, has discussed the need to establish a “Green New Bretton Woods”, which would address the urgency of the reconfiguration of the global financial architecture as well as the coordination of environmental policies. A new paradigm from the multilateral financial institutions that promotes financial relief tools, such as the exchange of external debt for climate action, especially for middle and low income countries, such measures would make possible the achievement of Ecological Social Justice, in which human and sustainable development would be inseparable.

Perón’s ecological reflection was also echoed in Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si”, a call to think and develop holistic actions that will reverse the deterioration of our Common Home.

Authors: Dr. Arshad M. Khan and Meena Miriam Yust

If a warm glow of satisfaction descends upon us on occasion, perhaps when doing something of benefit to our community, it might not be as deserved as we assume when we go about sorting plastic waste,  unscrewing colored tops from clear bottles and so forth, for the weekly visit of the recycling truck.

Plastic is more of a nuisance than we realize.  From washing ashore on beaches to the heights of Everest and the depths of the Mariana Trench, plastic is everywhere.  And it is not just the ubiquitous transparent bottle … cups, plates, straws, food wrappers, cigarette butts, single-use bags are some other items, even our toothbrush or the dish we rest the soap on or … .  Some 275 million metric tons of plastic was generated in 2010 of which up to 12.7 MT entered the oceans.

There the plastic bottle breaks down into microplastic pieces but these are estimated to take four-and-a-half centuries to decompose.  Ingestion by animals of micropieces or larger endangers health and can be fatal.

Turtles mistake plastic sheeting or bags for jellyfish.  If the plastic gets lodged in their digestive system, they may have a sense of fullness and no longer feed, leading to starvation and death.

With sea birds like the albatross, the plastic can get stuck in their gizzard and they begin to lose weight because they cannot eat efficiently.

Marine mammals are also affected including baleen whales which filter large amounts of water whence the plastic gets in between the baleen plates.  Toothed whales, seals and manatees ingest the plastic with subsequent digestive problems eventually resulting in early death.

Why do we not recycle the plastic that was being sorted assiduously at the beginning of this short article?  Well, it is not as easy as it seems.  Take the transparent bottle.  Once it’s been melted and reconstituted, it is no longer colorless.  The name for this plastic is polyethylene terephthalate or PET and when it is melted, its consistency changes voiding usage.  So it has to be mixed with HDPE or high density polyethylenes, the kind used in detergent containers or milk jugs.  Melting it together with PET, a sturdier plastic results, and it can be used for products like park benches or garbage bins.

Not all plastics mix.  If one were to melt the polyethylene detergent container together with its top and make a bottle, it would be too brittle for use.  So the top has to be removed and treated separately and lines of workers sort and separate such items before recycling. 

It gets worse.  Take for instance, deodorant containers:  the bottle and the ball cap can be different plastics, and food packaging films are multilayered plastics, all difficult to separate.  Some 100 million tons of food packaging films are produced annually across the world, and scientists are busy trying to develop solvents to strip away the different layers.  Of course, the solvent must also not strip off the next layer.

In the U.S., PET and HDPE plastics are commonly recycled.  The others end up in landfills:  Of these PVC is used for cosmetic containers; LDPE for squeeze bottles, trash bags and cling wrap; PP for microwave dishes, ice cream and yogurt cartons plus cups for detergent containers.  Then there is PS that is used for CD and video cases, and single-use plastic cups for cold drinks and cutlery.  Hot drinks require EPS foam polystyrene cups, and EPS is also used for takeaway food trays and in protective packaging.  All of which makes one realize how much our lives are entwined with plastic.

The sad truth is that in 2018, the US recycled only 3 million tons of plastic, sending 27 million tons to landfills.  Worse still, of the total 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste that has been generated globally, just 9 percent has been recycled, 12 percent has been burned and approximately 80 percent has ended up in landfills.

Proposals are in the offing for biodegradable plastics but these alternatives are not as strong or cheap or easy to make.  In the meantime, the recycling symbol can perhaps be thought of more as one of hope rather than reality.

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