Conserving
Biodiversity – Celebrating Life!
J.
Prasant Palakkappillil
(The Teenager Today May 2023 pp. 18-19)
On
the Origin of Species
The
reflection on the universe leads us to its amazing variety and harmony. There
have been any number of efforts to find the truth of the how of its origin, and
we have been with the Big Bang Theory now for almost a century, which, at the
best, is an effort at explanation and not an established fact. But this
miracle had always surprised humans, perhaps, from time immemorial. We
have versions with metaphysical roots like the Hiranyagarbha (Golden
Womb) theory of Rigveda 10:121 and Purusha Suktam of Rigveda 10:90 or Golden
Egg theory in several cultures. I am more familiar with the Judeo-Christian
tradition (Torah & Bible) creation narrative which offers a very
interesting story of the origin and diversification of the universe in the
creation narrative. All these mythological narratives have one thing in common
- the presence or power of the Ultimate in the beings on earth, implying the
need to approach the phenomenon of creation and its miraculous and stupendous
diversity and balance with a sense of 'awe' and 'respect', and not a mere
taken-for-grantedness. This should not or need not prevent one from
exploring and experimenting, but cautions the humans, that they are not the
authors of this amazingly enthralling melange of differences, but one part of
it, perhaps, with unimaginable latent power and potential.
The
Biblical narrative brings in two characters in this connection - 1) Adam - who
is designated to name the diverse creatures the arch-designer sets, before Adam
himself is brought into being. The narrative, apparently, tries to establish the
proven role of humans as stewards responsible for the upkeep of this diversity,
with the command to 'till and keep'. 2) Noah - (Nuh according to Quran)
who is given the charge to conserve species which would otherwise have
disappeared in the cataclysmic flood, the consequence of the loss of the
delicate harmony of the universe, through the unmindful, haughty indulgence and
consumption of the goods of the universe by a dissipated humanity.
The
human(?) avarice that tends to set-off the fine balance of the universe is
indicated in the imaginative myth of the churning of the milky ocean for the
'evergreen life nectar' (amrut), where the different categories of human
species, unite forgetting their species diversity of black, white or brown (devas,
asuras...), but end up flushing out the highly venomous stores of kalakut which
has the potential to destroy the beautiful universe. It is a daring Lord
Shiva (shiv means the auspicious, or the one who ensures harmony or
peace), who risks one's life to swallow the poisonous output of the avaricious churning at the risk
of self-destruction. (That his consort Parvati's timely intervention to
stop the vicious potion from going below his throat, saves him and the
universe, in the process lending him the deserving saviour status but leaving
his neck blue - Neelkanth - with solidified poisonous content
- all these and the rest form another conservation narrative from the
myths).
As the
planet faces unforeseen cataclysmic events especially in the form of cyclones,
typhoons, tornados, blizzards, torrential floods, unprecedented snow, heat
waves, increasing melting of the polar glaciers, and resultant threat to the
planet and its diverse dwellers, we are faced with five-fold challenges:
1. The
planet and its dwellers, including the humans, require the biodiversity to live
peacefully on it.
2. The
diversity is to be understood, assessed, appreciated and protected for the benefit
of the present generation and the posterity.
3.
While the humans do have great power to mould and manipulate the diverse beings
on the planet, after the point of balance is lost, no human technology or
effort can withhold the disasters that entail, which would affect the humans as
well; increasingly, without distinction.
4. The
humans have the great potential to protect and recreate, thus be truly
co-creators and saviours with the Creator, to re-establish the harmony, by
restoring the biodiversity.
5. In
the context of the all-pervasive and almost unretractable human interface with
every aspect of planetary diversity, the great human responsibility to
cautiously and discreetly attend to the diversity of the species and systems,
in promoting as well as regulating them, reviewing every step taken in this
realm.
The
Destructive War Paths of the Modern-Industrial Age on Natural Common Heritage
The
period of 1930s to 70s saw green revolution to increase productivity and thus
ensure food security for all. It implied intensive chemical inputs, for
rapid and increased food production, which indeed seemed to produce the desired
results. Productivity increased. 'Grow More Food', was a genuine slogan,
which thought of producing food only for the humans, and didn't realise the
significance of other species for the same.
As early as 1945, J.C. Kumarappa
reflected on issues of progress in his work, Economy of Permanence: A Quest for
a Social Order Based on Non-violence. It reflects on the ethical balance with
which humans have to tread the path of economic progress.
But by 1962, Rachel Carson observed the
threat to the diversity of life, by human efforts to make their life safe and
comfortable, especially on account of the application of pesticides in weed and
pest control, and cautioned the world (United States) regarding the same. The
threat to any link in the eco-system or food-chain can be disastrous to all,
dawned on the human thinking horizon.
By the
early seventies several leading scientists (Club of Rome) sensed the alarming
direction in which human progress was directed, and they came out with an
emphatic declaration: Limits to Growth. What humans thought to be
progress was leading to the destruction of the planet which had only 'finite
resources', which had boundaries.
In
1973, Schumacher brought out his collection of essays challenging the dominant
paradigm of human development with the revolutionary title 'Small is Beautiful:
Study of Economics as if People Mattered'. He called for technologies that did
not destroy the harmony of nature.
In
1975 Masanobu Fukuoka, a rebel agri-scientist came with his counter (green)
revolution which proved systematically, that a bio-diversity rich farm, where
natural control takes place can be equally or better productive than the
chemicalised, modern, western farming. He emphasized the tapping of the
complexity of the organisms that shape an eco-system and recognized farming as
both an aesthetic and spiritual engagement aimed at the "cultivation and refinement
of human nature".
International
Biodiversity Day
This
trend of counter progress thought led to the convention on Biological Diversity
being ratified on May 22, 1992. In this connection, a day has been
observed since 1993 to celebrate and protect biological diversity and from
2010, the year dedicated to biodiversity, May 22nd was chosen as International
Day for Biodiversity.
“Biodiversity is the variation among living organisms from
different sources including terrestrial, marine and desert ecosystems, and the
ecological complexes of which they are a part.”
The array of themes discussed every
year for the UN led observance is indicative of the significance of
bio-diversity: Forest biodiversity (2000, 2011); biodiversity and poverty
alleviation (2003), biodiversity and food, water and health for all (2004,
2019), biodiversity as life insurance for all (2005), biodiversity of drylands
(2006), biodiversity and climate change (2007), biodiversity and agriculture
(2008), invasive and alien species (2009), biodiversity for development
and poverty reduction (2010), marine biodiversity (2012), water and
biodiversity (2013), island biodiversity (2014), mainstreaming biodiversity
(2015), biodiversity and sustainable tourism (2017), nature based solution
(2020), a shared future for all (2022).
In
very simple terms, the celebration is the extension of the divine commandment -
thou shalt not kill! Thou shalt not destroy bio-diversity!
On 8,
October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution recognizing that the right to
a clean, healthy and
sustainable environment is a human right. This
decision is a major step forward, but still limited by its
inevitable anthropocentrism. Although not legally binding, its
near-unanimous adoption shows consensus on the formulation, content, and
importance of this human right.
Bio-diversity,
from that angle is a key to safe and healthy environment, and also serves as an
indicator of the health of the environment. Now there are litigations by
citizens or citizen groups against France and Switzerland, for violating their
rights in this regard by the state.
Education
for Biodiversity
What
we call modern education has uncritically promoted universalism and
monoculture, starting with uniformity in dressing, and increasing insistence on
aesthetics of mathematical symmetry, being artificially transferred to human
environs - gardens, trees etc. Thus, our beauty concepts relied on
symmetrical arrangements, straight growth - leading to replacement of local
species with exotic species, including an array of palms and easily
manoeuvrable sturdy ornamental plant species. Not setting aside the
beauty and value of symmetry, education should help one relish the beauty of
the wild, of the natural growth of species, and coexistence that the forests
teach.
In
terms of biodiversity, we come across a) the diversity of species within a
given area, b) genetic diversity within a given species, say, e.g., the
different rice species and c) the diversity of eco-systems, which imply the
unique collections of living and non-living organisms in interaction with each
other, broadly terrestrial (forest, grasslands, tundra and desert) and aquatic
(fresh water and marine). There could be several sub-division under each
of these.
Biodiversity
Praxis
Teaching
and learning to observe and appreciate the biodiversity around is the first
step.
Biodiversity Registers can be great learning
opportunities. Each school kid could develop one's own register, starting
with the biological species one comes across, especially what is around one's
homestead.
Campus biodiversity register is a serious guided activity
undertaken annually, hopefully, in an incremental manner. It can have
various components like a conventional herbarium, a digital collection of the
floral and faunal species on the campus or visiting campus, a periodical group
activity of bird, insect and butterfly watch, a butterfly garden, a
vermicomposting unit for bio-waste management etc, and documentation of the
same. The annual assessment should help all concerned to be alert to the
depletion or enrichment of the biodiversity of the campus. This can also
serve as an alert regarding the appearance of invasive species and the possible
natural or artificial remedial action to be taken.
Community bio-diversity register is to be a campus social
responsibility act for a local community for high school students. As far
as India is concerned, this is to be accomplished, preferably, on the basis of
a division or ward or a local self-government (Panchayat, Municipality or
Corporation), where annually, the exercise of the assessment of floral and
faunal biodiversity, in terms of both quality and quantity, is undertaken
in collaboration with the local community, and gaps identified for appropriate
action.
The pioneering work done by certain voluntary initiatives,
like that of Delhi based Navadanya, led by renowned conservationist Dr Vandana
Shiva, is worth emulating at the local level for conservation of species,
especially food grains. The trend is catching up.
Care, Conserve, Co-exist
May 22nd - International Biodiversity Day is a reminder of
our great heritage, the diversity rich planet earth, but more a caution of the
dangerous depletion of the same, with thousands of species disappearing annually
on account of human interference. It is also a challenge to conserve the
eco-systems, also from the angle of ensuring safety, lest the species that can
harm other life forms (especially human), get released from their specific
eco-systems and spread across the planet. Finally, it is an invitation for
co-existence with fellow beings, to take care of them, as a fellow species with
more refined and powerful endowments, and relish the beauty and richness of
this diversity.
As the unknown poet sings:
The worm that wriggles like a worm
The river that flows like a river
And me that wanders like me
Don't we make an amazing world?
<https://www.gulf-times.com/article/658479/international/europe-rights-court-hears-climate-cases-against-govts> March 30, 2023
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity>
March 31, 2023
<https://byjus.com/biology/biodiversity/>
March 31, 2023
< https://www.earthday.org/fact-sheet-global-species-decline/>
April 1, 2023
Notes:
Bio-diversity & Water Rights: Vicious
cycle of interaction of the water crisis, global warming and the loss of
biodiversity and natural capital is making the climate change scenario
precarious. (Mazucato, Okonjo-lweala, Rochstrom and Shanmugaratnam. Confronting
the global water crisis in earnest).
"No country can rely on
its own territory for more than half the rainfall it receives. Everyone's
fresh water ultimately comes from precipitation, which depends on the presence
of stable ocreans, intact forests, and healthy ecosystems in other countries
and regions."
Recongnizing safe water for
domestic use as a human right.
Biodiversity and natural carbon
sinks: Wetland erosion and loss of
soil moisture causes the risk of turning the planet's great carbon stores into
new sources of greenhouse-gas emissions, with devastating consequences for
climate.
Rethinking urban green spaces: https://www.rte.ie/news/environment/2023/0522/1384571-trinity-wildflower-biodiversity/
.jpeg)
Though I am not unfamiliar with Latin rite Holy
Week celebrations, this time it appeared all new to me. The celebrant (Fr. Elie, a visitor from Australia, standing tall at about 6'6'', visible to all in the packed Church from anywhere) in the red vestment (of Holy Week), initiated the prayers at the entrance of the Church. The
palm fronds, green in colour, had been placed outside the entrance(s), and
people had to pick them up before entering the Church. I didn't.
But as the priest began the prayers, someone charitably passed 2 pieces to me,
and I didn't want to reject his gesture of goodness. The gospel passage
on Jesus' glorious entry into Jerusalem was read out from Mathew. Then as
the priest prayed, the people lifted up the palm leaves and shook them up
indicating welcome and joy. The celebrant, with the support of around 15
to 20 eucharistic ministers went around the church, sprinkling holy water, thus
blessing the palm leaves and the people. .jpeg)
