We have caused irreversible, catastrophic damage to our planet : Shyam Saran

Goa Khabar : Shyam Saran, former special envoy for nuclear affairs and climate change in the prime minister’s office, said that we had caused irreversible catastrophic damage to our planet. Saran who delivered a lecture on the topic: “Climate change, is it too little, too late?” at the International Centre Goa (ICG) on Friday said that we had a massive ecological crisis on our hands caused by human greed and a steep drop in human values. 

According to Saran, human activities had been altering the planet’s ecology from the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. “We have been burning fossil fuels like wood, coal and oil for two centuries, building a strong stock of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. This accumulated stock of carbon dioxide is the main cause for the irreversible catastrophic damage caused to our planet,” Saran said. 

Saran pointed out that human greed and callousness was also depleting the strength of our two greatest carbon sinks, the oceans and the forests. “We are cutting down our forests with increasing rapidity and polluting our oceans at an alarming rate. There is an island of plastic waste floating in the middle of the Pacific ocean, which is the size of the state of Texas,” Saran said.

Saran pointed out that governments across the world were prioritizing their development agendas over sustainability. Responding to a question from the audience on the government of India’s proposed mega projects in the Nicobar islands, Saran said, “There is a false tradeoff between development and environment. Our government is treading the path of development at the cost of sustainability.”

In conclusion, Saran felt that India must concentrate on building effective mass transportation systems instead of building expressways and flyovers. “We do not need more cars, we need better public transport systems to remain sustainable,” he said.