Q : Global warming and climate change are the outcomes of human greed in the name of development, indicating the direction in which extinction of organisms including human beings is heading towards loss of life on Earth. How do you put an end to this to protect life and bring equilibrium between the society and the environment?
Introduction
Global warming and climate change are the unintended consequences of unsustainable human actions driven by greed, consumerism, and the reckless pursuit of economic growth. The Earth’s natural systems are now under threat, and humanity faces an existential crisis that calls for an ethical and ecological reawakening.
Ethical Dimensions
- Anthropocentrism vs Ecocentrism: Human-centered development ignores the intrinsic value of other living beings.
- Intergenerational Justice: Present consumption endangers the future of coming generations.
- Moral Responsibility: Humans, as rational beings, have a duty to protect the planet as trustees, not exploiters.
Measures to Protect Life and Restore Balance
| Level | Actions Needed | Ethical Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Practice sustainable living — reduce waste, adopt minimalism, use renewable energy. | Virtue ethics: cultivating moderation and responsibility. |
| Community/Society | Promote awareness, local conservation initiatives, and climate education. | Collective duty ethics: moral obligation to the common good. |
| Government/Policy | Enforce strict environmental regulations, promote green economy, incentivize sustainable businesses. | Justice and utilitarian ethics: ensuring welfare for all. |
| Global | Strengthen climate accords (like Paris Agreement), technology transfer, and climate finance. | Global ethics: shared stewardship of the planet. |
Way Forward
- Shift from GDP-centric growth to Gross Environmental Happiness (GEH).
- Promote circular economy and carbon-neutral technologies.
- Integrate environmental ethics in education and policymaking.
- Revive traditional Indian values of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and “Prakriti Raksha”—the world as one family and nature as sacred.
Conclusion
The battle against climate change is not merely scientific or economic—it is ethical and moral. The end of greed and the rise of ecological consciousness can restore equilibrium between society and the environment. Humanity’s survival depends on learning to live with nature, not above it.
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