Gandhiji & Climate Action: The Ecological Mahatma

“The Ecological Mahatma”

"The only tyrant I accept in this world is the ‘still small voice’ within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe that I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority" - Mahatma Gandhi

    Gandhi Ji was an Indian but he was not only for India. To many Gandhiji was a mass leader, a political leader and champion of the rights of the downtrodden. To others he represented a way of life, a method of tolerance, harmony and simplicity. I regard him as the World’s first environmentalist. He was an apostle of peace, offering to the world and humans a vision of being at peace with oneself and at peace with the world. His philosophy was one of  cutting out violence in every form, whether it was within oneself, in one's thoughts, interactions, words, language, writings, deeds and actions.

    In present times, there is a great deal of concern about the climate crisis, pollution caused by plastics, our dying rivers and oceans which have become dumping grounds for all kinds of waste, extinction of our wild habitats and wildlife. Climate Change, Sustainability and Sustainable Development have become buzzwords, ringing out in classrooms to boardrooms and in the summits of world leaders. Underlying this concern is the recognition of a deep-seated and pervasive conflict between modern human lifestyle and Mother Nature. This conflict is the root cause of most crises, whether it is environmental degradation, climate change / global warming, lack of water, food insecurity, conflict, migration and rootlessness or anxiety, depression, suicide, addiction, gun violence, broken relationships or general all-pervasive despair and ennui.

    Our day to day disconnect with nature is near complete. In earlier days, we used to drink from the river, stream or pond or pluck a fruit from a tree. We produced and consumed only what we needed to sustain life. Most ailments were treated from medicines sourced from herbs and minerals and through necessary dietary and lifestyle modifications – an approach that addressed the underlying causes of illnesses.

    Today water is conveyed by pipes to the home. We drink the water unmindful of its origin and therefore have the propensity to abuse it, little realizing that the water is depleting and that rivers are being polluted. These days, many children believe that water is made in the supermarket in bottles! I tried to contact a bottle water company which makes and sells plastic bottles containing water as I wanted to see and understand the pristine watersheds that they advertise. Despite several attempts I failed to find a single person who could guide me. So my only connection to the pristine watershed are the beautiful advertisements or the plastic bottle of water.

    A Washington Post story said that many children believe that Chocolate comes out of brown cows. Similarly, we consume food without knowing where it is produced or who has produced it and at what cost. We have no awareness of the complex and increasingly fragile food chain we are a part of. The medical and pharmaceutical industry is primarily about treatment of symptoms using synthetic chemicals that often have harmful side effects. Human greed and exploitation of natural resources have skyrocketed to the extent that chronic and acute under nutrition in many parts of the world is matched by profligacy, waste, over consumption, over nutrition, obesity and lifestyle illnesses in other parts. 

    It is not that we haven’t collectively realized the severity of the degradation of our planet, the rapid depletion of resources and the looming threat it poses on human safety, security and survival. But have we fully understood the underlying cause and what we need to do to find a holistic, lasting and transformative solution that focuses on the human being, the singular agent of change? I posit that we haven’t, and having said that, I propose that the Gandhian construct is a different way to approach this unprecedented challenge humans face today.

    There have been meetings at very high levels for addressing Climate Change. The Paris Agreement has been agreed to by many countries. The central aim of the Agreement is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. The goal is to keep the global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, it aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

    To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate financial flows, a new technology framework and an enhanced capacity building framework are to be put in place, thus supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line with their own national objectives. It implores nations to invest in technology to arrest carbon emissions, alternative fuels, emissions trading.

    All this is fine, but do these measures address the issue at a fundamental level? I dare to say they don't, because under the spell and hubris of technology and investment, the agreement totally fails to focus on the principal and central actor, i.e. we humans.

    Countries and their agreements and treaties are myths. Human beings, rivers, mountains, forests are real. Nation states don’t pollute, humans do. The impact of pollution is not restricted to national boundaries; these potentially impact humans across political boundaries of nation states. Yet, there isn’t a single mention of the human, how he or she behaves and how he or she will contribute to arresting climate change. The Paris Agreement mentions Internationally Determined Actions and Nationally Determined Actions but what about Individually Determined Actions?

    In fact, does any international communique talk of the human being, how he must change, how he must be austere, frugal and only consume what he needs? Does anyone talk of changing the march of consumerism, of reducing demand? Many if not most things made in the world today are thrown, many without being used even once such as food? Is it because such a view could be viewed as contra-economic theory. It will be contra-growth and contra-market economy. Are austerity and frugality bad words in the market economy? Prof Cortright of Notre Dame University says that the current global effort to stem carbon emissions focuses on the supply side: produce more efficiently with less energy; use renewal materials and resources. In my opinion, this is grossly insufficient. We must also look at the demand side and explore ways to produce less and to consume less. Curbing our demand for products does not mean that we abandon the struggle against poverty. We must continue and accelerate the work of fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals. But surely we can find a way to continue lifting people out of poverty without further ruining the environment or undermining the life support systems that are necessary to sustain human dignity into the future. This can happen only with inner transformation.

    The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, proclaims ‘aham brahmasmi’ – I am all-encompassing existence, the universal consciousness; and the Chandogya Upanishad proclaims ‘tat twam asi’ – you are that. Both were written between 600 and 700 BCE, and both accorded supremacy to human consciousness and the oneness of that consciousness with entire creation and the creator, or the creative force if you like.

    Swami Vivekananda said, “Nature is homogeneous. Differentiation is in manifestation. The Sanskrit word for nature is Prakriti which literally means differentiation. All is one substance, but it is manifested variously.” So all the five elements – earth, fire, water, air and ether (or space) are as much us, as are the mountains, forests, rivers, plants and animals. These are mere differentiated manifestations of a homogenous substance. And mind you, this is not mere metaphysical speculation. Modern science is leading us to this conclusion as well.

    In Albert Einstein’s profound words - “A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty”.

    Our oneness with creation is therefore not just a spiritual and metaphysical speculation.  Climate Change and Environmental concerns therefore cannot be divorced from our inner lives; the problem, and my implication, the solutions are not outside us; these are verily a part of us – environmental issues are a consequence of what we think and how we act. Although we may not be conscious of it, we are experiencing and living it every moment; it is an organic part of how and where we live.

    This essential oneness of humans with creation has been articulated over the ages in unequivocal terms. Many of us genuinely want minimal damage to the environment, and in our own way we try different methods – from our individual behaviors that include  reducing consumption of products, reusing them, up cycling them, recycling to environmental activism. Many also think of converting their entire lifestyles into sustainable ways of living. And this is a need of the hour but is it enough?

    Also, it is a fallacy to assume that appropriate technology and money will clean the mess because technology and investment, useful as they are, cannot be the panacea for all the problems. Neither will be fully up to speed with increasing need, and we will forever be in a mode of mitigation, as against being in a mode of primary prevention.

    It is clear that trying to understand nature and creation, and approaching environmental protection, conservation and issues of climate change by looking at life and the world around us in a fragmented piecemeal way will not work. We have to see it comprehensively in all its possible dimensions, and holistically in terms of a connectedness between various elements.

    The question is - how do we approach the problem in a holistic, harmonious and sustainable way? What will be our approach to finding sustainable and transformative solutions? Where and how do we begin? What are the underlying cultural and paradigmatic shifts that we need to bring about for a true transformation, as against making incremental changes that are constantly trying to catch up with increasing unmet needs?

    The paradigm for transformation from within comes from the Gandhian principles: It is fairly easy to understand interconnectedness and interdependence of life - within and without - from an intellectual dimension, but then, intellectual understanding does not necessarily ensure transformation. We know that smoking is harmful, but why do we still smoke? Why is this deep conflict between knowledge and action? In the Mahabharata, a poignant line spoken by Duryodhana captures this human dilemma: “Janami dharma, na cha pravritti; janami adharma na cha nivritti”. I know what is right but I have no inclination for it; I know what is wrong, but I can’t desist. Gandhiji also nicely captured these perversions that everyone should be aware of. These are:
-Wealth Without Work
-Pleasure Without Conscience
-Knowledge Without Character
-Business Without Ethics
-Science Without Humanity
-Religion Without Sacrifice
-Politics Without Principle

    These principles of Gandhi ji act as a guide to protect humanity and to tackle climate change or a selfish social life which has brought the earth to the brink of environmental disaster. It is only when we connect to our inner consciousness and resolve our inner contradictions and conflicts between our knowledge, thoughts, emotions and actions that we will embrace, as a fundamental truth of existence, the essential interconnectedness and oneness of life.  How do we resolve this contradiction, this conflict? How do we awaken our inner consciousness about our environment and then realize it in our conscious actions? Once we become conscious that we are a part of the whole, of a continuum, then how can we pollute the water that we drink, contaminate the air that we breathe or poison the river and destroy the life giving forest?

    Mahatma Gandhi said there is enough in this world for everyone’s need but not enough for even one’s greed. The inspiration for combating climate change has to come from within. Every action we perform contributes toward some aspect of the world. Just being conscious of that will keep us inspired. Inspired souls are those who will change the world.

    The operative word is inner. If we are convinced in our innermost selves that we have to stop the abuse of the environment, we will do so. It comes naturally. If, for example, you are convinced from within that vegetarianism is good for yourself and for the world, it won’t take a second to stop eating meat. If you are convinced from within that plastics in the oceans are destroying all marine life, it doesn’t take a second to stop using plastics. We don’t really need a straw to sip our coffee or drink or use plastic shopping bags.

    Professor David Cortright spoke at the UN on Gandhi and Climate Action on October 2, 2019 and analysed how Gandhian principles measure up with the need for Climate action. 

    Gandhian Simplicity, selflessness and humble service to others and non-possession, revealed a profound truth about the roots of our current crisis, and he was pointing toward the pathway to a more sustainable future. If India were to follow the industrialism and economic imperialism of the West, he warned, it would “strip the world bare like locusts.” Gandhi’s critique of excessive materialism calls into question our constant striving and demand for more goods. In calling for fewer wants and less consumption, we needn’t go about in loincloth or live in an ashram. But we can commit ourselves to living more simply and modestly. Those of us who have achieved middle class status must demand less for ourselves and share more with others, especially the less advantaged.

    Equity : In his famous Talisman, he said we should ask ourselves how our actions will affect the poorest and the weakest. We know that the harmful effects of pollution and climate chaos fall disproportionately upon the poor and powerless. The rich and mighty can move to higher ground or cooler climes, but the impoverished do not have that option.

    Nonviolence : Gandhi’s most important contribution to the world, is his philosophy and method of nonviolence. He was greatly influenced in this line of thinking by Thoreau and Emerson He rejected violence because it is based on domination and coercion. Peace on the other hand is rooted in cooperation and freedom. Peace and nonviolence are indivisible. Life is sacred, and all living beings are interrelated.
--------------------------------
    As we strive to live peacefully with our fellow human beings, we must also be at peace with the earth. With all of our energy and strength, we must take up the responsibility to protect and preserve this precious, vulnerable envelope of air, water and soil that sustains all life and that is increasingly in peril due to our own actions.

&&&&&