The story of "solutions" for Climate Crisis

In 2009, I joined my first job at a tractor manufacturing firm, reluctantly. Having completed my studies in Agricultural Engineering, deep down I knew that technology like Tractors, Farm Machines, Irrigation equipment, Agro-processing etc is not going to save the agriculture and dependent livelihoods. It has to be more than that or different than that. So I leave the job, and ended up pursuing higher studies at TERI School of Advanced Studies to explore more. Around this time in 2011, I hadn't been sensing an urgency for climate action, in any of the quarters I have been part of. But the motivation deep down has always been to do the right thing: the right way of living and the right livelihood for myself. A few likeminded friends and mentors nudged me to explore the worlds of social enterprise and social justice.

Cut to 2023, I started paying attention to a lot of "climate enthusiasts" after joining Climate Asia and I sense the urgency for climate action SO MUCH all around me, that every quarter of the world is talking about solutions for it now. So I reckon, now it is a phase for the human world where we are just reacting to the changes in climate that is directly affecting everyone and their livelihoods (or wealth). So you see, there has always been a right thing to do, and right way of livelihood for everyone. But I think the majority (the dominant culture) of us didn't choose that, over profits, money, luxury and fancies. World has changed A LOT in the last 10-15 years. Now we have more inequity in wealth, in access to resources, in dignity, in security, in happiness and in fulfillment. The climate change affects the poor and disadvantaged (the indigenous culture) people across the world disproportionately. The right thing to do would be have been to cut back on the systems (that favoured the dominant culture) that led to this inequity. But instead, in our reactive mode of finding solutions, we seem to be promoting ways that just make it comfortable for the dominant culture to keep doing what they are doing. For example, by just reducing one factor that is understood to be causing climate change - Carbon, narratives are being built, and resources being allocated to work on that more. The danger is that we could be ending up with solutions to mitigate climate change through more of carbon removal alone, in all our solutions. And we are probably developing more blindspots to the aspects of equity and justice (Social & Environmental) for the disadvantaged.

Can we all question ourselves together (dominant and indigenous cultures) about what is the right thing to do? For me, this Earth Day is all about that.

At Climate Asia , we are hosting a few dialogues where I hope to have conversations aroung these issues.

Join us on 4th May for the Climate Asia’s?annual conference?Building a Sustainable Legacy for a Greener Tomorrow?which will be held at?India International Center, New Delhi on 4th May 2023, Thursday, from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (IST)., Register using this link.