At the launch of the book ‘Global Warming: A Global Challenge’, authored by Bhoomiputra magazine editor Rajnibhai Dave, former chief minister Suresh Mehta on Saturday called for more programmes to help citizens connect with the environment.
Delivering a keynote address, Mehta focused on the deeper psychological and societal shifts required to address the climate emergency. He noted that while people are aware of the environment, they often choose “escapism”. “In earlier times, humans maintained a disciplined relationship with nature, that’s why seasonal predictions were accurate. Now, that balance is lost,” he remarked.
Author Dave shared the motivation behind writing the book was a lack of meaningful international action on climate change and the fact that environmentalists are “sidelined” in policy-making. “Climate action cannot be individual,” he said, adding: “It must be collective.”
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Academician and economist Prof Rohitbhai Shukla, in his address, sharply criticized capitalism, terming it as a root cause of climate change. Referring to the recent bridge collapse in Vadodara and ongoing global conflicts, he said, “Capitalism, by its nature, stands in conflict with the environment.” He proposed integrating a “Tree Economy” model as a solution that could simultaneously address ecological damage and unemployment. He urged attendees to reflect on the book’s ideas with seriousness.
The speakers also included environmentalist and editor of Paryavaran Mitra, a bi-monthly newsletter, Mahesh Pandya.
(The author of this article, Jay Jani, is an intern with The Indian Express)