Environmental degradation: an existential threat | Political Economy

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Environmental degradation of our planet is the most important threat to humanity today. The causes of this degradation – overexploitation of natural resources, deforestation, pollution and unchecked industrialization – are deeply intertwined with the very framework of modern development.

As the Earth continues to succumb to these pressures, it is becoming increasingly clear that the patterns of growth and development that have guided human societies for centuries are incompatible with the survival of the natural world. The urgency to rethink our relationship with nature has never been more important.

Scholars such as Sumit Guha, Dipesh Chakrabarty and Amitu Ghosh have made significant contributions to understanding the profound consequences of human interaction with the environment. His work also signals a broader intellectual shift in the search for alternative forms of progress.

Historically, existential threats to humanity were often framed in terms of military conflict or geopolitical competition. The 20th century, especially the Cold War era, was divided into development blocs by the division of the world, with the threat of nuclear annihilation casting a long shadow over human existence. Fears of corruption through war – such as the Cuban Missile Crisis – have highlighted the threat of humanitarian conflict to global civilization. Since the mid-20th century, a new threat has emerged. It is far more insidious and no less serious. It is an environmental disaster.

For example, the Los Angeles wildfires are not isolated events but part of a pattern of environmental crises exacerbated by climate change. The frequency and intensity of wildfires, hurricanes, floods and heatwaves have increased in tandem with global warming, pointing to the disastrous consequences of unchecked industrial growth, fossil fuel consumption and environmental mismanagement. These disasters measure the scale of the threat to the very survival of humanity and the profound vulnerability of both developed and developing countries to environmental degradation.

This environmental crisis is not limited to a single region but is a global phenomenon. While the United States, China and other powerful countries have the resources to mitigate some of the damage, countries in the Global South – such as Pakistan – are even more vulnerable.

Pakistan, prone to climate-induced disasters such as floods, droughts and extreme heatwaves, is located in a region that remains surprisingly unaffected by the impending environmental threat. Despite being on the brink of environmental catastrophe, Pakistan’s state apparatus and government have shown little concern or action to address these threats. There is little recognition of the dire need for systemic change at any level of governance, and the absence of environmentally effective policies increases the nation’s vulnerability.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, an air quality index (AQI) of 300 to 500 is hazardous. At this level, people should stay indoors to protect their lungs. AQI measures fine particulate matter in the air. Rafiyalam, an environmental activist and lawyer, has highlighted the severe impact of climate change on Pakistan since 2010, with annual floods, industrial pollution, poor sanitation and agricultural pollution. He cited the World Bank’s estimate that Pakistan has lost Rs 1 billion due to environmental problems. He also pointed out the public health implications of this, with thousands of people dying from air pollution and nearly 50 percent of hospital patients suffering from water-borne diseases due to contaminated water.

To counter this existential threat, it is important that we rethink the prevailing discourse of progress that has entered since the Enlightenment. The idea of ​​”progress” has often been synonymous with industrialization, economic growth, and technological innovation, all of which have contributed to the environmental degradation we see today.

The logic of unlimited growth on a limited planet has led to over-exceeding natural resources and disregarding environmental limits. Still, Earth’s resources are not infinite, and the consequences of unchecked human activity are now impossible to ignore.

Scholars such as Leo Tolstoy, whose critique of materialism and advocacy for simplicity and spiritual connections to nature have influenced many, provide an important starting point for rethinking progress. Tolstoy’s reflection on how modern life’s obsession with wealth, technology, and power distances individuals from their essential human nature and the natural world offers valuable insight into our current environmental problems. His philosophy of “living simply and thinking high” encourages an ethical framework rooted in sustainability, humility, and respect for nature—values ​​that reimagine a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the environment. are necessary for

Although Tolstoy’s ideas are timeless, contemporary thinkers are also providing compelling alternatives to dominant models of development. Environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, Vandana Shiv, environmental rights advocate, environmental feminist and anti-globalization author have criticized the corporate-controlled model of development. She advocates an ecofeminist approach to environmental justice, emphasizing the importance of local, sustainable economies and the restoration of traditional ecological knowledge.

Shiva’s work offers a vision of progress that is not predicated on global industrial growth, but on nurturing biodiversity, respecting indigenous knowledge and fostering resilience in the face of environmental challenges. .

Another contemporary thinker, Jason W. Moore, is an environmental historian and historical geographer at Binghamton University, where he integrates the collective merits of global-ecology research here. In his work on the Capitoline, he has argued that modern capitalism itself is responsible for the environmental crisis. He suggests that instead of framing the current era as the Anthropocene (Age of Humans), we should think of it as a Capitalocene, an age shaped by the forces of capitalism that have turned nature into a commodity. is Moore’s analysis calls for a fundamental rethinking of economic structure and a reassessment of what growth means.

The work of Arundhati Roy, who has criticized both economic globalization and environmental degradation, also offers an important alternative discourse of development. Roy advocates for the conservation of the commons, the shared resources of the earth, and the need to develop an ethical understanding of humanity’s place in the natural world. In her writing, she emphasizes the need for a return to a more just and sustainable way of life—one that prioritizes the well-being of all people and the planet over the unchecked growth of powerful elites.

It is time to recognize that the greatest existential threat to humanity is no longer geopolitical conflict or military confrontation. The climate crisis is now the central issue that demands urgent attention. From California wildfires to devastating floods in Pakistan, the signs of environmental collapse are unmistakable. The world must come together to develop a new development discourse – one that emphasizes sustainability, equity and deep respect for the natural world. This conversation should be informed by the ideas of thinkers like Tolstoy, Vandana Shiv, Arundhiti Roy and Jason W. Moore, who implore us to rethink the current path of development and chart a new path that will save the planet in the short term. does not sacrifice benefit

As environmental challenges mount, it is important that governments, communities and individuals recognize the gravity of the situation. The future of humanity depends on our ability to confront the environmental crisis and rethink our relationship with the Earth. Failure to do so can lead not only to the destruction of ecosystems but also to the destruction of the foundations of human civilization. The time for action is now. Through collective effort, based on ethical considerations and new theories of development, we can hope to secure a livable future for future generations.

The author is a professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Beacon House National University, Lahore.