Only one earth: Let us heal, not harm it

While Sri Lanka is still embroiled in its worst ever socio-economic and political crisis, we face a more important battle against climate change. The United States and Europe are going through their hottest summer with temperatures in some areas rising to as much as 150°F. This week the state of Kentucky suffered its worst ever flooding with tens of thousands of people losing their residences and properties. Pope Francis and other religious leaders are regularly telling us that we need to get closely and actively involved in the climate change battle for the sake of the next generation and generations to come.   

In a statement to mark the World Environment Day, the United Nations says in the universe are billions of galaxies, in our galaxy are billions of planets. But there is only one earth. Let us take care of it. Earth faces a triple planetary emergency: the climate is heating up too quickly for people and nature to adapt; habitat loss and other pressures mean an estimated 1 million species are threatened with extinction; pollution continues to poison our air, land and water.   

According to the UN, the way out of this dilemma is to transform our economies and societies to make them inclusive, fair and more connected with nature. We must shift from harming the planet to healing it. The good news is the solutions and the technology exist and are increasingly affordable. #OnlyOneEarth is the campaign for World Environment Day 2022. It calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.   

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world. This year it was hosted by Sweden. “Only One Earth” was the slogan for the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. This was held in Stockholm in 1972. This put sustainable development on the global agenda and led to the establishment of World Environment Day. Fifty years later, Sweden hosted Stockholm+50 from June 2 to June 3, and World Environment Day on  June 5.   

Time is running out, and nature is in emergency mode. To keep global warming below 1.5°C this century, we must halve annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Without action, exposure to air pollution beyond safe guidelines will increase by 50 per cent within the decade and plastic waste flowing into aquatic ecosystems will nearly triple by 2040. We need urgent action to address these pressing issues, making “Only One Earth” and its focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature, as pertinent as ever.   

Truly transformative options towards sustainability need to be available, affordable and attractive for people to make better daily decisions. Key areas for transformation include how we build and live in our homes, cities and places of work and worship, how and where our money is invested, and what we do for fun. But others of greater magniture also include: energy, production systems, global trade and transport systems, and protection of biodiversity.   

Many of these options can only be created by larger entities: national and sub-national governments, financial institutions, businesses, international organizations, and other organizations with the power to rewrite the rules, frame our ambition and open up new horizons. Nevertheless, individuals and civil society are pivotal advocates, awareness-raisers and supporters. The more we raise our voices, emphasize what needs to be done and point out who is responsible, the faster change will come. By supporting World Environment Day 2022 and the #OnlyOneEarth campaign, you can help ensure this unique and beautiful planet remains a comfortable home for humanity.   

There are many ways in which we could get involved in the battle against climate change. For instance, we need to reduce our electricity usage. The Government this week announced there would be a massive increase in electricity rates soon. Thankfully, the Government said that those who use less electricity will need to pay less while those who use more will have to pay a massive rate. So as an act of patriotism, let us switch off electrical appliances when they are not essential. We could also save water by opening taps only halfway and close them when using soap to wash our hands, pots and pans. When washing rice, vegetable or other food items, we could collect the water in a big bucket or pan and use it to water the plants. We should also find other means of washing our vehicles instead of using fresh water with pumps. We could also take the trouble to dig tube wells. So let us show up patriotism even in small ways because little drops of water make the mighty ocean.