GLOBAL WARMING, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION

NATIONAL SEMINAR ON

CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHALLENGES IN HUMAN RIGHTS

NSS HINDU COLLEGE, CHANGANACHERRY

20-21 OCTOBER, 2011

INAUGURAL ADDRESS

GLOBAL WARMING, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS

 PROTECTION

By

PROF. N.R. MADHAVA MENON

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Chair on Parliamentary Studies (Rajya Sabha)

Hony. Professor, Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum

Sponsored by

University Grants Commission

Organized by

P.G. Department of Political Science, N.S.S. Hindu College

Changanacherry, Kerala

A Word of Appreciation :

            I am delighted to be a participant in a Seminar discussing a problem of global significance to life in Planet Earth.  Let me congratulate the Department of Political Science of NSS Hindu College, Changanacherry for having taken the initiative to look at the problem across disciplines and professions keeping the individual rights in focus.

            I sincerely believe inter-disciplinarity is the key for growth of knowledge in the future and this seminar is truly inter-disciplinary in content and organization.  The theme of the Seminar includes science, economics, politics, management, international relations, human rights and many more branches of knowledge.  Naturally, the solutions to the problem may also vary between engineering solutions, economic solutions, political solutions, management solutions, legal solutions and, if I may say so even spiritual solutions!  If the experts drawn from these and other disciplines participating in the Seminar could collectively identify and prioritize the solutions in the context of India’s development, we will have contributed to the education and mobilization of public opinion and the articulation of public policies to meet the challenges of climate change.

            I have pleasure in inaugurating such an important conference.

A Necessary Follow-up in Academic Pursuits :

            Let me suggest to the Principal and Faculty of NSS Hindu College that modules developed out of the deliberations of this Seminar be included in the programmes of study offered by every department of this college and others under NSS management and is made compulsory reading of students in every course they offer be it in social science, basic sciences, management or whatever.  This is the minimum that we can do as academicians in disseminating knowledge which affects not only the current generation but also future generations everywhere in this beautiful world.

            It was last week (Oct. 12) that newspapers reported the results of a study conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa in which it was found that all the three oceans surrounding the Indian sub-continent recorded an increase of temperature of up to one degree and it is increasing steadily year after year, possibly 3 to 4 degrees higher in the next 50 years!  It is predicated that this would lead to large scale migration of fish and aquatic life away from Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.  Further, it has already started sending the rain-bearing clouds emanating from the Bay of Bengal away from its regular route across India denying the rains particularly in Southern States.  Drought and scarcity of water is the long-term prospect of this phenomenon.  We need to build awareness about this phenomenon which affects our lives and livelihoods among all sections of society, particularly the educated elite.  The problem is not only about human rights but also about human responsibilities in containing actions tending to climate change and environmental degradation.

What is Climate Change and How does it Happen?

            Climate change is the product of industrial revolution and the spectacular developments of science and technology in the post-industrial era.  Industrial revolution and technological developments did give freedom and leisure, material comfort and a better life to people.  At the same time it ignited the quest for exploitation of natural resources for insatiable consumption of energy and mass production of goods and services.  The pattern of development was soon found to be unsustainable not only because natural resources are limited but also due to the after effects of such development for life on Earth.  The Nicolas Stern Committee Report (U.K.) after studying the problem of global warming and world economy pointed out that at the current rate of consumption of resources and energy available on the planet, mankind would require more than one planet for survival.  The Stern Committee Report therefore stressed on reduction of green house gas emissions by remodeling life style and by transmitting from a carbon economy (energy derived from hydro-carbon) to a non-carbon economy (renewable energy).

            How does Global Warming and threat of climate change occur?  Use of hydrocarbon which is a finite natural resource for energy used in motor and air transport leads to toxic emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  This leads to global warming a scientific phenomenon influencing climate change and ecological imbalance which, in turn, jeopardizes environmental security, food security and sustainable development across nations, developed and developing.  It is estimated that nearly 80 per cent of global warming is caused by hydrocarbons and 20 per cent by deforestation.  With increase in number of cars,      air planes, refrigerators, air conditioning equipments etc., it is said, irreparable damage will be caused to the ozone layer protecting earth and maintaining life.  More and more countries in the name of development are repeating the same pattern adopted by the Western industrial nations nearly a century ago. 

            It is said that the unplanned growth of urbanization and migration of people to cities and towns that is now happening in India is making the cities vulnerable to the effects of climate change.  By 2020 the urban population is expected to exceed the rural folks in India.  This process will increase the emission of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere contributing to climate change and climate change-induced disasters like unexpected flooding, sea level increase etc.  No body wants to stop urbanization as it leads to economic growth and reduction of poverty.  But there is a price to pay for this.  According to reports every one per cent increase in the density of urban areas would reduce the carbon monoxide level by 0.7 per cent unless urban and climate change policies are balanced at the level of municipalities and corporations on the basis of a sustainable growth pattern.  It is easily said than done.  The pressures of urbanization and the lobbies which stand to benefit from the process are least bothered by green house gas emissions and the disasters that are waiting to happen.

            At the international level, the politics and economics of development followed by the developed nations seek to deny the same privileges to the developing ones.  Negotiations on environmental management and sustainable development continue indefinitely in world forums with no one wanting to limit one’s right to exploit natural resources or to moderate consumption of energy at sustainable levels.  The crisis is getting aggravated day by day and the solutions lie in paper only.  This is the tragedy of the situation silently engulfing the whole of mankind towards a certain disaster being created by man himself.

How does Climate Change Impact on Human Rights?

            The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the two Covenants on Civil, Political as well as Social, Economic and Cultural Rights direct State Parties to ensure that individuals enjoy the basic rights promised under these instruments.  It involves both negative and positive obligations on the Governments which circumscribe the power of State authorities in organizing governance including developmental activities.  The core obligations in this regard are written into the Bill of Rights of the Constitutions of most countries and mechanisms for remedying violations are also provided in it.  In this scheme of things, right to life, right to livelihood, right to health, right to food and right to clean water, air and environment are inalienable rights of individuals and protecting them are constitutional and international obligations of States.            In other words, if Governments allow so called developmental activities which endanger health security, food security, environmental security, access to clean air and water and sustainable life, they run the risk of violating human rights for which they are liable under municipal and international law.  When it happens in mass scale as in the case of unplanned urbanization, indiscriminate industrialization and uncontrolled deforestation leading to emission of greenhouse gas and climate change, we call it mass torts or man-made disasters.  When one-fourth of world population living in Europe and America are consuming three-fourth of energy resources to live a life of unlimited comfort, we call it exploitation of the worst kind violating the right to sustainable development of the people in the rest of the world.  This is what the Stockholm Conference discussed and Brundtland and Human Development Reports warned the world community.  A number of Conventions and Protocols have been negotiated to moderate and limit activities resulting in greenhouse gas emission; however, greed and urge to dominate lead nations to find ways to disregard obligations under climate change treaties.

            Within the country, civil society organizations are using the political, legal and judicial forums to agitate against State policies which they contend as unsustainable and violative of human rights.  In fact, much of environmental standards of governance has been evolved through public interest litigation and judicial activism in support of an expanded conception of right to life.  However, Governments also have obligations under Millenium Development Goals and under Directive Principles of State Policy under the Constitution.  In discharging those obligations, industrialization and urbanization become inevitable and, in the absence of appropriate technologies, Governments succumb to the use of cheap technologies which are energy-intensive and carbon-based.  In short, the debate is around choice of evils as all development activities involve paying a cost in terms of environment and resources.

Human Rights-Friendly Solutions to Climate Change Challenges :

            Obviously the easy solution to fight climate change is to give up activities which lead to emission of greenhouse gas.  This retards development and eradication of poverty.  Therefore the solutions lie in the economics and politics of development policies and governance.  This was evident when Parliament recently discussed the Nuclear Liability Bill and the Land Acquisition Bill.

            The alternate strategy is to find scientific and engineering solutions based on clean energy.  People may have to go by public transport instead of cars or walk or cycle the distance as they did in the past.  Waste disposal has to be scientific and environment-friendly.  People will have to moderate their consumerist greed of air travel and air-conditioned comfort in their homes and offices and depend on renewable sources of energy.  Individual rights will have to subserve collective rights and material pleasures will have to be moderated for sustainable life-supporting common good.  In short, individual rights will get protected only by seeking collective action and common good.  Interest of each nation will find protection only when the interests of other nations are equally protected.  As one writer reminded, “… Dominant Western Cultures must learn to live simply so that others can simply live” (Prof. David Bennet in The Cindrella Syndrome).

            In conclusion, one would recommend what Mahatma Gandhi had preached and practiced since the beginning of the 20^th century which is summarized by Mr. Satya Narain Sahu in his insightful article “Gandhian Engineering – A Key to Survival” :

            “Mahatma Gandhi was far ahead of his times in grappling with challenges to planet Earth             arising out of a life style which multiplied wants and desires and left no stone unturned to      satisfy them.  At a time when mankind is facing the dangerous prospects of getting           annihilated due to accelerating pace of global warming, it is important to re-discover   Gandhiji’s ideas and put them into practice”.

            Quoting Ms. Patra Kelly, one of the founders of the Green Party of Germany, Mr. Sahu wrote :

            “… we have been greatly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.  That is in our belief that a life      style and method of production which rely on endless supply of raw materials and which       use those raw materials lavishly, also provide motive force for violent appropriation of      raw materials from other countries.  In contrast, a responsible use of raw materials as part     of an ecologically-oriented life style and economy reduces the risk that policies of             violence will pursue … such a vision provides the remedy to create a new civilization the foundation of which is based on discipline, restraint and morality”.

            The sum and substance of sustainable development according to Gandhi is that “earth has enough for fulfilling everybody’s need but not anybody’s greed”.  Share more and consume less is the mantra for sustainability.  Will the world listen to Mahatma Gandhi’s strategy for survival in the face of the impending disaster brought about by climate change?