Human life is an integral part and a unique gift of nature. Nature has given many things like energy, substance, wealth and education in the form of knowledge and elements such as air, water, forest, soil, stone, hydrogen, oxygen and salt. When these elements adjust to the heat from the sun, the living world acquires shape, speed and lifespan. Nature also teaches us to live, eat, laugh, play and stay safe with comfortable and environment-friendly housing.
A civilization developed in alignment with nature is sustainable. Human attempts to outdo nature and a refusal to live by the laws of nature have only brought about calamities with a massive toll on life, properties and nature itself.
For ancient educational and academic institutions of, say, the Vedic era, nature was the fountainhead.
Looking at the geography and socioeconomic characteristics of Nepal, most of us spent our childhood and adolescence in the interactions between fields, forests, rivers, streams, barns, fields, grasslands, farming, shepherding and schools. Farmlands, forests, bushes, grasslands, rivers, ponds and wetlands are our laboratories. Indeed, one cannot learn to build a nest, a beehive and a termitarium at a manmade university.
Rivers wash the water with rocks, the crab puts the paddy under its artistic burrow, mouse artistically places the paddy in the hole, the cat protects its kitten by shifting its quarters frequently, the hen covers the chick when the fox comes, friction of bamboos and rocks create fire. No modern university taught them all this, nature taught them all.
Few of us know that the tomato originated from potatoes. In the potato plant, the potato grows on the roots in the soil and fruit grows on the top gives the seed of tomato. In the same way, a tree crashes, it gets hurt. Dirt, dung, etc fall on the injured parts and ‘bandage’ it, causing the roots to grow and teaching mankind the art/technology of grafting fruiting trees. This is just an example, for nature is the educator of humans in fields like agriculture and botany. From water and airplanes to pagoda-style houses and temples, nature has given the knowledge of manipulating water and air through insects such as fish, birds, insects and bees.
During my childhood, I used to be curious about beautiful nests of bird and termite houses. I used to think: Who teaches them to make such artistic houses? What kind of schools do they attend?
Not only that, the termite and the bee do not stay in the same ‘house’ or nest again after a period, they build new ones. Which law and which government teaches them to build anew? The answer is simple: Nature teaches them all these things. On the contrary, people do not have enough awareness, they ignore nature and pay less attention to how and what materials can be used to make their houses and other structures stronger, safer and healthier without having to spend a lot of money and other resources. As a result, people often get crushed as their dwellings collapse during disasters like earthquakes.
Most of the earthquake deaths in Nepal are caused by living in unsafe and old or outdated houses, which show huge consequences of defying nature such as inequality, discrimination, injustice and a weak governance system.
For example, tigers are carnivorous animals; they satisfy their hunger by hunting their prey such as deer, antelope, etc.
What is remarkable here is that hunters like tigers do not prey for the next day. A tiger, for example, kills an animal, feasts on the prey and sleeps with joy.
On the contrary, a man hunts down a lot of animals, makes dries, piles it up, taking a huge toll on nature and mankind.
Due to unnatural activities, edible plants that supply nutrients to the human body have become extinct. The use of chemicals and pesticides in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry has adversely affected the presence of farmers, sub-farmers and insects. Frogs, snakes, rattlesnakes and earthworms have become extinct, sparrows and crows have declined. In the absence of friendly organisms that are part of the ecological cycle, there is a lack of insect-eating organisms. Paradoxically, it seems that national and international stakeholders do not get enough attention about the impact of all this on production, life and environment.
It is objectionable and a height of insensitivity to make and show/watch videos by encouraging hunters to hunt wild animals in the name of encouraging tourism.
Through such acts, what kind of lessons are we imparting to next generations? Are we not teaching them cruelty?
The goals of sustainable development cannot be achieved by forgetting the laws of nature. We talk about climate change, its impact, impact mitigation and adaptation, we incorporate these issues in our policies but we don't implement them. What’s the use of all this exercise if we don’t walk the talk?
Several international forums and meetings highlight that some islands will disappear in the near future due to rising sea levels. Due to increase in global temperatures, snow-capped peaks are melting at an alarming rate, causing the seas to rise and putting the islands in peril.
Against this backdrop, Nepal should take the lead to solve the problem of both sides, including the group of the victimized countries that have hardly any carbon footprint. Ditto for the translation of the proposals submitted at the COP28 on climate finance/funds, adaptation and claims for compensation from the industrialized countries, and the protection of the Himalayan region, into measurable results. For this, Nepal should prepare a strong draft by incorporating progress and challenges in addressing relevant issues, identifying actors responsible and submit it in upcoming COP meetings and other relevant forums.
