Earth Overshoot Day 2020 is Madras Day 2020: August 22

 

August 22, 2020 is both Madras Day locally and Earth Overshoot Day globally. As the coastal metropolis, Chennai formerly known as Madras celebrates its 381st birthday, the COVID19 pandemic's global lock down and quarantines has pushed the Earth Overshoot Day by 24 days to August 22nd. 

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity has exhausted nature's budget for the year. For the rest of the year, we are maintaining our ecological deficit by drawing down local resource stocks and accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

 The coronavirus that affects the respiratory system of living things has affected the global transportation infrastructure disrupting supply chains and reducing human consumption. At the start of the pandemic there were many stories of wildlife reclaiming urban spaces and hope of our earth's environment healing and climate stabilizing. The disruption of aviation, shipping and transport sectors had reduced the fossil fuel consumption as well as generally resource intensive products. Local suppliers and locally grown food have addressed the shortfall. 

Yet for all the disruption to our lifestyles and the economy our consumption still outstrips our planet's resources by a whole quarter. So the priority as we envision the post-COVID19 world is to be responsible and sustainable in our consumption and production (SDG12) so that we #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day to the year end. Thus we stop borrowing and living off the resources of future generations: 

https://www.facebook.com/2040Film/videos/2583969951914239

As Chennai celebrates 381 years a future as a Sustainable City, Sustainable Community (SDG11) as well as a Smart City needs to adopted. Chennai's coastal position, expansion eating into vital wetlands, and dependence on ground water we are vulnerable to the buffets of global warming, climate change and climate catastrophe. The flood-drought cycles, unbearable summers in urban heat islands, creeping salinity as well as seawater ingress are vicious byproducts locally of global over-consumption which calls for robust climate action (SDG13). Chennai's green spaces as well as incentives and interests urban and rooftop farming as well as the Tamil Nadu's wind energy harnessing successes are powerful manifestations of sustainable development.   

Hence in the quest to move the date of Earth Overshoot Day should make robust adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by all entities from cities, institutions to nations.

Water and Climate Change: World Water Day 2020

On World Water Day, observed on March 22nd annually, the theme this time #WorldWaterDay20202 explores the connection between #water and #ClimateChange. 

In terms of the sustainable development goals #SDGs, this year's theme for #WWD2020 brings into focus both #SDG6 & #SDG13 - Clean Water and Sanitation as well as #ClimateAction respectively. 

An event I attended in Chennai on March 7, 2020, Eco-fest 2020 showcased experiments and edu-tainment by school students from the to highlight ecology and environmental issues of the city. The street play that they put up in particular linked the need to revive the lifeline of the city the River Adyar by increasing the tree cover in the watershed area of the river as well as restoring and replenishing the many water bodies, in Tamil "eri" as well as ponds and temple tanks that feed the river as well as the water table. As climate change gets to work worsening the weather patterns and natural systems of Chennai as well as India and other climate frontline states, water stress and flood-drought cycles will become the norm that will affect the millions of people living in the vulnerable regions. This climate changed charged has the potential to kill, sicken and impoverish millions if not tackled ASAP. 

The Street Play put up by "சுற்றுச்சூழல்

நாடக சபா" [Environmental Drama Club] in keeping with the tradition of street plays in Tamil Nadu known as Therukuthu (தெருகூத்து ) had a mythological theme with bright costumes and brash monologues by a narrator who regularly interacts with the audience. The narrator/common man in this play stole the show as he jumped and exclaimed along and showcased ecological mythic play. 

 In order to incorporate the environmental theme they linked the myth of the Demon King (Asura) Padhmasura who was granted the boon of burning down anything he puts his hand over by the Lord Shiva (the Divine Destroyer) who was finally destroyed by the Divine Protector Lord Vishnu in the guise of the beautiful nymph Mohini problems of the city's water stress and the polluted Adyar River, the reduction of clean water sources in the river due to an ecologically devastated water shed area with abounding with deforestation and usurping and polluting of water bodies. Characters such as the Earth Goddess (Bhoomi) and the Water God (Varuna) as well as the Forest Goddess/nymph to spread the message of water conservation and afforestation to ensure a water positive Adyar Watershed Area made for a very entertaining and educative evening for us all. 

The photo-booth captured the essence of the city's ecology while the shadow puppetry by the class 6 students of the host school Vidyaniketan was amazing highlighting the source and effects of global warming and climate change. The shadow puppet plays brought out the plight of the Ennore Creek because of the thermal power station in the region as well as the industrialization of that ecologically sensitive area in the north end of the city. The link between coal-powered fossil fuel plants like the one polluting Ennore Creek was also succinctly shown. The impact of climate change and global warming increasing forest fires, floods, droughts and biodiversity loss was also showcased in the short presentation. 

So well done and kudos to the kids, their teachers and the playwrights and craftspersons...all excellent communicators for the cause of our ecology. The young and committed resource persons of the Pitchandikulam Forest Community (PFC) have been adding immense value to the environmental studies component of schools in Chennai. Their outreach and restoration efforts in the city has improved the city's environment and environment education. They have been involved with the creation of Adyar Pooga in the estuary area of the Adyar River as well as in conducting informative Adyar river walks from Chembarrambakkam reservoir to the river mouth on Elliot's Beach emptying water into the Bay of Bengal past revived mangrove islands in the river flowing past Theosophical Society's Adyar HQ. The impact we have on the river and the river's importance to sustaining and safeguarding the city and its biodiversity was made clear in both Adyar Poonga and Adyar River Walk by the informative exchanges with the PFC resource persons. 

 

On World Water Day (March 22nd) and World Forest Day (March 21st) that just preceded it, as we focus on the connections between water and climate change as well as forests and biodiversity in our water stressed, fossil fuel guzzling and carbon emitting cities, efforts like that of PFC to educate and restore goes a long way in healing Mother Nature.  

#Throwback my 2016 article on #WorldWaterDay2020: For #water #resilientcities via @DeccanHerald
On theme #WaterAndClimateChange highlights #SDG6, #SDG11 #SDG13 & the #ClimateSummit #CleanWater #sanitation #sustainablecities #ClimateAction are #HumanRights https://t.co/IHfrqLJVEh

— Raakhee Suryaprakash (@10sunshinegal) March 22, 2020

As we deal with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on our lives, lifestyles, livelihoods, economy and ecology, the importance of clean water and sanitation in protecting us from outbreaks and leaving forests pristine and untouched and biodiversity protected are all reinforced. Be it water and climate change or forests and biodiversity, it is in our interest, a matter of survival of our species, to live lightly and protect nature and her resources. 

INDIA BIDS MIGRATORY SPECIES Atithi Devo Bhava

India hosted the Thirteenth Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 15 to 22 February 2020. With this event, India assumes presidency of the Bonn Convention COP for three years as well as setting the stage for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework which will be finalized in the UN Biodiversity Conference scheduled to be held in Kunming, China in October 2020.

.@BonnConvention has gotten the biodiversity #SuperYear off to a strong start! #CMSCOP13 closes with new protections for #MigratorySpecies.

Click to see the outcomes, & join us on the journey to a transformative #biodiversity2020 agreement at CBD #COP15.https://t.co/k32VDcc04i pic.twitter.com/2fd1ltk6EA

— UN Biodiversity (@UNBiodiversity) February 23, 2020

Super Year for Nature: 2020

The “Super Year for Nature” was launched at this conference that had the largest attendance yet. The Gandhinagar Declaration prioritized the synergy between protecting migratory species and “ecological connectivity” as well as putting migratory species protection at the heart of the new global biodiversity strategy. Ten species also added to the protected list of migrant species including the conference mascot the Great Indian Bustard as well as the Asiatic Elephant, the Jaguar and the Oceanic White-Tip Shark.

Biodiversity loss is a major concern and the survival of fauna that cross borders is particularly risky. After all, according to the UN Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity released last May as many as 1 million species are on the brink of extinction including many migratory species. Tackling international and national laws and cross-border conditions to ensure that migratory species have pristine habitats free of man-made threats to survival are priorities. The Report on the Status of Migratory Species, compiled and presented for the first time at the CMS COP13 highlighted ever-present and new challenges to the survival of migratory fauna. Numbers are on the decline as a result of disease, habitat loss, plastics pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments, road and rail infrastructure, power lines, wind turbines and even light pollution.

 A highlight of the CMS COP13 was the fact that it served “enhanced” water to its delegates in reusable glass bottles and kullads [clay cups], thus avoiding producing nearly 163 kg of single use plastic waste. This adoption of a sustainable alternative to plastic bottles encourages the circular economy model and sets a green example for future events. Since India hosted the World Environment Day celebrations in 2018, state and national level bans on single-use plastics have continued to embrace the call to “Beat Plastic Pollution.”

Source: HerbalH2O Facebook page 

The Ramsar-Bonn Conventions Connect

In February the world also celebrates Wetlands Day (February 2) on the day the convention to protect wetlands was signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971. Wetlands are biodiversity hotspots and host a wide variety of avian migratory species. On the side-lines of the CMS COP13, Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar received certificates from Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, for the 10 Ramsar Sites across India that were recently deemed “wetland sites of international importance.” India has also committed to restore a thousand wetlands over the next five years in a bid to protect these habitats of so many migratory birds.

On behalf of India, received certificates for the 10 Ramsar Sites which were recently declared wetland sites of international importance.India plans restoration of 1000 wetlands in next 5 years.@UNEP @moefcc @martharojasu1 pic.twitter.com/cCq8kwZYJ2

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) February 17, 2020

This move is welcomed in Indian environmental circles considering the increased impact of climate change, pollution as well as habitat loss on the hundreds of thousands of migratory birds that winter in India from as far away as the Siberian Tundra. Early this winter, in November 2019, the Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan was littered with tens of thousands of migratory birds as well as domestic avian species. Avian botulism is believed to be the cause of this devastation. Many of the nearly 20,000 birds that died were migratory species from the Siberian Arctic. This disease that decimates bird populations is triggered by high temperature and low precipitation both exacerbated by global warming, water pollution and stressed habitats due to industrialization and intrusion by humans in sensitive eco-systems (e.g., wetlands, mangroves and marshlands).

Star Ambassadors for Migrant Species

When the survival of these at-risk migratory species is threatened by so many anthropogenic factors, their saviours also have to be people. By raising awareness about these threats a green turn can be encouraged in the masses. To this end the CMS Ambassadors Programme nominates renowned and popular personalities to campaign for the rights of these birds and animals. At the CMS COP13, Ian Redmond OBE, Sacha Dench and Randeep Hooda were nominated as CMS Ambassadors for terrestrial, avian and aquatic migratory species respectively. Ian Redmond the CMS ambassador for terrestrial species is an internationally acclaimed conservationist known for his work with great apes and elephants particularly. His anti-poaching drives and support for filming of at risk species and local conservators in war-torn parts of Africa such as Congo and Rwanda have helped conserve many animals. 

News from #CMSCOP13: @BonnConvention announces #HumanSwan #freediver #explorer #environmentalist @sachadench as #Ambassador for #Avian species; #conservationist #IanRedmond OBE as for #Terrestrial species #SDG15, & #Bollywood actor @RandeepHooda for #Aquatic species #SDG14- Kudos pic.twitter.com/is0RWiFfZm

— Raakhee Suryaprakash (@10sunshinegal) February 18, 2020

Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda will campaign for the cause of aquatic species. The Indian coastline is the nesting site for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. The Odhisha coasts especially bear witness to the phenomenon of arribada where Olive Ridley turtles arrive en masse to nest. It also bears mentioning the Bollywood connect to Mumbai which witnessed the world’s largest beach clean-up in Versova beach spearheaded by lawyer and environmental activist Afroz Shah. This UN Environment award-winning initiative created a conducive habitat for sea turtles to return and nest following the 2017 beach clean-up efforts.

Award-winning explorer, free diver, athlete and environmentalist Sacha Dench, known as the Human Swan, is an apt champion for avian migratory species. She got the moniker and many accolades while raising awareness for the at-risk avian species after tracking the Bewick's Swan migration from the Russia to the United Kingdom in 2016 on a paramotor. In this “Super Year for Nature” Sacha Dench is planning to track the ospreys’ migration from Scotland to Ghana. A journey of nearly 10,000km to raise the profile of threats to ospreys in particular and all migratory birds in general. Sacha Dench also champions wetlands, as she puts it, "By investigating the health of the wetlands, especially [preventing] the plastics and pollutants getting into the water system, we could help all manner of migrating birds and other animals that depend on healthy wetlands and waterways, including ourselves."

Sacha Dench's TEDTalk on her unique way of raising awareness about the Bewick's Swan

From Gandhinagar to Kunming, in 2020 it is to be hoped that the negotiations to preserve and protect wildlife truly does make it a “Super Year for Nature.” With India at the helm, perhaps the ethos of atithi devo bhava will apply to our wild guests as well as human ones. Maybe we can act to welcome them by deeming the migratory species divine: we can act to clean up their habitats and protect them from ourselves!

References

UN Environment

https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/cms-cop13-concludes-india-major-new-actions-migratory-species

https://www.cms.int/en/news/major-un-meeting-wildlife-address-critical-threats-migratory-species 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/24/we-have-a-chance-to-halt-biodiversity-loss-the-stakes-have-never-been-higher-aoe

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/experts-india-find-18000-birds-died-10-days-191120134551718.html

http://www.sachadench.com/speaker-biography/

Showcasing KEDI on 2nd International Day of Education

My visit to Vadodara in December 2019 led to an introduction to KEDI (Kids for Environmental Development Initiatives) the innovative project founded by communications expert and environmentalist Hitarth Pandya. This Jan 24, 2020, is the apt time to showcase KEDI as the world celebrates the second ever International Day of Education with the theme

“Learning for people, planet, prosperity and peace”

Now KEDI, piloted in Sant Kabir Indian International School in Vadodara, Gujarat brings environmental studies out of textbooks and into the lives and the curriculum of the students. Now its apt that Sant Kabir is the first place to promote this initiative as the school's motto is

Nurturing Minds for Sustainable Development!

The students learn by doing and throughout their schooling are on track to becoming eco-friendly individuals promoting a sustainable living. In middle school itself they are en route to becoming experts in regenerative agriculture and a farm-to-table and homesteading way-of-life at least in school. The grow and harvest vegetables and help cook it for school meals and sell it to raise funds for the program and school. This year, in 2020, the KEDI fest - Kabir Krishi Mahotsav 2020 - will be held on Republic Day: January 26th.

In addition to organic farming, the students are involved in the study and appreciation of various aspects of nature, from bird watching, documentary film-making, soil analysis, renewable energy technology, lake clean-up, campaigning against Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) and even taxidermy! As they are actually practicing sustainability and are in touch with nature, they are very articulate and clear when talking about the various environmental challenges, climate change, climate action (SDG 13) and ecological footprint of their lives (SDG12). Through this immersive learning program incorporated into the school curriculum these school students are perhaps the best advocates for the environment, organic farming, and climate action that I have come across. By participating in lake restoration and clean-up as well as active bird watching and study of biodiversity in campus and in places they clean up, these school kids are  active citizens  a 100% behind Mother Nature. At a young age they are ace environmental communicators and naturalists. They have insights into a wide-range of careers all with a strong component of sustainable development making them well-equipped for adulthood and the 21st century's ever-changing job market and problematic economy.

According to KEDI's founder's Facebook post about the latest Kabir Krishi Mahotsav 2020 since its inception the project has grown 

From a humble beginning of 100 odd students and 100 kgs of vegetables to 3000 kgs and 2000 students...

We need more such initiatives and educational institutions that embody SDG 4 (Quality Education) and the theme of the International Day of Education 2020, "Learning for People, Planet, Prosperity and Peace."