Ecological Crisis: Issues and Perspectives V P Jain* People live in a complicated world of their own creation, which is integrated

into the natural ecosystem. As such, man interacts with nature as a social being on the basis of a value system which defines humanhuman and humannature relationships. The ecological crisis that we face today, is a natural corollary to the accumulative entrepreneurial motivation of man, arrogating to himself a place of dominance, to exploit nature for his pleasure. Both capitalist and socialist societies adopted an anthropocentric approach and laid emphasis on exploitation of nature for the sole benefit of mankind. Modern technology only came handy in expediting and facilitating such a process, amply supported by cultural values and belief systems sanctified by the state or the church or both. No doubt, the twentieth century will be known for its marvels in science and technology. With the development of biotechnology and the understanding of the genetic map, man has come very close to playing God. As a consequence, unprecedented wealth has been created in the world in the last three centuries, which started with the advent of the industrial revolution. But as the saying goes there is no free lunch: it has also left behind a scarred planet. The modernisation syndrome as the underpinning of the exploitative relationship of man and man and man and nature propelled homo-sapiens on to a trajectory of unbound materialistic pursuit for self-fulfilment and happiness, the exuberance manifesting in vulgar consumerism and profligate life style, meeting its nemesis in the impending ecological disaster and the complete dislocation of social and psychological matrix. We have nearly depleted our natural resources in last three hundred years which had taken millions of years to stock. The climate change due to greenhouse gases, generated in the process of unbound industrialisation, is threatening to wipe out all life on this planet. Sustainable development has, therefore, become the buzzword and the focal concern of the environmental debate in the world, today. What is even more disturbing is that the current mind set as a new value system has created a world of appalling contrasts. Today, we live in a world of haves and have-nots, It is common to speak of a North\South divide into the developed world (i.e., U.S., Europe,) and the underdeveloped world (i.e., Asia, Africa, Latin America.). Widespread unemployment, poverty and exclusion exist, paradoxically enough, in a world that continues to grow wealthier all the time. For the rich it is a world of consumer's paradise of immediate gratification, of hot images and cool gadgets. On the other hand, one fifth of the world's population i.e., over one billion people exist in conditions of absolute poverty and are unable to feed, clothe and house themselves properly. But, the contrast does not manifest merely in the form of North\South divide. These inequalities are even more pronounced within nations. The developed world also has its slums known as ghettos. In the midst of astounding affluence in America, for example, a substantial number of Americans (13.5 % of the U.S. population) remain poor. Similarly, hundreds and thousands of people in the

underdeveloped world enjoy affluent life styles and indulge in the luxury of sophisticated goods. While obesity clinics mushroom in metropolitan cities in India, for example, to slice off the extra fat layer of the nouveau rich, one third of the people struggle hard, for the better part of the day, to procure enough food for bare survival, while the politicians engage themselves in luxury of sharpening their wits in defining the poverty line in order to hide their shame. With the publication of U.N.D.P. reports the concept of sustainable development has acquired a new meaning. It underlines the role of environment and its inputs, for enhancing the quality of life. Sustainable development is much more than environmental protection. It is a wider concept of economic growth, which ensures fairness, and opportunities for dignified life for all, without further destroying recklessly, the word's finite resources. "sustainable development is a process in which economic, fiscal, trade, energy, agricultural, industrial and all other policies are designed to bring about development that is economically, socially and ecologically sustainable." The preservation of the global environment raises serious issues about the growth and distribution of global income and wealth. Developing countries are, obviously, not satisfied with their present lot and cannot be expected to sustain their poverty in the name of environmental protection. On the other hand the affluent countries cannot be allowed, forever, 85% of the world's resources to maintain their present profligate consumption pattern. There is no easy and clear link between present and future needs. Sustaining the physical environment is not an end in itself. What we need to sustain is human life and environmental debate must have a human perspective. Human development and sustainability are essential components of the same ethic of universalism of life chances. The concept of sustainable development should, then, emphasize not only the future but also the present. Modern man has, however, only recently began to discover the ancient truth: he represents just one strand in an infinitely complex b of living things that share the earth. Nature is to be understood in its totality as an organic whole in which man is but one component and cannot violate, for ever, its laws with impunity. This requires a larger cultural transformation and a paradigm shift from mechanistic to a holistic, ecological world view. It is also worthwhile to remember the eco-feminist point of view that exploitation of nature has gone hand in hand with that of women, who have been identified with nature throughout the ages. There calls for reorientation of values, redefining social priorities and a radical shift from anthropocentric approach to eco-centric approach as a lasting solution to the ecological crisis. *V P Jain Associate Prof.(Retd), School of Open Learning, University of Delhi. Convener, Delhi University Retired Teachers Association. Mail ID: vpjain28@redffmail.com