3rd December, 1984 Bhopal, India - Three thousand Seven Hundred Eighty Seven
10th April ,1988 Ojhri, Pakistan -One Thousand Three Hundred
24th April 2013 Savar , Bangladesh - One Thousand One Hundred Twenty Nine
These dates and places probably mean nothing to you, nor probably the numbers that I just mentioned thereafter. Yet these are not just statistics - they represent the number of innocent human lives which were sacrificed on the altar of economic prosperity and political apathy. Time has turned these thousands of deaths into mere numbers and I am sure most of you will not have heard of these incidents and if you did then, would have forgotten about it by now. This apathy is the root cause of the repetitiveness of such horrific industrial disasters which decimate humanity, pollute the environment and throw up the prospect of a bleak future which we are leaving for our. children.
It is about time that we took action and prevent another Bhopal gas disaster or Ojhri ammunition dump explosion or Savar Plaza collapse from happening. More than six thousand lives were lost in those 3 days and thousands were orphaned as a consequence. Yet nothing has changed --- everyday factories continue to dump sewage into our rivers , rainforests make way for tarred roads , coral reefs get choked by concrete sea dykes , natural nesting habitats of migratory birds make way for highrises.
The global population has crossed 7 billion and is set to touch 9 billion by 2050. Many of our current set of policy makers may not be around to see what the world will be like in 2050, but people like me will be living through it. What kind of future are they leaving for us ? The decisions that they make today will impact and decide the future that they are leaving us as their legacy. Way back in 1987, the Brundtland report defined sustainable development as "One that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs". Yet the world has done precious little since 1987 to preserve its resources for future generations. One third of the world's current food production is either wasted or lost while 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily of hunger. Millions of climate refugees abandon their villages and migrate to urban slums in search of security and stability. Water is going to be our most precious resource in the future - quenching the daily thirst of 9 billion people in our hot planet is going to be a huge challenge and as some analysts have ominously predicted "the wars of the future may well be over water and not oil". Yet the world turned a blind eye for 30 years, while the 4th largest inland water body , covering an area larger than Switzerland , turned into a desert because the rivers feeding it got diverted for political and industrial gains. I am referring to the Aral Sea - when you were in school your geography books classified it as the world's fourth largest inland water body . But in my geography book it's pictured as a desert with camels wandering on its dry bed. I wonder how many more such lakes and rivers will disappear by the time my child goes to school?
The fact is that economic development has now translated to the development of more intensive ways of exploiting the natural environment. The current trend of economic growth at the cost of environment and society must be stopped. The rights that the developed world takes for granted such as the right to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, fair representation without gender bias, access to clean water and shelter, free speech -- all these need to be carried forward and ensured for the generations to come.
The question is : who will ensure this ? Who will safeguard the rights of future generations by reminding today's inhabitants about their obligation. The future generations cannot survive on history, they need the same pristine resources that we enjoy today. Who will stand up and gauge whether the three pillars of sustainability are working and growing in harmony?
Bold steps are required and it is for developed nations to take the lead and show the way. Ombudspersons must be instituted at all levels -- national, regional and international for them to become effective. They must be the voice of civil society and in order to be effective need to possess the key ingredients of legitimacy, independent authority, accessibility and transparency. We must also remember that it is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive. The Future Justice that we are looking for needs to be equitable and the same for everybody, irrespective of whether one is from the developed world or the global south. Yet I worry that we are doing too little too late.
As William Shakespeare said "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." If we are to save our tomorrow, we need to take action today. The onus is on all of us to shake off this veil of complacency and indifference and act with decisiveness to safeguard the wellbeing of future generations. If not for yourself, do it for your children!
About the author :
Kehkashan Basu , 16 , is the Founder President of youth organisation - Green Hope. She is also the Youth Ambassador of World Future Council and the former Representative of UNEP's Major Group for Children and Youth. She has spoken at previous UN and other international forums and campaigns globally for gender equality, sustainable consumption, future justice, rights of the girl child and the right to education. For her environmental advocacy at a global level, Kehkashan has received international awards from UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ) in 2012 , the 2012 Korea Green Foundation award , the 2013 International Young Eco-Hero award from Action for Nature, USA, the 2014 Kids are Heroes award, the 2015 Solar Pioneer Award , the "Ambassador for the Environment " from GESS Education Awards2015 , the 2015 International Diana Award and the prestigious 2014 NRI (Non-Resident Indian) of the Year award.