Earth Day 2023: Invest in our planet

N Munal Meitei *

Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive. Earth is the only inhabitable blue planet in this universe.

That’s why each year on April 22, billions of people in 190 countries celebrate Earth Day. Earth is facing numerous acute environmental problems such as climate change, pollution, population explosion, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, pesticides, human health, pandemics and many more ecological issues.

Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance, marked for action to change human behaviour and create global, National and local policies.

On its 50th anniversary, the theme for Earth Day 2023 – “Invest in Our Planet,” aims at all backgrounds including individuals, communities, Governments, investors and civil societies to be equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis and lighting the spark to accelerate changes toward a green planet.

Environmental issues affect everyone, regardless of where they live or what their background is. By working together, people around the world can help to create a sustainable future for the planet and all its inhabitants including the flora and fauna. By doing the environment friendly activities including planting trees, we’re making the earth a happier, healthier and a beautiful place to live.

Investing in a green economy is the only path to a healthy, prosperous and equitable future. Human influence is unequivocally to blame for the warming of the planet and the sad truth is some forms of climate disruption will be felt for centuries to come.

However, we must collectively push away from the dirty fossil fuel economy and old technologies of centuries past – to create a beautiful ecosystem that restores the health of our planet, protects the species and provides opportunities for all.

In COP-27, Governments around the globe enacted many significant green policy initiatives. Yet, nearly every country is not on track to meet GHG neutrality by 2050. It is possible to keep global warming below 1.5°C, but immediate and significant action is needed now and Governments can’t do it alone.

Ambitious action on green energy increased energy security to tackle the climate crisis. Climate change mitigation, restoration and adaption require the collective will and voice of the people to make the change the planet needs.

We can help the environment by reducing the amount of waste we produce and by using reusable bags, water bottles and containers. We can also recycle items like paper, plastic and aluminium cans. We can save water by judiciously using it. We also can save energy by turning off lights and electronics when they are not in use. Planting trees can help the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide and providing oxygen.

Like the industries, space and information technologies, all sectors of society can take major roles in greening the Earth–this time with existential responsibilities to get it right. Together, we must invest in our planet. Here the investment will not mean only for funds but our precious time, energy, effort, knowledge and dedication for the planet.

Everything the humans need to survive and thrive are provided by the natural world: food, water, medicines, material and even natural cycles such as climate and nutrients. To replenish the used up resources, the earth also needs sufficient time. But our human consumption is too excessively high and hence to meet our present demand, we will require two earths by 2030. Together, we win and divide we fall.

We are at a crossroad. The decisions we make now will make the planet a livable future. Hence, Govt and policy makers need to implement more aggressive steps, regulations and market instruments to hunt down and eliminate the excessive carbon emissions and otherwise, we are almost digging our own graves.

This time, unlike previous economic revolutions, there are two additional imperatives : saving humanity from the climate crisis and building green economies in every country so that everyone benefits from this green practice. This can only be done if we invest together in our planet’s future.

We are looking at the climate problem through the wrong lens by talking about the reduction of greenhouse gas as a cost rather than an economic opportunity. Climate action is not just about reducing emissions but choosing a new development path creating jobs for the future development.

All living things have an intrinsic value, and each one plays a unique role in the complex web of life. The unprecedented global destruction and rapid reduction of plants and wildlife are directly linked to an unhealthy planet. The impacts are not far reaching and if we ignore, extinction is humanity’s most enduring legacy.

Therefore, we all should know the importance of mother earth. Without earth, there will be no living beings. Without earth's resources, life is impossible. Changing the way we live today means, we will be able to prosper tomorrow. Since we are born, one day we will die depart this lovely world. Let’s make the earth a green and beautiful planet for humanity and the future generations.