PM IAS MAIN SYNOPSIS 27

Explain how Climate Crisis Reflects a History of Colonialism 150 words

Approach:

1. Intro – link b/w climate injustice and colonial past.
2. Introduce the concept of climate colonialism.
3. Explain the deepening colonial climate injustice & the need for reparations.
4. Conclusion, briefly pointing to the way forward.

It is argued that a connection between colonialism, capitalism and climate change is directly historical – the developments of the last 50 decades linked much of the world in a system of politics & economics. This system was led by the industrial revolution, which inter-alia was an energy revolution too. These energy changes were the beginning of anthropogenic global warming. This revolution had created a power difference in terms of energy, which in turn determined who will be most vulnerable to climate impacts and who will remain protected. Thus history has a practical connection towards ensuring a future of climate justice.

The term ‘climate colonialism’ embraces both climate impacts as well as the nature of policies that countries, corporations and other actors pursue to respond to climate change. Importantly, these can result in a world where colonial power hierarchies are deepened.

There is a real argument for climate reparations now, in the context of global north’s governments refusal to climate reparations. This has accentuated social conditions in other countries to deteriorate under climate impacts, leading to increase in climate-induced disasters & displacements. This then created a kind of self-justifying reality around xenophobia and border violence in the global north. Also, in the recent pandemic instance that required equitable vaccine distribution across the world for immunization, the urge to protect only the elite interests of the global north by vaccine monopolization, is inhumane.

The developed countries often argue that large developing economies like India and China are also responsible for emissions now, shedding off their historical onus. However, this argument shows a need for historical and political analysis that goes beyond just tracking C-emissions. If we examine emissions per capita on a cumulative historical basis, then clearly India & China are not the problems. Till date, US occupies the top position in terms of CO₂ emissions per capita. This raises a question on the particular development paths pursued by these powerful countries that have periled the climate scenario for future generations. These countries are also complacent about investing in the climate resilient technologies and in the global south.

Therefore, what is more pertinent is that instead of pointing fingers, a collaborative approach built on ensuring climate reparations in the form of fiscal, technical and other assistance must be initiated by developed countries to enable emerging economies like India, China, Brazil and South Africa to grow along a renewable energy trajectory. There are several examples of climate injustice like heat waves in S. Asia, cyclones in Mozambique, etc. This reflects the paradox that countries that have in no serious way contributed to climate crisis, are actually bearing the brunt of its effects. Here lies a deep sense of unfairness.

To correct this climate justice is needed which means expanding self-determination of how governments & communities can relate to their future. This will have to be achieved in an era of accumulated ecological mistakes of the past, posing huge challenges. Thus, effective climate justice will entail giving people genuine democratic inputs, devising community-developed adaptation efforts, ensuring community-designed way of energy provision & distribution and securing food sovereignty & resilience.

Environment and food insecurity can be combated by millets – Explain 250 words

Approach:

1. Intro – mention 2023 as international year of millets.
2. How millets help in achieving SDG targets ?
3. Elaborate on the advantages of millet production & consumption.
4. Give reference of states promoting millets.
5. Conclusion

The UN has declared 2023 as the “International year of millets” and has called all stakeholders to provide policy support & attention to the nutritional benefits of millet consumption and their suitability for cultivation under adverse climatic conditions.

Millets have the potential to achieve SDG targets – i.e., SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production), and SDG 13 (climate action). According to International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), more than 90 million people in Africa & Asia depend on millets in diet. Although the global millet consumption has declined at a 9% rate, the millet market forecast for 2022-27 is promising. India dominates the global production at 41%, whereas consumption has been receding over the years.

Advantages : millets have multi-purpose usage. It is rain-fed crop with minimal fertilizer usage, no pesticide as they are less vulnerable to pest attack, seeds can be stored for years making it advantageous in drought-prone areas.

• They consume 70% less water than rice; can grow in half the time of wheat; and requires 40% less energy in processing. So, they are a good alternative in the wake of climate change, water scarcity, and drought conditions along with high nutritive value to provide sustainable food security. Millets are excellent source of anti-oxidants, helping enhance capability of probiotics. They play a role in body immune system – a solution to tackle childhood undernutrition & iron deficiency anaemia. It has higher nutritive value than other cereal crops. It helps lower cholesterol as it is rich in poly unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

• Sustainable diets are protective of biodiversity & ecosystems with low environment impact. Diversifying crop production by including more coarse cereals like millets can enhance food supply, reduce GHG emissions, and enhance climate resilience without compromising nutrition. A qualitative assessment of altering monsoon cereal production in India found millets as a viable option for food security & environmental resilience.
• The government incentivizes wheat and paddy through MSP & PDS. However, they being water intensive this further burdens the water table. It is to be noted that millets are not water-guzzling crops. They can thrive in relatively high temperatures (thermophilic) and reproduce in limited water supply (xerophilic). Also, millets require almost 6 times less water than rice and its maturation time is 45-70 days, half that of rice. Besides it shows high endurance in salinity, making it a climate resilient crop.

But, they have a short shelf-life depending on humidity, temperature and small market size. This calls for more awareness creation and setting up better storage facilities for its increasing longevity. Karnataka and Odisha have set examples by promoting millets consumption through mid-day meal, by distributing them in anganwadis and the PDS.

Given the nutritional and environmental benefits that millets have, ramping up its production and encouraging its consumption requires adequate policy intervention. A white paper on ‘Mainstreaming Millets for Nutrition Security’ in India (2021) provides a detailed framework for strengthening the entire value chain by addressing gaps, and replicating economically scalable models of other countries. It is time to unleash the potential of millets by creating awareness of its nutritional & ecological benefits to encourage a shift in consumer choices.