Inter generational equality and ecological resources

INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY AND

ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Hemant Goswami

[email protected]

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ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES AS “ECOSYSTEM SERVICES?”

The very concept of “Ecosystem Services” is based on the premise that nature is meant to provide services to human beings and consequentially, providing happiness to human beings. The concept is deficient on many accounts;

The new semantics of ‘Ecology,’ describing it as ‘Service,’ misleads and does not address or focuses attention on the comprehensive ecological approach

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ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES AS “ECOSYSTEM SERVICES?”

It’s purely an ‘Economic Model’ with all the assumptions of an imperfect estimation of economic theories and systems. Nature can’t be capitalized in economic models. It’s beyond human comprehension.

The “Ecosystem Services” model is based on limited understanding we have of the nature’s phenomenon, bio-diversity and inter-relationship among all matters and beings. Weaving a system with broad assumption sitting atop another set of assumptions, highly biased in favour of human consumption needs, can never yield any long-term sustainable model.

The “Ecosystem Services” in its execution promotes monetizing of nature. It helps businesses and not the rest of the 99.9% people of the world. Banking of ecology is an extremely bad idea and against the concept of inter-generational equality. Long term sustainable results come not just from preserving but also limiting consumption. Approach to limit consumption is missing in the suggested solutions through “Ecosystem Services.”

The “Ecosystem Services” concept has purely anthropocentric approach; which is extremely deficient. Micro environment weaved around all other life forms can’t be ignored.

The calculations of the “Ecosystem Services” are based on ‘The Present’ and a brief extended period of a couple of future generations. It does not take into account the long-term future. The concept of ‘Intergenerational Equality’ is entirely missing from the concept “Ecosystem Services.”

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CONCEPT OF EQUALITY AND INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY

The concept of ‘Equality’ has been the core to the philosophy of ‘Democracy’ and the most basic ‘Human Rights.’ Most countries have a well-meaning definition of ‘Equality’ within their constitution.

Indian Constitution defines “Right to Equality” guaranteed under Article 14, as; “Equality before law,” and reads as follows, “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.” (Singhvi, 2008) Article 14 read along-with Article 21 i.e. ‘Right to life,’ has acquired a much broader meaning with the broadest possible concept of equality among all.

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INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY

Is this right to equality is limited to people living/existing presently or does this right extend and transcend future generations too?

Is it to be inferred that a person yet to be born after 200 years also have the same right over nature? Does this mean that equality has to be maintained across generations too?

Is this inter-generational equality not only a basic human-right but also an enforceable legislative and constitutional right?

Can we monetize and attach a notional value to something which does not belong to us?

How can a future generation, due to come after 200 or 500 years ensure equality with present generation?

Is this inter-generational ‘Right to Equality’ enforceable, and can it be effectively legislated?

How can the levels of this inter-generational equality be calculated?

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VALUATION MODEL OF NATURAL RESOURCES

The basic idea of monetizing the natural and ecological resources based on hypothetical and abstract calculations based on GNP and GDP

The current economic models and the cost-calculation tools do not properly value and estimate the effective cost of the natural resources and ecological material.

Example: Fossil Fuel – Petrol undervalued 2000 times Agriculture – Environmental cost does not justify

forced increase in yield

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RATE OF EXTINCTION AND ABUSE OF BIO-RESOURCES

All the current tools of cost estimation suggested by “Ecosystem Services” are deficient in calculating the actual cost. It’s actually a misappropriation and a theft from the account of the future generations

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UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION AND STEALING FROM THE FUTURE The scenario in Punjab is no different from any other

State of India. However Punjab is of special importance if one considers that Punjab is said to be the bread-basket of India.

Punjab has been using a very high level of chemical fertilizer and pesticide and its consumption is growing exponentially, year-after-year. Punjab is one of the highest users of both, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Punjab accounts for almost 10 % of the total fertilizer consumption in the country in just 2.98 % of the cultivated area and 4.2 % of cropped area of India. It also uses highest amount of fertilizer per hectare (192.5 kg/ ha) followed by Haryana (166.2) as compared to average use of 88.2 kg/ha in India.

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PUNJAB – STEALING FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS

Water: The water in Punjab is not only polluted but the water table has gone down to an alarming level. The quality of water has reduced drastically with pesticide and chemical contamination found across Punjab.

Flaura- Fauna and Loss of Biodiversity: Punjab has lost most of its genetic resource. The cropland ecosystem was known to harbour great genetic variability. However, over the years this has reduced.

Soil and Micro-Organisms: The soil in Punjab is also in a bad shape. Over exploitation has led to nutrient depletion and combined with water-logging has increased soil salinity. Over use of pesticides has also negatively impacted soil quality in Punjab, consumption of chemical fertilizers has witnessed an eightfold increase

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THE SOLUTION: ENSURING INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY

In a nutshell, the whole ecological crisis is a result of greed and not human need.

The current economic model has resulted in many imbalances, including changes brought in the work/ labour patterns, mass migration, creation of unnecessary cosmetic needs, unnecessary movement of goods and raw material, loss of many productive activities, monoculture of thoughts and ideas, etc. All this has resulted in over-consumption and created immense pressure on the ecology and all form of natural resources.

The actual solution lies in reversing the pattern by stopping over consumption.

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CURRENT APPROACH TO BIO-RESOURCES MINUS THE CORPORATE

Needless to say that such a model is unsustainable and disastrous. It does not change anything. It only guarantees an uninterrupted supply to the industry.

Till the time the world can ensure just consumption in proportion to the shares of the present generation in terms of long-term inter-generational equality, mankind will remain on slippery slope; racing towards its own destruction. Austerity in consumption in all forms is the only solution; increasing productivity is not.

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THE SOLUTION: ENSURING INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY

Following needs to be ensured; Valuating natural and biological resources on

complete cost calculated on inter-generational actual and opportunity cost.

Using sustainable, replenishable methods and processes of consumption; in the event of any form of loss to nature (including killing of so-called pests, insects, etc.), factoring the loss to the nature also in the total cost of production and pricing it accordingly.

Capping and limiting the unnecessary consumption by discouraging unnecessary creation of need and its demand.

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THE SOLUTION: ENSURING INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY

Allow, accept and promote alternate definition and ideas of “good life,” “development,” “progress” etc.

Reducing and capping the size of artificial juristic person, i.e. the corporate. Limiting their geographical operations too wherever necessary.

Refusing and rejecting all kinds of proprietary control/ ownership on ecological resources or biological material in the form of Patents or any other variation of intellectual property rights.

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THE SOLUTION: ENSURING INTER-GENERATIONAL EQUALITY

Avoiding transportation of raw material and finished goods by promoting local operations. Increasing the cost of transportation to the true price of the natural resource used in terms of inter-generational cost, especially the cost of fossil fuel.

Ensuring legislative measures of inter-generational equality and putting a prohibitive cost to violation along-with immediate incapacitation of the violators.

As a broad guideline, the thumb rule should be to consume only that much in one’s life-time which can be replenished in such time-frame.

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SAVING THE FUTURE – ARE WE ACTUALLY READY?

Is the world really bothered about the future and willing to accept legislation for ensuring inter-generational equality of natural resources?

Would corporate, who actually control the world governments, willing to reduce consumption?

Thank you

Your QuestionsHemant Goswami

Mail : GPO Box 137, Sector 17, Chandigarh INDIA – 160 017E-Mail : [email protected]