Only one realisation can save the planet from environmental crisis: She Talks Nature Panelists
New Delhi: In an all-women panel discussion on the World Environment Day-2022, She Talks Nature that captured national attention yesterday by trending on twitter, a very significant observation was made by almost all the participants. Despite coming from diverse backgrounds like academics, social change activism, yoga and spirituality they all had a consensus that only one realisation can save the planet from environmental crisis that it is faced today. “We are one with the nature. If we realise this caring for nature would become part of our attitude,” agreed all the eminent speakers at She Talks Nature.
She Talks Nature was one of its kind, all-women panel discussion organised to celebrate World Environment Day by a start-up in Delhi, named BASIC, in association with United Religions Initiative and Shristi. The panel showed a comprehensive mix of women environment experts from across the World. Highlighting a shift, which is much needed if the humanity wants to save itself from an environment crisis, Prof Priyanka Kaushal of the Centre for Rural Development and Technology, IIT Delhi said, “we have always taken development or certain indicators of development as the centre, while the right way would be to keep the environment at the centre stage. We must learn from the sustainable practices from our villages. Action has to be on individual level if want to work towards climate change.”
Continuing the discussion, a UN representative Azmaira Alibhai, a member Faith for Earth, UNEP, said, “faith-based inspirations, cultural diversity, and philosophy are the key drivers and motivations for climate action. The faith-based values and ethics are key drivers for environmental consciousness. She expressed that effective and accountable leadership is the need of the hour for tackling environmental degradation.” While Azmaira shifted the focus towards key policy requirements on environment at the global level, Kanchana Weerakoon focused on working with the grass-root communities. A nature activist and social change leader from Sri Lanka, Weerakoon said, “conscious consumerism and conscious living are important for making a better planet. Conscious shopping, healthy living, and practicing an eco-friendly lifestyle are key indicators for a nature- friendly future. She stressed that the ego-centric approach and practice should be transformed into an ecocentric approach. We should consider all beings as equals and feel the interconnectedness with nature.”
The event also looked at the concerns of environment from yoga and spirituality perspective, in which Yoga Guru Acharya Pratistha ji focusedly talked about inner channelization of positive energy as a key requirement for bring about positive changes in physical environment. She said, “as people take care of the inner five elements, they should be mindful of the Earth’s five elements. We should all follow a path of love, care of the environment, equality among all living beings because yog is not just a set of physical exercises but also a way of sustainable living.” Much in consonance with this universal need for caring for the nature, Rev. Lauren Van Ham, the climate action coordinator from URI also said, “caring for what we love is important. As we love Earth, Earth also loves us and we don’t want to cause harm. We have to take action considering the environment at the core and not people, suggesting an ecocentric approach”. She further said that we should all be connected with nature, provide for each other, be alive and take care of the natural system.
The panel discussion remained unique in many aspects, highlighting which Tanya Sablok from the organising team said, “never before have women environment ambassadors from across the globe, including countries like Albania, Nairobi, Sri Lanka, United States, Mexico, Australia among others have come together on one platform to talk about their journeys and key learnings.” The live participants also shared their enthusiasm towards the last bit of the conference, which brought out various grass-root initiatives being taken by women in their individual and collective capabilities.
Source – Press Release
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