Economic Growth, Climate Crisis, and Natural Disasters

Today, almost all countries of the world are facing the scourge of natural disasters caused by global warming. Rising temperature is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and the severity of their effects.

The increase in the average global temperature has not happened all of a sudden, the real reason for this increase is the pro-capitalist/corporate world economic development model adopted by the governments of different countries. Most of the countries around the world, especially developed countries, have indiscriminately squandered natural resources in a blind race of economic growth.

The research articles in this book are an attempt to analyze the global climate crisis, natural disasters, and economic growth. They trace the extent to which human beings have destroyed natural resources such as forests, water, land, and air in the name of economic development. The average temperature of the earth began to rise after the Pre-Industrial Revolution Period.

Rapid global warming has caused the world’s oldest and most developed countries to be affected by floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires. Every day, one or another region of India is suffering from natural calamities, with the state of Uttarakhand and six states in the Western Ghats being on the brink of ruin. They also explain which countries around the world are now planning to overcome the climate crisis caused by global warming.

The time to look at the facts and act on Climate Change is now, if every country takes bold steps for the pressing issues at hand, we can still change the trajectory of where humanity is headed. Everyday small acts by vigilant citizens can look like drops of water, but we should remember many tiny drops can make an ocean, these many small acts can surmount to something bigger. We must put in the time, though, and effort quickly and boldly. Here’s to leaving our planet better than how we found it for the future generations to come.

Gurinder Kaur, Professor, Punjabi University, Patiala

Visiting Professor, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute