We Dig, We Suffer: The Climate Crisis of Our Own Making

Ten years may seem trivial in ecological terms, yet the seeds of today’s climate change were sown as far back as the 1800s. In her sweeping biography of geographer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt titled ‘The Invention of Nature,’ historian Andrea Wulf reveals that Humboldt was already observing the impact of human settlements on the pristine landscapes of South America in 1800 and 1801. Like the resilient human body, which endures a kaleidoscope of experiences until it can bear no more, the global environment has tolerated over two centuries of resource exploitation, reminiscent of the British Empire’s unsustainable expansion. Yet, it is in the past decade that we have truly accelerated our trajectory toward ecological disaster.

The days of blaming the Baby Boomer generation for our current climate woes are long gone. The recent floods in Kerala serve as a stark reminder of a crisis that has intensified in recent years. These floods are part of a troubling pattern, with cities like Chennai, Pune, and Uttarakhand experiencing their own deluges in recent years. What Indian urban centres have faced over the last decade transcends mere climate change. It is a consequence of our actions, exacerbated by changing weather patterns.

A 2020 study by researchers at IISER Pune examining the devastating floods in 2019 revealed a troubling trend: heavy rainfall events have become more frequent over the past 20 years. Despite the absence of discernible patterns in rainfall data from 1978 to 2020, they noted a “marked increase” in days of intense precipitation, which significantly heightens the risk of flooding.

What transpired in the last decade to precipitate such a severe impact on our environment?

Take Pune as a case study. The city’s road concretisation, a project proposed as early as 2002, only commenced in earnest in 2013, despite opposition from citizens and environmentalists, and continues unabated today. A single rainstorm this July resulted in the tragic deaths of at least eight residents, as activists struggle to access a report on the floods from the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) tight grasp. This situation, compounded by a burgeoning population, rapid urban expansion, unequal access to resources, and rampant deforestation, has rendered Pune increasingly inhospitable. Long-time residents recall that this year’s peak temperature of 43.3°C was alarmingly high, contrasting sharply with last year’s frigid 7.4°C.

A report from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), prepared with the Government of Maharashtra, highlights that in 2022, the annual mean land surface air temperature for the state was 0.30°C above its long-term average for 1981 to 2010, marking it the 14th warmest year on record since 1901.

While scientists and logicians remind us that correlation does not imply causation, the power of observation remains compelling. Even if we dismiss the impassioned pleas of environmentalists, citizen activists, and concerned citizens regarding the degradation of our urban and natural infrastructure, the question remains: how extreme will climate events become in the next decade? Based on current trends, the answer is clear - and it is not promising.

The Mula-Mutha River, an integral part of the city’s history and culture like the Shaniwar Wada Fort and the Parvati Hill, has been subjected to decades of neglect and urban encroachment. Yet, indiscriminate urbanisation has transformed the river into one of the country’s most-polluted water bodies. In 2018, the Central Pollution Control Board had listed sections of the river among the 351 most critically polluted stretches,earning Mula-Mutha the ignominy of being not only the most polluted river in Pune and Maharashtra but also in the country.

Globally, cities, be it Jakarta or Miami, are grappling with the repercussions of rapid urbanization, where inadequate infrastructure has left them vulnerable to flooding, exacerbated by rising sea levels. In each case, the relentless drive for urban growth, often at the expense of environmental safeguards, illustrates the leitmotif of the failure to balance development with ecological stewardship. As I write this amidst the cacophony of construction, replete with the incessant banging, clanging, and drilling of ongoing real estate redevelopment, it is all the more ironic to contemplate the impact of our choices on the environment.

(The writer is an independent journalist with a keen interest in environmental issues and urban ecology. Views personal.)