Climate change: will it ever become an election issue?
Climate change: will it ever become an election issue?
india is currently in the midst of election festivities. In many respects, the current lok sabha election is the biggest election in the world, because india is the most populous country in the world, the most populous democracy, the highest number of voters, about 97 crores, are participating in this election and are successful in this election. Each representative will represent the largest number of people in the Parliament, an average of 18 lakh people. Six phases of elections have passed, but the voting graph is much less than the last general election. Political implications of low turnout are being explored, but voters or political parties are hardly paying attention to the increasing incidents of extreme heat and heatwaves.
Hi-hi heat, uff-uff heat
Last april proved to be the warmest april since 1850, the eleventh consecutive month since temperatures have been officially measured, and the current May is also on the same track, especially in the year 2023. It was the hottest year ever. Meaning, in the elections of the world's largest republic, the biggest challenges facing humanity which is the question of human existence, destruction of environment, climate change, pollution, water, soil, rivers, forests etc. are not the issues. This is neither visible in the election slogans of 56 recognized political parties, nor in political discussions at any level. If we look at the current voters and constituencies, we find that at the root of most of the burning election issues is our rapidly changing negative equation with nature. Every second voter is a farmer, whose fields are affected either by flood, drought or fair market or other calamity. Every eighth voter is directly or indirectly dependent on forests, and forests are either being cleared or their composition is changing.