News stories from across the world are depressing at the moment. They are stories of massive destruction caused by war, natural disasters, and pestilences of biblical proportion. Behind all of them there is a human hand and mind. It is as if humans are hell-bent on bringing the world to an end sooner than its creator planned. Of course, there are some uplifting stories that show the immense capacity of the human spirit and genius to achieve great things. Such stories as Eliud Kipchoge breaking his world marathon record yet again. Or courageous women standing up to tyranny with their hair as the only weapon. Or some scientific or technological breakthrough that radically change the way we live. But overall, the stories and images of devastation dominate. In our part of the world, from Karamoja in north east Uganda, through northern Kenya to most of the Horn of Africa, a longer than usual period of drought is causing untold suffering. Everywhere you turn, you meet harrowing images of starving people sitting outside their huts staring vacantly into the harsh, arid distance. Is it perhaps because salvation might come from there? Or because they are resigned to their fate and have nowhere else to look? Or they have seen too much and cannot bear looking at more? Not far away, a cow that has just dropped dead, having come to the end of its perseverance. Its emaciated carcase a harsh reminder of the times and left there for the scavengers in the sky that have been hovering over it for some time, waiting for this moment. Skeletons of other animals that succumbed earlier and been picked dry by vultures and other opportunistic creatures litter the dry, bare, burning earth. But these scenes barely make the headlines, even in the local media. Disasters elsewhere do. The leading news item the last few days has been Hurricane Ian and the devastation it has caused in Florida in the United States of America. It even displaced the war in Ukraine. Inequality exists everywhere, even in matters of destruction. Hurricanes are common in that part of the world and largely predictable. This period is actually known as hurricane season. You would therefore think that people there would be used to them and know how to cope. Indeed, they are and have been managing rather well until recently. But it seems hurricanes have, over the years, been increasing in regularity and fury and the extent of destruction they cause. Half the world away, in the far East, similar phenomena occur. There typhoons regularly hit the Philippines, Japan, Vietnam and parts of China with increasing intensity and similar destruction. In between, unusually heavy floods have submerged most of Pakistan. And when it is not relentless deluge or tempest wreaking havoc, it is raging wildfires that lay to waste huge rural areas of California, Portugal or Australia. Or it is unusual heat waves in the normally wet British Isles and parts of cooler northern Europe. Or landslides in mountainous parts of East Africa. We all see these wild swings in temperature and intemperate behaviour of the elements. However, we do not agree on why and what to do about it. The religious think these are definite signs of the impending end of the world foretold in holy books. Or it is punishment for our many sins. And their solution is simple: repent, make peace with your maker and your neighbour so that when the end comes it finds you pure and ready. Those with little time for such fantastic tales as they call them, say it is mother nature reprimanding humans for messing up with her. She is angry with us for our greed and uncontrolled exploitation of her resources (all are guilty, some more than others), and utter disrespect. And in case anyone has forgotten, she reminds us of the enormous power she has that if unleashed can cause our complete disappearance from the earth. The more scientifically minded know it is due to climate change caused by mistreatment of mother nature over centuries. What’s more, they know it can be halted and reversed. The problem has been agreeing on how to do that. Some among the really greedy, or on the fringe and perhaps even unhinged, but wielding economic might from years of exploiting nature’s resources and able to influence political decisions say all the talk about climate change is stuff and nonsense, a hoax. And so, global summits are held to find ways to stem the tide of destruction. Policy makers gather to deliberate on the measures to be taken. Climate activists shout themselves hoarse pleading with the world’s powerful people to act. Scientists lay out the data and evidence. The rest of us wait with hope even after years of disappointment. All we get are promises and targets that are never met. In the meantime, hurricanes and floods, wildfires and droughts and heatwaves continue to wreak havoc. Another summit is coming soon. COP27 will be held in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt in November this year. I have not heard much noise from the usual suspects. Are they perhaps keeping expectations low, resigned to the fact that there will be no significant change? But before that, the African group is holding their own environment conference in Kinshasa, DR Congo, perhaps to come to a common position, especially regarding funding for damage caused by climate change, they will push at COP27. Climate change negotiations have been going on for a long time. It is a painfully slow process with meagre results. It is perhaps time to think of new ways beyond summitry to force greater urgency. When the price of bread goes up in some parts of the world, citizens come out in mass protests in the streets. Governments, afraid of the wrath of a hungry and angry populace, quickly find answers to the problem. In other parts of the world, when the cost of energy rises, there are protests and demonstrations that send governments scrambling for solutions. Maybe we should go that route. Hold sustained and widespread global protests, not just at the venue of climate summits, but take them to those most responsible for the damage. Or boycotts and such other actions as may make the powerful and the biggest climate sinners act. Sounds desperate? The times are and perhaps that is what is needed to save the planet.
