We are living in precarious times. According to latest reports, 2500 people have died in China as of date, due to the coronavirus outbreak, and 77,000+ people are proven infected worldwide. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency due to the spread of the COVID-19 (a form of coronavirus) outside of China, and defined it as an ‘unprecedented outbreak’. SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) was also a coronavirus that originated in a wet market and though this outbreak has brought in a sense of déja vu of the SARS outbreak in November 2002, the present scare is spreading faster than SARS did!
In a worrisome twist, new research suggests there could be a strong link between climate change and flu breakouts. Moreover, the alarming rise in temperatures make human beings’ natural immune systems less effective and resistant. Climate change could be a potential catalyst of making lethal coronavirus epidemics likelier in the years to come. We mustn’t rule out the fact that climate change and global warming do make the risk of new and unidentifiable diseases more plausible. In recent times, scientists have been able to detect a connection between emerging infectious diseases and animals. Global warming accelerates migration of wildlife, especially of feathered creatures. But much of that wildlife is facing displacement due to impacts of global warming and habitat loss, compelling stressed species-more prone to infection-to be in closer contact with humankind. Therefore, the overall ecosystem’s health is under severe threat and we must act proactively.
This month’s Cover Story revolves around the aspects of water management in the Central Himalayan region. What should be reckoned with is, the hydrological impact of global warming and deforestation in the fragile central Himalayan region is a matter of grave concern resulting into severe crisis of water for drinking and irrigation. The need of the hour is to concentrate on natural springs, aquifers, and mountain rills whose potential hasn’t yet been tapped fully, in addition to relying on traditional wisdom related to water conservation.
The Special Feature nudges the nature lover in us, who has been unfortunately distanced from nature’s bounty due to myriad distractions, including technological advances. The Indian Painted Frog, talked about in the feature, has exceptional qualities that will make you marvel at its glory. But, given the risks of climate change, the question is: Are we climate resilient and ready to conserve the wealth of our flora and fauna Mother Nature has bestowed on us?
Reading the Children’s Poem in this issue makes me believe, that we do; that there is hope and not all is lost. Abhijeet Nair, a young student, has penned a beautiful yet poignant poem on the plight of the animal kingdom in the wake of urbanization and growing industrialization.
TERI’s annual flagship event, the World Sustainable Development Summit 2020 concluded in the last week of January. This year, we were fortunate to host Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, one of the world’s leading economists, who delivered a powerful speech and said, “We have a new emerging disease that is terrifying the world-mega forest fires in many parts of the world that are devastating, air pollution beyond belief in this country even with the struggles to control it but absolutely dramatic.”
I sincerely hope that this issue of TerraGreen will strike a chord among our readers.
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