By Rohit Kumar
Picture Source: Sustainability and Environment @OWU
The 2019 General Election is close by, and all political parties are busy in sensing the mood of the voters to shape their strategies. However, in India, the issues for elections are, always concentrated on the populist choice. And, these issues consistently range from religion, caste, corruption, poverty and unemployment. This set pattern of agenda has been picked up by the political parties since independence because these have been a part of the discussion among the masses. Media on the other hand also plays a vital role in framing the issues for the election and even condition the minds of the voters. But, among all this, no one is realizing that some very important issue like environmental protection is missing.
But, this is not a case in other parts of the world. In the last few years some political groups have come up to voice their concern for environmental protection and most successful example is the emergence of Dutch Green Left party, Groenlink. The GroenLinks was formed in 1989 after the merger of the traditional left parties and since its formation, the party has been putting the environment related issues forward in the mainstream politics. But, the first major victory for GreenLeft has reported in 2017 Dutch national election in which GroenLink managed to win 14 seats in the central assembly with the support of some 8.9 % vote share. The man behind GroenLink success was its prominent leader Jesse Klaver. Klaver campaigned and roamed around the University Campuses of Leiden, Utrecht, Maastricht, Rotterdam etc and discussed with students about the environment-related issues like clean energy, cutting down on coal thermal plants, levying taxes on the polluters, ending subsidies for fossil fuel usage and rewarding and promoting research and development of clean fuel, etc.
Now, if we compare India with the Netherlands it is very difficult to find any politician who talks about the environmental protection and the climate changes and the reason of it is also very clear that the mass of people are not talking about it. The public debating spaces especially Indian universities are also filled up with the traditional issues. Because, politically motivated student groups are pouring the same traditional issues in the university atmosphere, thus the importance of environmental protection is not visible. Although, it is undeniable that the environmental degradation is a matter of greater public concern and its devastating effect is visible in India as other parts of the world. In spite of that, the debates and discussion yet to start in general public and it is still restricted only among the civil societies, policymakers and academic researchers. If we look at Uttrakhand flood, Delhi smog, Mumbai rain are some examples of changing of climate, but ironically no one is talking about it in general debates, and that is why our government is also not serious about it.
In India, if we want to raise the issues of environment and climate change the Universities have to take a lead and try to mould the perception of the people toward the environment and bring the green agendas into the mainstream politics. GroenLink victory in the Netherlands is a positive sign which is setting a trend across the world to put forward the green issues in the political manifestos. The paradigm is also shifting towards the demand for sustainable development across the world. This is also evident from the facts that the more and more new political parties are emerging out with a call to protect the planet. Uttrakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) is perhaps the only political party from India which has formed along the lines of GroenLink and may look forward to drive an eco-friendly agenda in the forthcoming elections.
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Planetary Objectives 