Media for Climate Justice

Media CAMPAIGN for climate justice 2014 - 2015 a Pipal Tree publication Media campaign for climate justice Compilation of monographs from the 2014-15 media project of Pipal Tree Contributors: M.N. Kulkarni | Mallikarjuna Hosapalya | Ganapathi Bhat | Arthi Chandrashekar Nakkeeran | Arun Kumar P | Veil Muthu | Sakthivel Murugan G | Shanmuganantham E Oamjie John | Sumesh Mangalasseri | Subini Nair Translators: Mallikarjuna Hosapalya | K.A. Shaji | Nakkeeran Editors: Eugene Lawrence | Shabin Paul Design and layout: Ananda Siddhartha Cover picture: Arun Kumar Published: March 2015 Published by: Pipal Tree, Fireflies Intercultural Centre, Dinnepalya, Kaggalipura Post Bangalore - 560 082 India | Phone: +91-80-28432725 | Email: [email protected] Website: www.pipaltree.org.in | www.climatesouthasia.org Contents 1 The tipping point...are we past the 25 Palmyra - the natural solution for climate debate? induced water scarcity Veil Muthu 3 Towards Low Carbon Farming M. N. Kulkarni 28 Migrating fisher folk in the face of looming catastrophe 7 Agriculture – Devoted commitment to Sakthivel Murugan G our inheritance Mallikarjuna Hosapalya 30 Migratory Birds Driven to the Brink with Mindless Destruction of their Habitat 10 Sesame: The Dismal Story of a Rainfed Shanmuganantham E Crop Ganapathi Bhat 34 Climate Justice - What does it mean for coastal communities? 13 Conscientious food habits for us and our Oamjie John planet Arthi Chandrasekar 38 Climate Change and Tourism - A Saga of Betrayal 16 Bottled Bomb Sumesh Mangalasseri Nakkeeran 42 Climate change exacerbates the plight of 20 Vanishing Coasts farmers in Wayanad, Kerala Arun Kumar P Subini Nair The tipping point… are we past the debate? n the past several years, statistics, even if they have been Karnataka but ironically, bought by families from the market refuted by climate change deniers, do present a disturbing to make delicacies during festivals! He cites climatic changes Ipicture worth noting. Glaciers continue to melt at rates faster in the region as a cause of the disappearance of this crop. The than earlier forecast, shorelines recede as rising sea levels erode story invites the reader to ponder on the future of other crops and inundate them, forest fires continue to rage more fiercely, especially when such a crop as sesame which can grow under more and more animal species are disappearing, droughts and drought conditions can succumb to a disappearing Bharani rain! flooding continue unabated with an ever increasing change in In ‘Conscientious food habits for us and our planet’, Arthi rain fall patterns, newer species of pests are being noticed and our Chandrasekar, a Bangalore based freelance writer introspects on oceans are not registering any reduction in acidification. Above the connection between our food habits and the delicate checks all, there does not seem to be the ‘Will’ among governments to and balances of our planet, and climate change. At a time when firmly accept the need to shift to a new paradigm of development we should be reducing food miles by eating bio-diverse, local and which upholds the need of everyone over that of greed of a fresh foods, we choose to adopt monoculture farming practices few. Fossil fuel dependent industry continues to dominate the that ‘promote’ the growth of just certain crops which increasingly economics of growth totally shutting off the reality of climate deplete the soil of all its nutrients, she criticises. change it has spawned. She says, “The problem of climate change can only be Pipal Tree believes that the media in India, especially the Indian examined and addressed in its entirety when we do not just languages media, has a vital role in creating awareness among the embrace the scientific or technical aspects behind it but rather general public and in engaging policy makers on aspects related examine our attitude towards growth, our well-being, and a to climate justice, low carbon farming, alternative energy and sense of interconnectedness with nature very much like the other mitigation and adaptation strategies. The communication interconnectedness of the legume and the millet; the bees and campaign of Pipal Tree is hence aimed at facilitating alliances pollination, the earthworm and the soil, and our food and our of freelance writers, social researchers and activists to come health.” out with stories and articles on how climate change is being In his expose on industrial evil, Nakkeeran, activist writer felt by communities, and what would form effective adaptation from Tamil Nadu takes on packaged drinking water as a potent measures for those whose livelihood is affected by the changing industry which exacerbates climate change. climatic patterns. This release is a compilation of articles written His ‘Bottled Bomb’ decimates the popular myth of safe and published by twelve freelance writers from the three South drinking water in a branded plastic bottle and explodes the Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala during the bottle’s genesis of scientifically unfounded industrial practices, programme year 2014 and 2015. hazardous chemical catharsis in the production process, all M.N. Kulkani, well known for his works in climate change backed by national and international findings. It is yet another adaptation and mitigation, writes in his article, ‘Towards Low example of how advertisement driven consumerism has made Carbon Farming’, that the advocacy for alternatives to chemical this industry a giant success. The question is: Will you still buy fertilizers and pesticides is gaining momentum even at the level a bottle of water after reading the article? Perhaps, but better of scientists and government. His tips on how low carbon farming informed. can be achieved with simple methods are indeed educative. Arun Kumar, in his ‘Vanishing Coasts’, slams at the abuse of In the article ‘Agriculture – Devoted commitment to our the beaches by the hospitality industry that is turning vast swathes inheritance’ farmer activist Mallikarjuna Hospalya writes about of coastal habitation inhospitable and culpable in weakening the the bleak situation farmers have been facing: unavailability of natural defensive capabilities against tsunamis and ferocious adequate labor, lack of market facilities, lack of attractive prices cyclones. He cautions that these forces of nature will get more for the produce and the alarming change in rainfall pattern. Yet, and more violent with the onslaught of climate change rendering he is not distraught because he also sees a reverse trend of hope: these coastal stretches totally vulnerable. When lopsided instances of young educated people coming back to villages to economic development activities affect the environment, it is the settle down and till the land in their own innovative ways in poor who pay the price, he observes. organic farming, planting horticultural, timber, forestry and Concerned with another callous disregard of nature’s gift, Veil fodder trees, conserving natural resources, harvesting rain water, Muthu, freelance journalist from Tamil Nadu instances the case growing green manure trees, and adopting traditional moisture of the Palmyra in his article ‘Palmyra, the natural solution for management practices, etc. climate induced water scarcity’. The drought resistant Palmyra Ganapathi Bhat, freelance journalist and farmer activist next is one of the oldest and naturally growing trees of Tamil Nadu. writes about the dismal story of Sesame, a rainfed crop. Used Out of the 85.9 million Palmyras in the world, 60% are in Tamil as a topping or dressing for many a savory or variety of sweets, Nadu (51 million), which is the largest number in the world. Yet, especially festivals, he writes on how, this once financially Palmyra trees are being destroyed like never before. He points rewarding crop has been abandoned by farmers in a district of at the gross ignorance of the value of the Palmyra in rainwater 1 harvesting especially in a water deficit, drought recurring state of folk in Koilandy, Calicut and Alappuzha, Oamjie discerns the Tamil Nadu! Equally insulting to human intelligence is even after gap between traditional and scientific knowledge. While there is seeing that the Palmyra is a natural bulwark against tsunamis and pressure on traditional knowledge to come to terms with climate deadly cyclones to which Tamil Nadu is no stranger, the Tamil change, the scientific communication is woefully inadequate in Nadu government chose to erect a large number of the chopped information and tangible education. Palmyra trunks as pillars so as to form a natural bulwark on the Coming like a bolt from the blue: Sumesh Mangalasseri, coast, instead of planting and growing Palmyra! activist and promoter of community tourism from Kerala, jolts Detailing the beneficial properties of palmyra produce, chiefly the tourism and aviation industry with his stunning article its food potential, Veil Muthu draws the readers’ attention to ‘Climate Change and Tourism - A Saga of Betrayal’. Tourism, a human tragedy unveiling for the ‘Chennars’, a community he writes, has an enormous impact on the environment and is dependent on Palmyra trees for a living, with the disappearance a major contributor to carbon emissions and is clearly in conflict of the Palmyra trees. with global Green House Gas (GHG) reduction goals. Providing Sakthivel Murugan G, activist and freelance writer from alarming statistics, he cautions that unless stringent measures are Tamil Nadu unveils another human tragedy in Arcattuthurai, taken, the

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