Articles
Buddhism, Human Nature and Tropical Rainforest Conservation Nigel Crawhall ICE / INEB Voluntary Advisor on the Environment
s with the other global religions, Buddhism is challenged by the ever-deepening crisis of biodiversity loss, accelerating climate instability and global warming. Within the panoply of human-initiated harmful practices impacting on our planet and sustainability, the deforestation of tropical rainforests, the great green lungs of our planet, is a source of grave concern where we need inspired leadership and effective action. It is important to say at the outset, that though this article is a contribution to the global reflections on the absolute urgency of conserving and regenerating tropical rainforest coverage and the ecosystems functions associated with them, this is one part of a vast puzzle, including all ecosystems, all regions, and each place where human relationships with nature and other species have shifted from sustainable custodianship to degradation and the risk of collapse.1 Whether it is an urban wetland, a desert oasis and subterranean aquifer, a coastal reef ecosystem or temperate grasslands, they all matter, and they are all part of the web of life and the web of our karma. As we approach the end of the ten years of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including Aichi Biodiversity Targets set out by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the challenge for us all is to determine how we
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balance developmental aspirations and economic trends with the conservation of the natural resources that sustain life on our planet. Religious leaders have an important role in such a conversation and mobilizing effective actions and accountability. Religious leaders are there to help communities sustain themselves and reduce their suffering. Religious leaders know that people suffer from greed and self-interest, and if they are not restrained, that such an approach to life leads to greater suffering of the individual and the collective. Moreover, religious leaders have the tools and authority to bring people together to contemplate the common good, to modify our actions based on ethics, altruism, duty and common sense. Ultimately religious leaders are here to help people find meaning in life, which includes finding value in restraint, generosity towards the most vulnerable and living mindfully. The biodiversity crisis is of our making, it
There are various online materials about the state of nature. Two worth referencing are the IPBES Summaries for Policy Makers: https://www.ipbes.net/now-available-summariespolicymakers-four-regional-assessment-reports-thematic-assessment-report and the Global Diversity Outlook series: https://www.cbd.int/gbo/
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