The grave social, economic and environmental problems facing the world show that human beings have violated the laws of nature with impunity and woefully failed to protect God’s creation. Greedy consumption patterns have goaded us to abuse nature. We have not exercised responsible management of God’s creation. Unfortunately, we seem not to be learning any useful lessons that the problems confronting the world had resulted from the mistake in not considering the environment as the basis for the survival of humanity but had placed economic and financial considerations above environment issues. We are destroying the basis of our lives for a pittance and not taking counsel from the Biblical statement that it is unprofitable to gain the whole world and lose one’s soul. The misplaced priorities have been exacerbated already destroyed environment but by the development programmes whether these so-called development programmes would worsen environmental destruction or not. Issues relating to climate change, biodiversity destruction, natural resource extraction, gender, conflicts, social and environmental justice have caught up with us and become too important to be ignored. The high temperatures and phenomenal weather changes that we are experiencing have turned what was previously regarded as abstract global issues into real life experiences.Nagaland is rich with forests and biodiversity; it is one of the biodiversity hot spot falls under Indo- Myanmar biodiversity hotspot The forest cover in the State, based on Forest survey of India report 2013 is 80.33% of the State’s geographical area. In terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has 1,298 km2 area under very dense forest, 4,736 km2 are under moderately dense forest and 7,010 km2 under open forest.
The well-being of humanity, the environment, and the functioning of the economy, ultimately depend upon the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources. Evidence is building that people are consuming far more natural resources than what the planet can sustainably provide. Many of the Earth’s ecosystems are nearing critical tipping points of depletion or irreversible change, pushed by high population growth and economic development. By 2050, if current consumption and production patterns remain the same and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6 billion, we will need three planets to sustain our ways of living and consumption. The World Environment Day theme this year is therefore “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.” Living within planetary boundaries is the most promising strategy for ensuring a healthy future. Human prosperity need not cost the earth. Living sustainably is about doing more and better with less. It is about knowing that rising rates of natural resource use and the environmental impacts that occur are not a necessary by-product of economic growth.
Sustainable consumption is all about ‘doing more and better with less,’ through reducing resource use, degradation and pollution while increasing the quality of life for all. The massive consumption of both renewable and non-renewable resources contributes to a massive loss of biodiversity – with current extinction rates of birds, mammals and amphibians estimated to be at least 100 times, but possibly over 1,000 times, higher than pre-industrial rates. The poorest population is most affected by such changes giving that they rely directly on natural resources — such as fishing, small-scale agriculture or forestry — for their livelihoods.
The number of wild animals on Earth has halved in the past 40 years, according to a new analysis. Creatures across land, rivers and the seas are being decimated as humans kill them for food in unsustainable numbers, while polluting or destroying their habitats, the research by scientists at WWF and the Zoological Society of London found. “If half the animals died in London zoo next week it would be front page news,” said Professor Ken Norris, ZSL’s director of science. “But that is happening in the great outdoors. This damage is not inevitable but a consequence of the way we choose to live.” He said nature, which provides food and clean water and air, was essential for human wellbeing.“We have lost one half of the animal population and knowing this is driven by human consumption, this is clearly a call to arms and we must act now,” said Mike Barratt, director of science and policy at WWF. He said more of the Earth must be protected from development and deforestation, while food and energy had to be produced sustainably.
The steep decline of animal, fish and bird numbers was calculated by analysing 10,000 different populations, covering 3,000 species in total. This data was then, for the first time, used to create a representative “Living Planet Index” (LPI), reflecting the state of all 45,000 known vertebrates
A second index in the new Living Planet report calculates humanity’s “ecological footprint”, ie the scale at which it is using up natural resources. Currently, the global population is cutting down trees faster than they regrow, catching fish faster than the oceans can restock, pumping water from rivers and aquifers faster than rainfall can replenish them and emitting more climate-warming carbon dioxide than oceans and forests can absorb.The report concludes that today’s average global rate of consumption would need 1.5 planet Earths to sustain it. But four planets would be required to sustain US levels of consumption, or 2.5 Earths to match UK consumption levels.
It may come as a surprise to some, but the Bible has a great deal to say about the environment and its conservation some 20 centuries since it was written. Perhaps among the most surprised will be Bible-toting church goers who may have never heard a sermon related to the “environmental crisis” which has become such a concern to so many around the world. Based on the Bible, Christianity’s positive contribution to environmental conservation is consistent with its positive contributions to other fields such as literature, art, music, education, health, and science.
Every Creature, Everything, is Part of God’s Creation
Psalm 96:10-13 - Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.
Isaiah 43:20-21 - The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Job 37:14-18 - Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge? You who swelter in your clothes when the land lies hushed under the south wind,can you join him in spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
Matthew 6:26 - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they
God reminds us in Leviticus 25:23-24- that “The land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession you must provide for the redemption of the land”. According to U. Utah Phillips, “The Earth is not dying - it is being killed. And the people killing it have names and addresses.
Recently concluded NBCC platinum jubilee adapted a resolution III on environment.
• Baptist churches will initiate climate change adaptation strategies and other eco-friendly action sensitive to conservation of forest and preservation of wildlife, and work closely with the community leaders and concern departments for addressing the environment alarm.
• Abstain from using jungle meat during church gatherings
• Discourage churches from offering wild animals during thanks giving service
Illegal wildlife trade is reportedly the third largest global illegal trade after arms and narcotics. It has evolved itself into an organized activity threatening the future of many wildlife species.The growing demand for wildlife from India has been threatening the future existence of not only the Tiger, Elephant, Rhino and various other flagship species but also of pangolins, monitor lizards, Tokay Gecko, turtles and tortoises, birds, corals, sea cucumbers and many more such species whose plight has remained largely under the radar. Credible studies have indicated that the global illegal wildlife trade is worth at least USD 19 billion per year.
Every year in India, hundreds of pangolins, lizards and tortoises are poached, an estimated 700,000 birds are illegal trapped, and about 70,000 tonnes of sharks are caught, yet the levels of exploitation of these species are rarely reported. This large scale exploitation along with minimal information about their population status and poaching and smuggling trends has put the future of these lesser known species in doubt.
Illegal wildlife trade has evolved into a complex activity and India being of the world’s biodiversity hotspots has emerged as a potential source country. The porous borders of India along with various gaps in wildlife law enforcement allow various protected species of wildlife and their parts to be trafficked. The Wildlife Crime Control Unit of Kohima police arrested one person for smuggling pangolin scales on 20 February 2015 at Peducha Check Gate, Kohima. The seized pangolin scales were smuggled into Nagaland from Assam and were supposed to be delivered to a client in Manipur for export to Myanmar. Pangolin scales used in the manufacture of traditional medicine, for which there is high demand in international markets. Also 62 number of Star tortoise were seized from Dimapur railway station. And elephant tusks were seized from women by excise department pesonnel. These are some examples of wildlife trafficking happening in recent days. It is known fact that wildlife trade is thriving in North East and the Dimapur to Imphal corridor is important route for smuggling wildlife to Myanmar and ultimate destination to south east Asia and china.
All species of animals and products derived there from that find mention under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972 are considered to be protected under the legal system and the punishments for killing/possessing the same varies as per the degree of the crime committed and the schedule to which the animal belongs. And by law, all wild animals and products listed and protected under this act are considered a property of the Government of India and the responsibility to enforce this law rests entirely on the state wildlife departments (wildlife inspectors/forest officers). However, Section 50 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, also empowers “a Police official of the rank of a Sub-Inspector or above has the powers to search, seize and arrest”.
It is important to note that while undertaking a raid to nab wildlife criminals, one requires the help of the Police and/or the Forest/Wildlife department for the power to search a spot seize the animals and arrest the accused lies with these government officials; representatives of the NGO circuit, individual activists or the common man don’t have legal powers to do so, but there exist a number of ways in which individuals/NGOs and the government machinery can assist each other to nab wildlife criminals by utilizing their respective skills/resources and legal powers respectively. To get the complete procedure and process of investigation of the Wildlife Crimes, Wildlife Crime Bureau of Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change is organising two days work shop in Dimapur on 29 and 30 June 2015 with Forest department Nagaland. All range officers of the forest department are participating in the work shop.
I appeal to the people of Nagaland that it is our duty to protect the wildlife and people should refrain from purchasing the wild meat and inform the Forest Department officials and /Police when they got some information about wildlife trafficking. And make the Nagaland buzz with sound of birds and allow wild animals which are born free, roam free and live free.
Everyone should do their bit in day to day life to save our wild life. Let us pledge to create awareness among people to protect our rich biodiversity of Nagaland and make planet earth a beautiful place to live.
I remember beautiful lyrics of the movie BORN FREE
Born free, as free as the wind blows
As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart
Live free and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star
Stay free, where no walls divide you
You’re free as the roaring tide
So there’s no need to hide
Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
‘cause you’re born free
M Lokeswara Rao I.F.S
Principal Chief Conservator
of Forests and Head of Forest Force
Kohima, Nagaland
