Realisation is dawning globally that extermination of our World, as we know it, and extinction of humankind is a real possibility. Scarcities of the three basic requisites of life – air, water and space are beginning to pinch. It is not only a quantitative diminution, but also a qualitative decline that threatens. Unbridled increase in population and the simultaneous rise of ambitions and expectations, characterized by unchecked demands for finite resources, and reckless pollution of what remains, loom menacingly. A redefinition of progress, presently measured by consumption, seems necessary. Global discourse on development often includes words like “limits”, “sustainability”, “equity,” and “millennium goals”. What would have been condemned as irrational, doomsday fears, and alarmism yesterday, looks like reality today. Even a decade or so ago, who would have imagined that the Coronavirus or similar widespread viral pandemics could ever occur and spread so rapidly? Can it show up again in an even more virulent form?

It seems quite plausible that Nature is fighting back. Its benevolence and bounty have lulled us into (ungrateful) complacency. All comfort and sensual satisfaction too, are fleeting and impermanent. We have been warned. The occurrence of disturbances such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones, hurricanes, tsunamis and forest fires have now become more frequent and severe. And then comes Covid-19. Perhaps Spanish Flu, EBOLA, SARS and MERS were pre-warnings, which we loftily ignored. After all, are not humans we thought, the ultimate in Evolution and Viruses the most rudimentary? David has emphatically subdued Goliath. Worse, any triumph may last only until more and more violent forces are unleashed.

Global Warming, melting of Arctic Glaciers, Sea Level Rise are there for all (except Trump), to see. There seems little that the World could do in response to the pitiful and desperate calls from the Maldives and other inhabited Low Elevation Islands. How much longer before we and many others too are flooded out?

Only about 3% of the water on Planet Earth is potable, the balance 97% is locked up in the Oceans. Of the 3% too, the bulk is in groundwater, much of it inaccessible. It has been remarked that World War III will be for water – not for oil. Solar might be the sole option for Energy. Coal and oil are projected to also be exhausted. Disasters like Windscale, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima accidents, show that the costs and duration of recovery times that can be decades or even centuries, illustrate the ever present perils of nuclear power.

Solar Power as presently conceived, is a virtually inexhaustible source. Photovoltaic cells which are presently based on highly purified silicon – the second most abundant element on earth. Batteries of such PV cells, suitably connected, make up the familiar solar assemblies (panels). Theoretically, the energy locked into the sun’s rays received on a single sunny day, if captured, amounts to several thousand times the annual requirements of our earth. Hence, this seems a virtually inexhaustible resource. The major problem is to develop appropriate methods for the storage of energy harnessed during sunlight hours, for use during the night. This is achieved by using appropriate storage batteries or by arranging to feed into the national grid.

The natural mechanism for entrapping (a small part) of incoming Solar Energy, is plant life. The steps are most elegant. The molecule of chlorophyll in green leaves, has as its nucleus, the element Magnesium. Its Atomic structure is such that an electron in an outer orbit is displaced to an even more outer orbit. At the first available opportunity, it leaps back to join its former partners. In this process, the energy entrapped in its displacement is released, in a form (chemically entrapped) usable for the process of building its body mass. This in essence is similar to the functioning of hemoglobin in blood – (only here the function of Magnesium in chlorophyll is performed by Iron in blood). As we know, green chlorophyll in leaves absorbs Carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, while hemoglobin absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. Destroy plants and you destroy Man by asphyxiation. It is often not appreciated that a very large part of photosynthesis is in the Oceans, trapped by the millions of microscopic organisms and by Green Seaweeds. Thus, preventing Ocean Pollution is no less important than controlling deforestation.

We are in Sri Lanka, very much in default in managing our Forests and Mangroves. We also display a callous disregard towards the perils of ocean pollution. The persecution and harassment (reported), of the commendable schoolgirl who courageously exposed the criminal devastation of part of Singharaja, as seen from her home, is deplorable. The young Pakistani girl Yousafzai Malala, was the recipient of The Nobel Peace Award (2014) – the youngest ever recipient – for her role in pressing for educational opportunities for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Taliban shot her in the head and nearly killed her for her brashness! The young Scandinavian girl, Greta Thunberg, drew World-wide acclaim for her efforts in highlighting environmental issues.

In sharp contrast, our young nineteen-year old Bhagya Abeyratna, is being subjected to menacing visitations by those officers whose neglect, (or worse), has led to the present catastrophe! This is an utter disgrace. To cap it all, a Senior Minister who should know better, discloses that two reservoirs are being built within Singharaja to provide water to Hambantota! My gosh, what a toxic brew when political opportunism amalgamates with environmental unconcern!

Armageddon in Greek mythology is a mountain range where in the final battle, the forces of God engaged the demonic forces of evil. An apocalypse (also a biblical term), is a catastrophic disaster heralding the end of the World.

As I witness the heroic and laudable efforts of tree planting, Mangrove rejuvenation and cleansing beaches, (and growing damaged coral reefs), a thought crosses my mind. Years ago, Mr Sam Popham, a retired tea planter, bought some 18 acres of degraded Dry Zone land (not far from Kandalama) and conducted a novel experiment in restoring the land to natural forest, from the unsightly coarse shrub land that he had acquired. He worked on the simple proposition that “Nature knows how best to grow forest if allowed to, than Government Agencies could”. First, he identified four hazards. These were fire, choking weeds, grazing cattle and humans. He strategically located fire-gaps, used labour only to regularly uproot invading and choking weeds, fencing to exclude cattle and minimizing the entry of humans. There was no irrigation of seedlings and importantly, not a single tree was “imported” or planted. The results (although seemingly slow) were spectacular. Dried up riverbeds began to flow, fish, birds and small animals returned, the water level in his well rose and an altogether cool ambience, akin to a Temperate meadow developed. (Interestingly, the local monk was initially unfriendly towards this “White Imposter”, but when he saw the results, enmity disappeared to such an extent, that he even set aside a plot within the temple premises for a grave, if Popham were to die in Sri Lanka!). Popham made a precise record of his observations and wrote a most readable book titled “Dambulla – a Sanctuary of Tropical Trees” (He held an MA, (Cambridge) degree) and retired to the UK some years ago. The “Popham Principle” that he bequeathed to his Foster Home is a classic tribute to simplicity and perseverance.

Soil Conservation Acts specify that lands above an elevation of 4,000 (?) feet should not be cultivated. Tea was the major offender, going up to over 6,000 ft ! In this instance, the Law has to be respected and the tea left unplucked, and allowed to grow to its normal height of 6-10 metres. The natural forest will re-establish and Wildlife will return. In fact, Rohan Pethiyagoda showed this in practice, on a tea land at Agrapatana, for which he won the prestigious “Rolex Award”.

The past century has been one of unbelievable advancement. We can launch spacecraft on interplanetary journeys spanning years, sending back to land thousands of pictures of remarkable clarity. Digital Technology has wiped out traditional photography (where now are Kodak or Agfa?). Hand-held Smart phones or wrist-watches can perform the tasks of bulky Computers. Telecommunications permit us to speak to one another across the globe with an intimacy as if they are just across the table – with cameras which also give the visual content. Driverless cars, Auto-pilots on Aircraft and robots doing household chores and many other developments would tend to make us humans ‘redundant.’ Short of answering questions such as “When did time begin? Where does space end? “Man has to be pardoned for knowing it all. As usual for know-alls, we may have painted ourselves into a corner from which there is no escape. Mankind may have out-smarted itself.

A hopeful feature of current environmental concerns, is that the youth generation is increasingly involved.

As one worthy is reported to have remarked “You cannot eat oxygen”. He was dead right, but we need to breathe it! Asphyxiation would act faster than hunger could!

Dr. UPATISSA

PETHIYAGODA