Reading through Parenti's book, all of which was alarming, I found the particulars going on inside India the most glaring considering the scale. And the reasons for that are simple but disturbing, knowing the percentage of Earth's population that live in that part of the world. As well as the sporadic monsoons, severe pollution, melting glaciers, and the still remaining Naxalite insurgents. These issues combined with a myriad of others will result in millions of farmers lacking the means to grow enough food, and millions more struggling for access to clean water, for farming or otherwise... So to really emphasize the scope of what's concerning me about this, take a look at these two maps here.
One is a map showing the concentration of Naxalite activity (Red being the most concentrated.) and the other is an image detailing the major rivers of the Indian Sub-Continent. The Naxalite affected districts are unsurprisingly in farming regions surrounding water sources "Consider this: two-thirds of Indians are farmers, most of whom depend on Himalayan glacier runoff or the monsoon rains." (Parenti, page 183) and while they may have dwindled in activity in more recent years , a climate crisis in the form of irregular but extreme weather could be exactly what destabilizes the region yet again. Even in 2021 there is still Naxalite sentiment even with the counter-insurgency efforts, as the desperation of farmers who lack access to water is still an issue that hasn't been addressed. "150,000 Indian farmers killed between 1997 and 2005." (Parenti, page 143) Additionally, in the years 2018 and 2019 over 20,000 had taken their own lives according to the National Crime Record Bureau of India. Which, on smaller and more recent timescales the numbers get slightly better, but the long term climate crisis will rear its head eventually. And this is to speak only of India's domestic issues. I have yet to factor in conflicts with both China and Pakistan over territorial disputes in the northernmost region of the country. Kashmir is the prize that holds the headwaters of the Indus, another very important river, and three nuclear-armed nations fighting over its control would be an equally deadly catastrophe. After all, the Himalayan Glacier feeds more than just India, but also all the countries surrounding it. This kind of instability, inside and outside, along with their immense population will have India among the hardest hit by climate change. To be sure.
Citations
- Parenti, Christian. Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence. Nation Books, 2012.
- Chauhan, Neeraj. “Maoism Affected Districts down to 70 for the First Time: MHA.” Hindustan Times, 17 Aug. 2021, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maoism-affected-districts-down-to-70-for-the-first-time-mha-101629140788162.html.
- Babu, Sheshu. “Protests Break out as School Going Children 'Branded Naxalites, Taken Prisoners'.” Counterview, https://www.counterview.net/2021/09/protests-break-out-as-school-going.html.
- Pandhaniya, Khargone. “Suicide by a Young Farmer in Khargone Shines a Spotlight on the Farming Crisis - Gaonconnection: Your Connection with Rural India.” Gaonconnection, 16 Sept. 2021, https://en.gaonconnection.com/suicide-farmer-madhya-pradesh-farming-monsoon-rainfall-crop-loss-ncrb-drought/.
- “India-China Dispute: The Border Row Explained in 400 Words.” BBC News, BBC, 25 Jan. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53062484.
It is sad to see these outrageous numbers of human lives being lost to this issue. It defiantly makes you wonder what the history of India will look like and how they will tackle their population problem.
ReplyDeleteIts crazy to see the impact the flooding is having on all of India. And how farmers are struggling to produce which could lead to starvation down the road.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly lamentable to see that the plight many Indian farmers face has led them to place where they don't think they can live anymore–I fear the situation will only get worse.
ReplyDeleteThe main piece that grabbed my attention in this article is the sheer number of Indian farmers who took their own lives!, that is seriously tragic that events like this is happening on the other side of the world unbeknownst to us.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that we as humans are speeding up our own demise just doesn't make sense to me. In your post when you talked about the millions of farmers who wont have the means to grow as droughts get more severe and people can't grow the food that they need, you would think people would start to do something about all this
ReplyDeleteAgriculture in any economy is hard enough, but the compounding effects of the climate crisis, political ruthlessness, societal destruction from economic systems are a recipe for catastrophic convergence.
ReplyDeleteWow, wild stuff. It's evident in your post that climate change is not only about the environment. It's about everything. And about us.
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