Editorial . . . . . . . 

It is a matter of fact that we are surrounded by nature all around us. Nature is universally characterized as an open space outside of human habitation that is surrounded by trees and shrubs or forests, lakes or rivers, water bodies, and other natural elements. The sky, the sun, the moon, the stars, the seas and oceans, the mountains and hills, and so on are all parties of nature. Those are, without a doubt, natural elements. But we forget that nature is at work even in our homes, where the sun’s rays may not reach.

We cannot survive without air, because air is an essential component of nature. Water is essential to our survival, and it is also a component of nature. Plants that grow in fields provide the food we eat in the form of grains and other foods. Plants provide us with all of the fruits and vegetables we eat. Cows, buffaloes, and goats provide us with milk after eating plants that are transformed into milk in their bodies. Sugarcane plants are also used to make sugar. Cotton is obtained from plants that grow in fields, and we wear cotton clothes. Nature has a calming influence on humans. We are delighted when we see lofty mountains, sailing clouds, seas, oceans, and lakes. Nature is essential to our survival. Trees ensure that the right balance of oxygen is maintained, which is critical for our survival. They also provide rain, which is necessary for our crops to develop. As a result, we should refrain from felling trees. We should cultivate more of them. Nature will love us, lead us, and comfort us if we love it. Otherwise, if we strive to destroy it, we shall perish.

In fact, during the last ten years or more, a trend has emerged in which natural disasters have become increasingly destructive to land and people. Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, droughts, landslides, forest fires, storms, and every other imaginable natural calamity have wreaked havoc on people of all races and ethnicities across countries and continents. Climate change clearly does not discriminate. Climate change has begun to affect you, whether or wherever you are, whether you are wealthier or poor, Hindu or Muslim, American or Russian ethnicity. Let us first admit that climate change is a widespread issue that will necessitate both individual and societal effort, as well as proactive government action, to address challenges and develop remedies. It is obvious that man is currently confronted with a number of issues, with nature and expanding creativity and technology among them. How do we learn to live in harmony with both our God-given nature and the global age’s increasing level of technology and innovation? What is happening in areas affected by nature’s wrath simply serves to remind us that we are humans and mortals. We must learn to love and cherish the gifts of nature, such as water, forest, plant, and animal life.

Today, there is growing concerned about climate change’s consequences and what they will mean for our planet. In recent years, the level of destruction caused by climate-related factors has increased considerably. This should be interpreted as a stark warning to humanity. We can no longer afford to play with nature. If we, as humans, desire to exist at all, we must respect nature’s life. Let us learn to live in harmony with Mother Nature. This is the only path to a long-term future. The huge prospects given by science and the increasing knowledge that humanity have developed are the other forces we must deal with. Such a policy should be developed from the ground up. It must have a mandate from the people at the grassroots level, as well as adequate consultation. The balance between development and environmental needs is another crucial goal to achieve. It is time to take a step back and revise our policy goals in a way that will allow us to attain this balance of sustainable development in a J&K UT like Jammu and Kashmir, where we believe in heavy doses of development and the wanton destruction of our habitat for building our projects, etc. Another point to explain is that anytime we talk about climate change, people assume we’re simply talking about rivers, forests, and agriculture.

As a result, it’s critical to raise stakeholder awareness. According to reports, the action plan will have eight missions, including energy, non-renewable energy, water, housing, strategic knowledge, Himalayan eco-system sustainability, and sustainable agriculture. Many people in authority, much alone the general public, are unaware of what is at stake when it comes to climate change. We must continue to educate ourselves so that we may act responsibly as a nation and community. The idea is that, aside from the urgent need to act on climate change mitigation, every country, including local community stakeholders, must be prepared to deal with disasters in order to limit their impact. Natural disasters cannot be completely anticipated or prevented. The most rational thing to do in such a situation is to maintain a level of preparedness. We must awaken in order to be prepared to deal with tragedies. Suggestions are always valuable since they assist us in evaluating our performance and allow us to adapt, adjust, accommodate, or even correct deficiencies in existing policies and programmes.