THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 19 october 2019 (Not green, but green wash (The Hindu))

Not green, but green wash (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Environment
Prelims level : Not much
Mains level : Technological solutions and combat ecological challenges

Context

• From producing artificial meat to using renewable energy, businesses seem to be driven by concern for our planet.
• In Mumbai, despite a sustained and widespread citizens’ campaign, the Aarey forest has been chopped down for metro infrastructure.

Issues

• The argument of the supporters is that building a Metro will prevent an increase in emissions. They are comparing car and bus emissions saved by the building of Metro transport with the carbon absorbed by a forest.
• It is forgotten that it cannot provide habitat, recharge groundwater, or safeguard our soil.
• Apart from deteriorating air quality and climate, this is a crisis of the loss of biodiversity, freshwater, soil, forests.
• Also, there isn’t much evidence that when a Metro arrives in a city or the bus system gets better, car sales drop.
• It is opined that more fuel efficient cars have meant that car owners take many more trips, in effect nullifying the saving of fuel from the technical innovation.

Way forward

• Thus when a technological solution advocates ecological damage, it leads to greater damage to the ecology and thus must be avoided.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) In the context of ocean acidification, consider the following statements:
(1) It is the change in ocean chemistry in terms of lowering of ocean water pH level.
(2) It is driven by the uptake of carbon compounds by the ocean from the atmosphere.
(3) It leads to higher carbonate ions which facilitate the growth of corals.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B
Mains Questions:
Q.1) The Technological solutions cannot combat ecological challenges. Analyse.