Novelist Amitav Ghosh argues the global climate crisis is not a scientific problem but a geopolitical one, rooted in the fossil fuel economy that underpins Anglo-American global power.
Ghosh describes the current era as a major power shift from declining maritime powers (US, UK) to rising continental powers (China, Russia, Iran), creating a new global order.
India is in a precarious strategic position, caught between maritime dependencies and the rise of continental powers, and is highly vulnerable to energy shocks due to a failure to stockpile fuel reserves.
The conversation explores the intersection of the personal and political, linking a modern 'loss of wonder' to destructive environmental policies and highlighting the 'Rights of Nature' movement as a positive counter-example.
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Concerns Raised
India's diplomatic drift and extreme vulnerability to energy supply disruptions.
The entrenchment of the fossil fuel economy as the basis of the current geopolitical order, hindering climate action.
The strategic challenge posed by the power shift from maritime to continental blocs, creating instability.
India's self-defeating policy of blocking Chinese technology, which could hamper its development.
Opportunities Identified
The potential for 'Rights of Nature' movements to create fundamental, positive shifts in environmental law and perception.
The emergence of a new generation of political leaders who represent a widespread desire for change and a break from the status quo.